The British progressive rock band Galahad made their last appearance in the Netherlands three years ago at the Northern Prog Festival 2015 (see review). Now they returned to our country to promote their excellent brand new studio album. Seas Of Change (see review) got a well deserved maximum score of five stars. Of course

Stuart Nicholson

I asked myself if they would play the entire title track. Which lasts almost 43 minutes. Which means almost a complete set of live music. The venue they visited this time around was for them already well known. Because in 2013 the band played the Parkvilla Theater the very first time. A perfect location as lead singer Stuart Nicholson stated before the concert. Compared to the performance I saw of them at the NPF the bands line up went through some personal chances. Guitarist Roy Keyworth seemed to be less interested in playing in the band nowadays and was replaced by Lee Abrahams. The new and impressive guitarist was until 2009 Galahad's bassist. This job in the band was until the recordings of the earlier mentioned new album given to former band member Tim Ashton. Who also shared the stage with his fellow musicians during the NPF performance. He was now replaced by multi-instrumentalist Mark Spencer, who played with the band earlier in the Netherlands when they did the Progmotion Festival 2012 (see review) in Uden. Left are the two members which aren't mentioned yet. First we have one of the most important members in the band nowadays. His name is Dean Baker and he is the bands keyboard player. Finally we have drummer Spencer Luckman.

This leaves me to the part to tell you what the band did for the second time on the stage of Serious Music Alphen at the Parkvilla Theater. The songs they performed were divided on two different sets and a final encore. To my surprise not many changes had been made compared to the setlist they used for the NPF performance. Well not that I minded hearing them doing Guardian Angel, 21st C Painted Lady, Empires Never Last, Sleepers, Beyond The Barbed Wire, Room 801 and the encore Seize The Day once

Mark Spencer

again. Because they are fantastic progressive rock tunes which I love to hear them perform over and over again. Compositions which they did extremely well, without doubt. Just like the new songs on the setlist. Yes it has to be said that I did hear very strong live versions of Termination, This Life Could Be My Last and the in two parts dived Seas Of Change. So bravo to the new line up for coming up with a fantastic concert on which Abrahams turned out to be a fantastic addition to the band as a guitar player. Who sometimes wandered around the stage to get in contact with those who came to see him play the marvellous guitar parts.
He even climbed the stairs in between the audience to get even closer to them. Something which Nicholson also did from time to time. It surprised me several times that he still has a good voice and was capable to sing the difficult parts written many years ago when he was a lot younger. So bravo to Stuart. Also a show of hands for the other 'new' boy in the band. I am referring to Mr. Spencer. Who learned to play all the songs in a very short time and at the same time was jumping around on the stage. Making funny faces and laughing most of the time. You could tell that the new line up had fun performing the sometimes complex music of Galahad. They certainly enjoyed themselves just like the audience in front of them. An audience which seemed to be coming from not only the Netherlands but also from countries such as Germany, Belgium and even Ukraine.

All those people had a terrific time when the band was on stage performing their music in the best possible way. They enjoyed a band that clearly felt like it and set up a very tight show. My thanks goes once again out to the organisation for bringing this fantastic band once again to our country. Hopefully will they invite them to come over from the UK more often. That would certainly be awesome!

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