Burning Down The House!
Ironically, after The Red Masque's last gig was cancelled due to a fire, our next gig is at The Fire in Philadelphia, along with Moraine and K2.
MORAINE
Moraine is an omnivorous Seattle-based instrumental quintet made up of guitarist Dennis Rea, violinist Alicia DeJoie, woodwind player James DeJoie, bassist Kevin Millard, and drummer Stephen Cavit. With its several writers and full complement of ace instrumentalists arrayed in striking combination, Moraine achieves a unique sound while drawing on forms ranging from art rock to Chinese folk music to plugged-in power jazz and more. Moraine has been enthusiastically received by audiences ranging from jazz aficionados to progressive rock devotees to metalheads. The band's 2009 release on NYC-based MoonJune Records, manifest deNsity, has received more than 100 glowing reviews in 30 countries, and its set at NEARfest 2010 was considered by many to be a highlight of the festival.
THE RED MASQUE
Founded in February 2001 by bassist/keyboardist Brandon Ross and vocalist Lynnette Shelley, the Red Masque went through several lineup changes over the years, but its intent and integrity has always remained the same. The band's goal was, and is, to create original music that pushes the envelope of the listener's expectations. With such influences as Magma, King Crimson, Hawkwind, Gong, Pink Floyd, Bauhaus, Art Bears, and Van Der Graaf Generator, The Red Masque's compositions are as intense as they are unique.
One of the group's first concerts was at the Prelude to the North East Art Rock Festival (NEARFest) in 2001. Other notable shows include the 2005 Rogue Independent Music Festival in Atlanta, the 2001 World Con Science Fiction Convention, the New Jersey proghouse series, Orion Studios in Baltimore; the Philadelphia Landing Pad Space Rock Festival; and The Gate to Moonbase Alpha concert series at the Rotunda in Philadelphia. The Red Masque also organized and performed in the 2002 and 2003 Philadelphia Underground Music and Culture Festival. The Red Masque have also opened up for notable performers and musicians such as Chris Cutler (Henry Cow, Art Bears), The Muffins, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, and Present. They have also performed on stage with such well-regarded drummers and percussionists as David Kerman (5UUs, Present, Thinking Plague) and Paul Sears (The Muffins, Thee Maximalists).
Steadily growing an audience within the underground progressive and psychedelic music communities for their uncompromising and intense style of music, The Red Masque have released to date one EP ("Death of the Red Masque" in 2001), and three albums ("Victoria and the Haruspex" in 2002, "Feathers for Flesh" in 2004, and "Fossil Eyes" in 2008), as well as one single (2003). "Feathers for Flesh" was released through the Big Balloon Music label out of Washington state and garnered critical reviews in the press, including Wire Magazine, Harmonie Magazine, Progresiste Magazine, iO Pages, Colussus Magazine, Tarkus Magazine, Progression Magazine, Expose Magazine, the Philadelphia City Paper, Metro Philadelphia, and various online newsletters, blogs, and review sites. Interviews in various progressive music media also followed, including Progression Magazine and Expose Magazine.
K2
K2 began quite by accident in May of 2001 when bassist Ken Jaquess asked drummer Doug Sanborn to play on some new music he was working on. Having no idea if anything would come of these sessions, they set out to record a bold and daring project that would soon take on a life all its own. After only 4 rehearsals and 5 hours of recording, Ken and Doug had laid the foundation for an incredible epic album of high musicianship, complex compositions and haunting themes. What happened next was completely unexpected. Over the next 4 years,fellow musicians Allan Holdsworth, Ryo Okumoto, Shaun Guerin, Yvette Devereaux & John Miner added layer upon layer of unique, signature sounds that resulted in K2's first album "Book of the Dead". Critically acclaimed around the world, K2 went on to perform BOTD live with a new line-up consisting of Ken and Doug, Ryo Okumoto (keyboards), Karl Johnson (guitar), and Josh Gleason (vocals). In 2006, K2 filmed their first gig, which was released on their 2008 concert DVD, "K2 Live in Hollywood". In 2007, this lineup went back to the drawing board to create what would become their long overdue 2nd release, "Black Garden". The new K2 album to be released September 21st, 2010 on Magna Carta Records, showcases this modern rock quintet in an entirely new setting. With a central theme of Oceania, K2 explores the hidden depths of this mysterious region and take the listener on a dark, sonic journey to places rarely visited, and offers a glimpse of a people unlike any other on earth.
--
Progressive Rock & Progressive Metal - E-Zine
