The dark side of Fermain

By John McCarthy

Elysium’s guitarist Gordie Liu at The Fermain Tavern. (Picture by Andrew Le Poidevin, 0912313)

THE word Elysium, in Greek folklore, refers to a place where ideal bliss can be found – perhaps a fitting description for the Fermain Tavern last Saturday night.

It was here that the five-piece progressive rock group, who have adopted the mythological moniker, were playing.

And it was a special night for Pink Floyd fans.

Elysium played to a generous audience, which must have been verging on maximum capacity for the modest-sized venue.

The level of interest was justified, however, with the band providing more than just the main event.

Before the ‘Floyd Set’, the band played a set that they dubbed as ‘The Best of the Rest’. This was very warmly received.

The stage was filled with a plethora of amplifier stacks, rack-mounted effects, keyboards and drummer Paul Taylor’s percussive jungle of a drum kit.

All this combined with the band logo on a flag and great stage lighting gave the gig a professional look.

The Pink Floyd album art posters which adorned the venue wall added a nice touch.

However, the night wasn’t merely a triumph of style over substance, as the band delivered a stunningly tight performance with a superbly articulate sound.

Each band member displayed solid technical prowess and an incredible dynamic command.

The first set consisted almost wholly of songs by Canadian prog-rockers Rush, with a light commercial number – Marillion’s Sugar Mice – breaking it up. The band are clearly very at home with the material, the Rush hit Tom Sawyer making a fine example of this, and also showcasing the benefit of the recent addition of live keyboards. Singer Gary Murchie impressed with his loyalty to the original recordings while still adding his own flavour very tastefully in to the mix.

Guitarist Gordie Liu was, as ever, on top form.

Gary paid tribute to his colleague: ‘It’s great to see him in challenging musical climates, showcasing his dexterity and conjuring up some killer guitar tones.’

Even at this stage the performance was already worthy of the entrance fee and the band hadn’t even launched in to the main event – the ‘Floyd Set’.

Once it came, the band played hits such as Time, Money and Wish You Were Here under the impressive lighting; the result was hugely atmospheric.

The set also included some special guests, with Lee Morvan providing acoustic guitar and Dean Winsall on saxophone.

Keyboard player Lisa Murfitt delivered backing harmonies which complemented the lead vocals sensationally.

One particularly well-orchestrated aspect, which is sometimes overlooked by live bands, was the order in which the songs were played.

The set as a whole seemed to ebb and flow in all the right places, particularly towards the climax which built from Another Brick In The Wall Part One and concluded in a solid rendition of its famous second part.

The momentum then slowed to a relaxing pace with the final number – the gentle sing-along hit Comfortably Numb. All in all, the night was a breath of fresh air for any rock fan, but a particular treat for those with a penchant for prog.

The energy and effort which went into the preparation for the evening was apparent.

It is great to see such specialist evenings in the island.

Although Elysium don’t seem to have plans to gig too regularly, such evenings can only be a blessing – as when they do play, it’s guaranteed to be sonic gold.