Finally concerts again! This winter was again a hard one for bands – and I also wasn’t even aware that I hadn’t been to a Rock location for more than half a year. So I was all the more excited to be able to see two of my favorite groups, Trope and The Pineapple Thief, in one evening – and then in my hometown of Oberhausen. First of all: I was not disappointed and went home with bright eyes and a big grin on my face.
Unfortunately, the current situation is still not making it easy for the organizers and guests. For example, in front of Turbinenhalle 2, there was some confusion about the 2G+ rule. Does that mean boosted and with test – or without? In addition to the Ukraine war, Corona was certainly one of the main reasons why some Rock fans unfortunately stayed away from the first major concert event in the “Ruhrgebiet” for several months – despite the excellent line-up.
Trope shine in an intimate ambience
But the fact that The Pineapple Thief and Trope played two gigs in a row at the renowned Cultuurpodium Boerderij in Zoetermeer just last weekend didn’t contribute to a high number of visitors. When well-known bands enter the doorstep in Oberhausen, many of our Dutch neighbors traditionally populate the numerous concert arenas that the region has to offer.
The Turbinenhalle was perhaps a third full. The contrast to my last concert visit on October 1, 2021 at Jinjer in the completely overcrowded Turock in Essen could hardly have been greater. But Diana Studenberg and Moonhead from Trope know best how to make intimate concerts something special – after all, during their stay in Bulgaria and Romania in the summer of 2021, the two already played in pizzerias and bars to far fewer listeners. It’s really unbelievable how the two – despite the extremely difficult situation, especially for newcomer bands – persistently pursue their way into the first Prog Rock league. And I am firmly convinced that this will eventually take them to even larger locations than the Turbinenhalle already is.
Diana Studenberg and Moonhead play an acoustic set
On this support tour, Trope play acoustic versions of some tracks from their brilliant debut “Eleutheromania” (Review here), which was released almost exactly a year ago. And what many established Rock musicians fail miserably at, even after decades in the scene, the duo easily brought to the stage: namely to sound rousing even without electrical support.
Diana is made for the limelight – and even hits every note when she runs from corner to corner like a dervish. In contrast to their enormous stage presence, which captivated the music fans in Oberhausen from the very first minute, Moonhead is the calming influence in the background. Stoically sitting on his chair, he brilliantly interprets the demanding compositions, which are peppered with tempo changes and odd time signatures, on the acoustic guitar. But in the final piece “Pareidolia”, he gives it all and goes out with a bang – and a great solo interlude, which Diana listens to kneeling devoutly on the floor.
Second Trope album will be even more progressive
Unfortunately, after a little more than half an hour, the splendid opening act is already over. The big applause is more than deserved after this performance. And then at the merchandising stand, both musicians proved that they’re also super nice characters. I finally had the opportunity to meet them in person, after I had already done a video interview with Diana Studenberg last summer.
On that occasion they told me that a second album is planned. It’s supposed to be a lot more progressive – I’m really excited about that and think it could be their breakthrough. In any case, Trope gained many new fans in Oberhausen. After the European tour with The Pineapple Thief, which ends on March 26th in the Finnish capital Helsinki, they’re going back to the USA/Canada and on a major tour in May and June, opening for Prog Metal stars Symphony X and Haken – another huge opportunity for the band to work their way up.
The Pineapple Thief hit the sign of the times
Incidentally, during the conversion phase, which was very short because Trope didn’t come up with their full five-strong cast, I had a very nice conversation with André and Klaus from “Betreutes Proggen” – one of my favorite music sites on the Internet. They were also there mainly because of seeing Trope – what a compliment for an opening act!
But then I went back into the stage pit again. The unusual sounds of a marimba are reminiscent of the best Peter Gabriel days – and heralded the first Pineapple Thief piece of the evening. I wouldn’t necessarily classify the British Alternative proggers, formed in 1999 by singer, guitarist and songwriter Bruce Soord, as a political formation. But the title “Versions Of The Truth” could definitely pass as a statement for today’s world situation, in which Russia’s aggressor Vladimir Putin is currently rhyming his own version of the “truth” about his Ukraine campaign. “In Exile” or “No Man’s Land” also fit perfectly into the current bad situation of many people in the Eastern European theater of war, both in terms of lyrics and the melancholic-sad mood.
Progressive Rock with an Alternative vibe
What also sets The Pineapple Thief far above the mass of Progressive Rock projects of our time is the Independent vibe that they have always maintained over the years. There’s also a lot of rocking and strumming on the guitar – like on “Give It Back”. Bruce’s voice, which occasionally even reminds me of Billy Corgan’s organ from The Smashing Pumpkins, reinforces this impression.
In 2016, the group also hit the jackpot with the engagement of Gavin Harrison for the recording of “Your Wilderness” – still their “magnum opus” in my opinion. The former and soon to be again drummer of Porcupine Tree catapults them into a completely different musical league with his outstanding skills. Just listen to his drum patterns and fills on “Our Mire” or the long track “White Mist”. Even technically experienced colleagues would not only work up a sweat, they would also lose their rhythm completely.
Gavin, on the other hand, plays the parts with almost inhuman precision and without batting an eyelid. He rarely grimaces behind his kit. The 58-year-old, who was once again named “Drummer of the Year” by “Prog-Magazine” in 2021, is also very good at British understatement. In addition, despite all his virtuosity, he is not a showman, but an absolute team player and always plays in a way that is absolutely conducive to the song.
A Pineapple Thief Classic is also played
Although the majority of the tracks played were from the last three albums with the new man on the skins, the band also takes a trip back in time to their beginnings on the first encore. “Part Zero” is from the third release “Variations On A Dream” (2003) and one of the tracks where mastermind Bruce Soord can really shine with a long guitar solo. After that, the guys deliver an amazing performance with the ten-minute “The Final Thing On My Mind”. Although they must have had another song in mind before the start of their concert – because on their set list, “Nothing At Best” was obviously planned as the third and final encore.
Trope and The Pineapple Thief overseas soon
Whatever the reason the piece wasn’t played – even clapping was useless to get the band to return to the stage after around 100 minutes of performance – it was still an unforgettable evening. For the five musicians, the round through Europe is by no means over. They also are going on an extended trip to North America starting in May.
We can only hope that conditions in Europe will return to normal as quickly as possible and that we will be able to regularly experience great concert evenings like this one at the Turbinenhalle again. I’m excited to see what the future holds for both bands and wish them all the best!
