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Francis Dunnery and the Tall Blonde Helicopter Band
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The Syn: Steve Nardelli (vocals), Francis Dunnery (acoustic guitar, backing vocals), Dorie Jackson (backing vocals)
Set: "Devils & Demons", "Big Sky"
Perhaps it would be useful to consider how The Syn got here. After Syndestructible and US touring, The
Syn as then had imploded with Chris Squire, Gerard Johnson, Paul
Stacey, Jeremy Stacey, touring drummer Alan White and everyone else
leaving the band in late 2006. 2007 was a low point: Nardelli demo'd
some material, but there was no band and numerous grand announcements
about Umbrello activities predictably came to naught. However, in July
2008, a new core line-up was announced with former It Bites guitarist
Francis Dunnery and former touring keyboardist with Yes, Tom Brislin.
With Brett Kull and Paul Ramsey (both of Echolyn), they have been
recording a new album, Big Sky,
due for release early in 2009.
While almost an entirely new line up, Dunnery does have a past
connection with The Syn. He was to have been in the touring line-up for
the More Drama Tour and had rehearsed with the band before that tour
was cancelled. And it was through Dunnery that we've had a first peek
at this new version of The Syn. At two shows in late October for his
charity, Nardelli guested on stage with Dunnery and they repeated that
formula for this, the last show on Dunnery's Tall Blonde Helicopter
tour.
I arrived partway through the opening act, Dorie Jackson and her
band—a trio with Jackson on
lead vocals and acoustic guitar, with an acoustic guitarist (Emily?)
and a keyboardist, both also providing vocals. Their performance was
pleasant, folksy, singer-songwriter stuff. Dorie is the daughter of Van
der Graaf Generator's David Jackson and he and Dunnery play on her
debut album, just released on Dunnery's Aquarian Records label.
I was only vaguely aware of Francis Dunnery's work before tonight.
On this tour, he is playing all(?) of his 1995 solo album Tall
Blonde Helicopter. Dunnery played with a full band, a sextet
including Paul Ramsey on drums and Dorie Jackson on backing vocals. It
was a good show, with an endlessly energetic performance from Dunnery
singing and on guitar, and I'm interested enough if anyone wants to
make suggestions what albums I could try. The crowd were as
enthusiastic as Dunnery: Dunnery could have not bothered singing given
the audience knew all the words! A particular highlight was "I
Believe", which Dunnery introduced talking about a recent benefit
concert for Barack Obama, then 3 days before his election win.
About halfway through the set came what I'd been invited for, the
"acoustic showcase" of new Syn songs. Dunnery introduced Steve Nardelli
as one of the people who had "invented prog rock" with Chris Squire.
Leaving aside such historical revisionism...
Nardelli sang lead, with Dunnery on acoustic guitar and backing
vocals, and Jackson also on backing vocals, but no Paul Ramsey despite
his involvement on the album. So, what are the new songs like? This may
seem rather obvious... in fact, I feel rather guilty making you
read all this way for something so obvious... but they were a blend of
Nardelli's songwriting with Dunnery's stylings. A good blend, I should
add. First up was "Devils & Demons", a song with a great beginning,
chorus and middle 8, but I found the verses a bit flat in comparison.
Nardelli seemed nervous during the first number, but after a good crowd
reaction at the end, he warmed up for their second song, "Big Sky". Not
as strong as "Devils & Demons", I thought, but still
a nice blend of Syn and Dunnery. Both songs, but particularly "Devils
& Demons", had some strong vocal interplay between Dunnery and
Jackson, so it's interesting to see Jackson being added to the studio
line-up.
I have been critical of this new band still using "The Syn" name
with Nardelli being the only connection to the original 1960s band and
Nardelli and Dunnery's tenuous connection the only link to the reunion
band before now. Not one person who plays on any track of Original Syn, Syndestructible or Armistice Day is still present,
other than Nardelli. However, Nardelli's writing does provide a
distinct continuity and the interaction with Dunnery seems to work well
for both of them.
Henry Potts, 10 Nov 08; revised 11 Nov 08
Originally posted to alt.music.yes and 14Hour.