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Asia Concert Review
HOUSE OF BLUES
DALLAS TEXAS
APRIL 27, 2008
By Ron Dempesmeier
Asia Daylight | Only Time Will Tell | Wildest
Dreams | Never Again | Roundabout | Time Again | Cutting It Fine
(keybd. solo) | The Clap/Georgia (guitar solo) | Voice of
America | The Smile Has Left Your Eyes | Ride Easy | Open Your
Eyes | Fanfare for the Common Man | Without You | An
Extraordinary Life | In the Court of the Crimson King | The Heat
Goes On | Heat of the Moment
Encores: Don’t Cry | Sole Survivor
The reunited original members of the 80s
supergroup Asia came to Dallas to promote their recently
released album - Phoenix. Consisting of veteran rockers John
Wetton on bass & vocals (King Crimson), Steve Howe on guitar
(Yes), Carl Palmer on drums (Emerson, Lake & Palmer) and Geoff
Downes (Buggles, Yes), their self-titled debut album went on to
sell nearly 7 million copies in 1982 and proved that a lot of
Americans were glad to hear some melodic, progressive rock
during the thick of the New Wave/Synth Pop era. This line up
recorded 2 more albums and steadily changed as members left to
go solo or to return to their original bands. Although they were
not adverse to showing off their musical chops and could write
some intricate melodies, Asia typically put enough Pop punch in
their music and kept the lengths of songs down to a manageable
amount to get some serious radio play.
Kicking off with a soaring, rare B-side (the first of the
evening) called “Daylight”, the group was determined to go deep
into their collective catalog as well as feature some of the
songs from their newest release. Then they went into the first
of their Top 20 hits, “Only Time Will Tell”. Also from the debut
album, “Wildest Dreams” proved to be a most propulsive rocker
with Carl Palmer’s barrage on his translucent blue, double bass
drum kit nearly pushing the song over the edge.
Since re-uniting in 2006 for their 25th anniversary, Asia has
been performing songs from its members’ original groups. The
first of the evening was a very capable rendition of Yes’
“Roundabout”. John Wetton cannot sing in the high key of Yes’
front man Jon Anderson, but he sang powerfully and his bass
playing was equal to the complex rhythms of Yes’ Chris Squire.
Guitarist Steve Howe reproduced his ringing, harmonics on a
guitar mounted on a stand and then switched to his trusty Gibson
hollow body for the faster parts. His appearance was also rather
unique because he looks like a grandfatherly, college professor
type who made some funny feints and faces as he played the riffs
of this long classic.
Geoff Downes got to demonstrate his talents with a solo excerpt
from “Cutting It Fine” with a “Bolero” section thrown in as
well. He had the standard 3 towers of keyboards and synthesizers
that all progressive rock keyboardists are required to have –
but he did acquit himself quite well on all of them. Steve Howe
came back out to do an acoustic guitar solo dedicated to his
daughter Georgia, which demonstrated his fine fingerpicking
technique – some sections sounded a bit like Chet Atkins to me.
The group reconvened and ran through some tracks from their
Astra and Alpha albums including a Top 40 ballad called “The
Smile Has Left Your Eyes.” The second rare B-side song of the
evening was the mellow “Ride Easy.”
When it came time to feature a song from Carl Palmer’s Emerson,
Lake & Palmer past, Asia did an extended rendition of “Fanfare
for the Common Man”. ELP liked to take classical pieces and
arrange them into somewhat bombastic rock concertos. Downes did
a great job of matching the blaring synthesizer lines that Keith
Emerson first did in the 70s.
One of the new album’s better songs called “An Extraordinary
Life” was also performed. Composer Wetton had recovered from
some serious heart problems and had battled alcoholism in the
past, so he wrote this song to remind him and his fans not to
take life for granted.
Probably the most heart-in-throat moment of the show was when
Asia performed the King Crimson classic “In the Court of the
Crimson King”. This song was written in the late 60s and has a
magnificent, billowing keyboard part that sounds like an
orchestra. It used to be performed on an instrument called a
Mellotron (The Beatles “Strawberry Fields Forever” or The Moody
Blues “Nights in White Satin” are two other pieces that feature
this unique instrument), but Downes used some synthesizer that
nailed the majestic sound and Wetton’s vocals scaled the heavens
above the melody.
The “poppiest” moment of the night was when Asia performed the
very first song ever played on MTV: “Video Killed the Radio
Star” by The Buggles. Geoff Downes donned a silver jacket and
sunglasses like he wore in the 1980 video and sang backing
vocals through a phased microphone that made him sound like a
disembodied, ethereal voice.
When the band performed “The Heat Goes On” from Alpha, Carl
Palmer got the chance to perform a rather long, exciting drum
solo. His kit was set up so that the cymbals were rather low so
he was definitely easy to see from the audience. Palmer is
definitely one of prog-rock’s most gifted drummers, so it was
really a thrill to see him paradiddle, flam and press roll his
way around the traps. In contrast to the other members of Asia,
he looks almost as fit and young as he did 20 years ago!
When the group launched into “Heat of the Moment”, Downes
switched over to one of those 80s relics – the portable keyboard
and proceeded to bounce around the stage and stand back-to-back
with Wetton and Howe. The audience participated in a sing-along
and the strength of this song propelled them into a near frenzy.
The encore consisted of “Don’t Cry” from Alpha and “Sole
Survivor” from Asia. It was a great show and the audience was
very satisfied with the depth and breadth of the performance
given!
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