Back in 2003
Neal Morse
released his third solo album
Testimony.
This album was a way to look back at his life so far, but also a testimony of
his Christian faith. At the time probably no-one would have expected that eight
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Collin Leijenaar |
years later Neal would release a successor, again a double album called
Testimony 2. This shows that he had to
speak his heart once more. To promote the new record Mr. Morse went on tour in
the US; Europe was next during June and July. Neal and his band started out in
Zwolle at the Hedon venue on June 2nd. As usual his European band had a
different line-up compared to the line-up on the other side of the Atlantic. Some
musicians who accompanied him on stage for the last couple of years couldn't
join him on this European tour. Therefore his band consisted of musicians who
accompanied him for the first time. However, his European side kick drummer
Collin Leijenaar,
his wife
Jessica Koomen
(backing vocals, keyboards, percussion) and guitarist
Paul Bielatowicz were available
again just as on the
Sola Scriptura-tour.
A twenty-minute medley taken from the
Sola Scriptura-
album was welcomed by the audience with
a lot of cheering. First Neal told a nice anecdote about a friend, who came at
his door to write a concept album about Martin Luther King which was a nice
introduction to this superb piece of music. During this medley it became obvious
that the band were blessed with a lot of great singers. The harmony vocals were
really stunning and also other musicians participated in the lead vocals. Part
5 of the first
Testimony-album
with a major part for the small string section ended the first set. Violinist
Ben Mathot
and cellist
Nathan Brenton
provided for a very orchestral sound.
These two musicians had again a major part during the second set which was
completely reserved for the performance of
Testimony
2.
Obviously the music had been rehearsed a lot to provide for outstanding versions
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Neal Morse |
of the new stuff. All musicians had studied the music at home and got together
a week before the tour began. However, it appeared that the music got a heavier
edge compared to the versions on the album. Maybe that's not so strange if you
consider that from time to time three musicians played the electric guitar simultaneously.
But I wouldn't call it metal or hard rock. No way, it was still progressive
rock music all the way. The most emotional moment was when Neal introduced the
track concerning the health problems of his daughter.
Jayda
deals with the hole in her heart and how it was cured. He had tears in his
eyes when he told the audience that a miracle happened while touring in Europe
with
Eric Burdon. Towards the end of
the second set it all became more spiritual and you could find Mr. Morse on the
floor of the small stage. Many people followed him when he prayed to God reaching
his hands out to the sky...
Although the concert wasn't the same as on the original studio album, it
was still worth listening and performed with a lot of strength and passion! It
was obvious that the band would return for a final encore after finishing a
perfect interpretation of
Testimony 2.
Afterwards drummer Colin Leijenaar told me that they had the option of
Reunion or
King Jesus as an encore. In Zwolle they played
Reunion.
Again the audience sang along and praised the Lord Jesus, thus
ending a fine performance, but held in a far too small venue that hardly could handle
an almost sold-out concert. The temperature went up to alarming values and most
of the time there was too little space to move. Next time a bigger concert hall
please!
Henri Strik (edited by Peter Willemsen)