“As the sun rises on a new day / as we strode to the mountaintop.“
Captured on the 21st September by Kieran White – contact before to any use. Words by Dobbin T.
We were early believers in Haken’s 2023 album Fauna, appreciating its ambition and attention to detail. Whilst you’d probably have to hand the award for ‘best album’ to The Mountain or Visions, Fauna is the culmination of their career, nodding back to many of their ideas. It’s also not too much of any one theme, be that the heaviness of Virus and Vector, the nostalgia of 1985, or the turbo-prog appeal of their early days on Aquarius and Visions; it’s got a bit of everything and holds that all in balance. And, honestly, it’s only because they chose to play the entire thing on their 2024 tour cycle that I’ve come to appreciate it in this way. Bands really ought to play their bangers, but asking fans to spend quality time with their newest material in preparation for a full live show is a risk worth taking.
There was some extra urgency to their London show. Arguably their “hometown”, arguably the biggest show on the run, and, inarguably, a full was being DVD being recorded by eight or so cameras. Audience enthusiasm for the new material was not just requested – it was required. You couldn’t see this pressure on the band’s faces, though, as they were undaunted and focused. Ross Jennings‘ vocals were fantastic, even so deep into a tour where he was playing two long sets each night, which is great news for an album as vocal-focused as Fauna. This man’s technique needs to be carefully studied. Gentle choir-like backing came mostly from drummer Ray Hearne and bassist Conner Green, and occasionally the entire band, as required. It goes without saying that the musicianship on display was unparalleled. You could watch one member completely for a whole song and not get bored. There was also the sense that each of them was keeping something in reserve, conscious of the marathon set ahead of them. The stage was flanked by able guitarists Charlie Griffiths and Richard Henshall, whose just-right approach to modern prog guitar tones meant that the band could dip into downtuned, girthy djent sounds when some bite was needed. The rest of the time they worked with the higher register, with through bright and airy chords that gave Haken an approachable demeanour.
So did Fauna land with the audience? It was plain to see that it’s been a hit, and the resonance was palpable. Every song had its interactive moments, such as all the “woah oh ohs” for “The Alphabet of Me” and “Lovebite”. Keen audience members had lyrics memorised up and down the record, with “Sempiternal Beings” perhaps being the biggest highlight for sing-backs. “The Alphabet of Me” also featured Miguel Gorodi on trumpet, who you’ll have heard on the studio version. His contribution benefited from all the space in the mix, a truly democratic soundscape that kept every member in the ear. The anticipated “Elephants Never Forget” was the closest that Fauna got to indulging in a ‘big prog song’, something that was not lost on the audience. A personal favourite of mine is “Eyes of Ebony”, a great closer that just goes somewhere completely different than your typical “Supper’s Ready”-type closer. This largely gentle, funky track still held the audience’s attention.
Once they got through Fauna, everything else was a victory lap for the band. The first set closed with “Crystallised”, including its crazy a capella section that the audience attempted to keep up with. Despite coming from the modern era, “Crystallised” deserves to be held among the classic full-LP-side minute prog epics, alongside “Close to the Edge”, “Echoes” and “A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers”. Admittedly I am not an ‘enjoyer’ of certain pillars of Haken’s discography, but rest assured the whole second set went down well for everyone else. They played “Cockroach King” – my friend said it was “very Muppets”, and I’ll leave it at that. “1985” is also a bit on the nose for me. These moments aside, I was delighted to hear “Puzzle Box” and mosh like mad for “Nil by Mouth”. There was a really cool take on the ‘prog drum solo’ when Ray Hearne duetted with arppegiated keys from Peter Jones. “Drowning in the Flood” was a deep cut from Aquarius and ending with “Visions” was also more than welcome, although “Crystallised” was my preference of the two set closers.
Ultimately, the night was a roaring success. Although “evening with” approaches are not common, and there are so, so many bands that would make fantastic support fodder for Haken, I was delighted to see them play through their new material in detail, as well as see tracks from every single record they’ve released. Such thoroughness could only be achieved through a two-set performance. One particular detail that struck me was how Haken really don’t bore you with solos. They come up occasionally, but they’re very focused on ‘getting on with the song’. Upon realising this, I’ve come to respect them a lot more, perishing the thought that they are a derivative band in a mired genre – if they stick to records like Fauna, they’ll continue to be modern prog’s brightest star.
Check out our review of Fauna here.