During my drive home audio fragments still wandering around in my head. "Sulla luna Un suono Un suono" and "Ma adesso il tempo mobile" are two of those lyric parts sang and played by the Italian and Rome based progressive rock band RanestRane. They played in the wonderful venue of Alphen aan de Rijn called Parkvilla Theater. Organised by Serious Music Alphen.
 

Daniele Pomo

The music they played came mostly from their 3 CD trilogy based on the movie from Stanley Kubrick 2001 A Space Odyssey. All music is as always supported by parts of the movie projected on a big screen on the back of the stage.
They started the show with music that came from Monolith (2013) the first part of the trilogy. The concert starts with the opening synthesizer sequence of Semi, followed by the swelling guitar sound played by Massimo Pomo. It's not only the dawning of a new world as projected on the screen but also the beginning of an amazing concert.
Accompanied by the piano of Riccardo Romano the voice of Steve Hogarth tells about the birth of life. Hogarth's voice comes this time from the laptop from Riccardo, the very talented keyboard player from the band. Riccardo is also the one who controls all the video and sound effects that can be seen and heard on the stage. After the touching Fluttuerò and Materna Luna it is time for the music that comes from the second part H.A.L. (2015, see review).

Before they start to play the H.A.L. material Daniele Pomo tells that it was a pleasure playing some weeks ago in Uden in the Netherlands: "But this time it's a little bit more special because it's our own show. Playing for the second time here, a perfect venue for our kind of music and cineconcept. Playing music for old and new fans"

The H.A.L. material ends with the track Computer Malfunction. A track where Riccardo is again on fire with another brilliant synthesizer solo. This time not on his Moog Voyager but using his Yamaha Motif xs6.

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After the break the band plays the whole new Starchild (2018, see review) album except the last track Abandoned. Again the music fits perfectly with the videos. Film dialogues perfectly integrated with the music. A track that grows more and more is the song Stargate. Divided in several parts, moods and accelerations. In the movie when the astronauts enter the Stargate the music gets into a higher gear and is perfectly in line with the images on the screen. Well done.

Massimo Pomo's guitar playing is amazing this evening and is inspired by Steve Rothery. And in my opinion he has reached the Rothery level. Bass virtuosi Maurizio Meo is the perfect bass player

Redrum

for the band, melodic and rhythmic all in one guy. Singer and drummer Daniele Pomo is one the best drummers in the progressive rock business and shows it again this evening. The band sounds very tight and this evening are on top of their peak.

The regular set ends with a standing ovation from the crowd and without leaving the stage the band plays three unprepared encores. At least that what Daniele wants us to believe.
Redrum from the Shining album is always a highlight in the show, especially the part where simultaneously Daniele hits the drum and Jack Nicholson crashes the door with his axe.
RanestRane ends the show with two great songs taken from Nosferatu Il Vampiro (2006).


Thank you RanestRane for such an amazing evening.
Thank you also to Serious Music Alphen for bringing these guys back again to this wonderful theatre.

Roel Strik (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen)