DAMIAN WILSON & ADAM WAKEMAN
This is not your typical prog gig, if there can ever be such a thing. Those who expect their musicians to be seriousminded and po-faced are advised to avoid the Wilson & Wakeman experience, because they don’t believe in just studiously playing their songs. Oh no, these are boys who just want to have fun, and insist that anyone who comes along to watch has a fun time as well. In fact, they’ll probably regard it as insult if you don’t leave smiling.
To call them a double act is close to the mark. There’s as much comedic value here as there is musical ability – and that’s saying something. The pair play off each other as the dialogue flows like fine wine, with songs being used to break up the dialogue. There are even some mentions of Prog magazine from the stage, with amusing stories, especially about a glowing quote in the magazine concerning Headspace – hilariously from band member Wilson!
But going on about the banter is rather unfair, because that creates the impression they don’t really treat the music side with any respect, and that’s not true.
There’s no getting away from the fact that here are two major talents. Tonight they play two sets; the first opens with Bring Him Home from the musical Les Misérables, which features Wilson’s dominant vocals. Most of this part of the night has material from various parts of the duo’s careers to date, both together and apart, before it concludes with Life On Mars?. This is not only a homage to David Bowie, but also to Wakeman’s dad, Rick, who played on the original version. It is one of four songs here that come from the pair’s new album, Stripped, with a couple in each of the sets.
For the second half of the show, W&W start off with
Rick Wakeman’s Summer’s End from the Tapestries album. We get three more originals, including one final visit to Stripped for Discipline, before it all heads towards the finishing line with three covers. First up is Black Sabbath’s Iron Man, reimagined with a jazz tempo by Wakeman – what would Ozzy make of that?! – and then Iron Maiden’s prog metal masterwork The Evil That Men Do. After Wilson’s Homegrown, it all ends with a version of Feel Like Going Home from country music hero Charlie Rich.
The Wilson & Wakeman experience is as much about the personalities as the songs. Some will embrace that, others will leave it.
The choice is yours.
“THERE’S AS MUCH COMEDIC VALUE HERE AS THERE IS MUSICAL ABILITY – AND THAT’S SAYING SOMETHING.”