It's not often I venture up into the heart of the valleys but when it's a special occasion I'll make sure to make the effort. Watching Puzzle Tree live is always very good decision no matter where they play but on home turf in front of friends, family and supporters from all across the UK, it was always going to have that little bit extra in terms of memorability.
An album launch so to fully showcase their brilliant new album Kingdom, they packed out the Parc Hall in Cwmparc, a theatre venue that had a big cavernous room perfect for the huge sound Puzzle Tree create. The weeks and months of stress were coming to a head but first there was a chance to warm up for what's to come.
This task had fallen to The Situation but this veteran band were more than up for the task having been a perennial opener for Puzzle Tree in the past. They took to the stage with a set full of melodic pop rock forged by a strong tradition in Wales through acts such as Badfinger, Amen Corner, The Alarm and even Dave Edmunds. The choruses make you want to sing along, the music bounces getting you moving and the whole thing has a very distinctive honesty about it. No frills or fashion just passionate people playing music and loving it. The between song banter was warm, friendly and full of self deprecation, the band were tight from years of playing and their songs were made to be shown on a live stage, it's all original and ready for mass consumption, the crowd couldn't get enough.
Suitably warmed up, fully lubricated by the variety of beverages on offer (some even plumbed for a ham salad roll) the crowd were ready to welcome the home town heroes back with a bang and as they took to the stage eye wide from the outpouring of love in the crowd they started with Portal the intro track from Kingdom and it was quickly into Writhe the heavy rocking first cut from the new record.
Much like it's recorded version on stage it sounds huge the biting riffs of Matthew Powell and Matt John cranking out through the theatre's P.A as the powerful drumming of Tony Jones and thick bass of Jamie Roberts felt like a plane taking off. With a a bounce and kick to the air Rachel Thomas started to belt and we were off to the races.
They followed Writhe with Deadfall, the two big rockers that opened Kingdom coming one after another as they showed the intention to play the entire new record in full for everyone to hear. After Deadfall, the vocals were adjusted to be higher in the mix but everything else remained the same, bold, dynamic and loud as anything. Kudos to the sound guy who was brought in last minute to mix the show and did a hell of job, though a few times looked as if he was going to explode.
The full album play through was confirmed in the short break between songs, the band totally blown away by how many had turned out to see them, I Am Gone and Lost Another Day came next, and I have to say that similarity to the songs on their first record Puzzle Tree's newest works are made for the stage, but unlike the earlier stuff (which came later) the songs on Kingdom are darker, more complex in the arrangements and overall have a darker tone to them.
The title track suite for instance has every ounce of progressive nouse the band possessed, weaving melodic guitars and dual solos from Matthew and Matt, while Jamie brings techy rhythms in the bottom end. It's got that vibe of Soundgarden jamming with Tool, but made for a wider audience. The deft percussion from Tony adding the Eastern flavour and both parts get a full vocal range from the astonishingly powerful voice of Rachel and also from Matthew who harmonize so well.
There's drama and pathos to the new record but also emotion there too, as a few cuts were dedicated to unnamed members of the audience, taking things into ballads that sent chills down the spine. You can hear the emotion and history behind the songs as they work their magic over the crowd. Now playing a brand new, perhaps little heard record in full is always a risk (some of us had heard it of course) however by the time they were blasting though album closers Wayside and Colossus, everyone was right on board with Kingdom.
A short break, a massive reception, a tonne of merch sold and then it was back for seven cuts from their first album. These tried and tested numbers gained more movement down the front but only perhaps become of familiarity. What I realised is how well their older stuff and their newer music fits together, with a setlist featuring both, there is going to be plenty of dynamism to their sets going forward, the whole spectrum of Puzzle Tree's influences on display as they perform at the very highest level.
With the last notes of High Tension, there was a collective release of joy, those in attendance joyful that the band had been magnificent on that stage and the band joyful that it had all gone so well after so much planning and stress. It was time for beers and glasses of wine all round as more merch flew out of the room, kudos to the guy who bought one of everything!
Puzzle Tree are now armed with two stellar record packed with excellent songs, they will be very dangerous on the UK live scene. I suggest jumping on the bandwagon now! 10/10
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