Review by Paddy Gallagher for MPM
Warsaw, Poland’s progressive masters Riverside have embarked on the final leg of their touring cycle in support of the 2023 released “ID.Entity”, with a string of dates billed as a UK / Ireland tour which brings to conclusion an 18 month schedule that included shows in South America, North America and a European tour that featured the band’s Irish debut in Dublin in April 2023 at The Button Factory among previous dates in England and Scotland.
Tonight, saw their debut Belfast show and after tomorrow’s return to Dublin, this time playing The Academy, they will play a few more English and Scottish dates before a select number of festival appearances this summer.
The album and supporting tour of “ID.Entity” is the first to feature “new” guitarist Maciej Meller as a full band member, Maciej having previously contributed his skills to 4 tracks in 2018’s “Wasteland” and filling in as a touring member since 2017, after the untimely death of founding guitarist Piotr Grudziński in 2016 from cardiac arrest.
We will always remember Piotr’s intricate, refined fretwork, a modern-day David Gilmour in my opinion where the space he left between notes was as important to the song as the notes played.
First up tonight we have Klone, a 5 piece from Poitiers in France playing a sublime 40ish minute set of acoustic versions of original songs plus a surprise acoustic rendition of “Black Hole Sun” by Soundgarden. It was mesmerising to watch the musicians interact skilfully in the laid bare acoustic setting, the interplay between guitarists Aldrick and Guillaume, the skilled rhythm section of Enzo on Bass and Morgan on drums and on vocals, Yann displayed his fine technique between clean and a few “acoustic” gutturals giving an insight into his capabilities when the band are “plugged in”! And when plugged in they are a different beast with shades of countrymen Gojira, a touch of Green Carnation in places, and Pain of Salvation.
I’d hope they play here again electrified, although to see them acoustic was a treat as they can pull it off and seem to like this setting having previously released and “Unplugged” live album in 2017!
After a super-efficient change over with the Riverside Techs scurrying about at speed co-founder Piotr Kozieradzki strolled onstage to take his place behind the drumkit closely followed by Maciej Meller to his stage-right position, debonaire keyboardist Michał Łapaj appears stage-left behind banks of keyboards and his trusty sidekick George the Bird! And finally, charismatic frontman, bassist and vocalist Mariusz Duda enters centre stage taking a bow to the applause, straps on his bass, and we’re off into “#Addicted” from 2015’s “Love, Fear and the Time Machine” album extracting an approving roar from the crowd!!
Next, “02 Panic Room” from 2007’s “Rapid Eye Movement” with its groovy bass heaviness got everyone groovin’ and swaying in time before Mariusz took to the microphone to say hello to the City of Belfast and figuring out the crowd was 55% Belfast with one fan from Poland! After introducing his colleagues, we get the first 2 of 5 tracks from “ID.Entity”, “Landmine Blast” and “Big Tech Brother”. It must be said, Mariusz on bass is a sight to behold, an integral part of Riverside’s sound you could describe his playing a lead-bass.
“Lost (Why Should I Be Frightened by a Hat?)” starts subtly for 2.5 minutes, with tasty guitar keyboard notes before a blast of heavy riffage from Maciej. The heavy riffage continues with the up-tempo “Post-Truth” then we listen to the majestic guitar work on “The Place Where I Belong” both taken from “ID.Entity”. A Riverside classic next, from 2009’s “Anno Domini High Definition” album we are treated to the most excellent “Egoist Hedonist” and a chance to bang the heads! “Friend or Foe” brings the set to a close with a keyboard riff reminiscent of the ‘80s before the guitars take over.
After the cursory few minutes off stage the band re-emerge to hit us with a quick one-two of “Self-Aware” from “ID.Entity” and “Driven to Destruction” from the afore mentioned classic “Anno Domini High Definition” album, heads a banging again. Night closer could be nothing else but the classic “Conceiving You”, a beautiful piece of music from the 2005 album “Second Life Syndrome”, led by beautiful work on the keys by Michał, the singing along of the crowd and deft fretwork by Maciej.
Do yourself a favour, put on a good set of noise cancelling headphones and immerse yourself in the music of Riverside! Each musician contributes so much to the band, sometimes in your face and sometimes discreet. The setlist was well thought out and each time I see them they just keep getting better and better, amazing really as they started off from at a high standard anyway.
The band’s trajectory is ascending, of that, I’m sure. The size of venues increasing as the tour revisits cities, the word spreading of their unique compositions and sophisticated musicianship.
Photography by Darren McVeigh for MPM
