On March 29th, Intervals hit the stage in Richmond, Virginia at The National, with supporting acts Arch Echo and VOLA. All of the acts are staples to a good progressive lineup, and this truly was a wonderful show to be able to witness.
Arch Echo kicked off the show with a burst of energy. They got on stage and started blasting through their set, hardly stopping for a second to even introduce themselves at all. Their music is extremely upbeat and their performance was a perfect match, as always. Joining them on stage was the talented Sam Harchik to fill in on guitar. Harchik was a wonderful addition to the performance; he kept up wonderfully and brought a bit more excitement to the performance, which was already high enough to begin with. It seems like it is nearly impossible not to smile and have a good time while watching Arch Echo perform such lively music. It is clear they love the music and enjoy playing it.
Their set was short and sweet, but didn't disappoint. Their set consisted of "Aluminosity", "Strut", a new song (!), "Battlestar Nostalgica", "To the Moon", and "Stella." I was glad to hear some different songs that I was not expecting to be on their setlist. I was also surprised that they did not play "Color Wheel" but it is understandable to want to switch things up sometimes! Overall, the set was a lot of fun, and it was a great start for the night! It definitely left the crowd buzzing for the next performance.
Up next was the Danish progressive metal band, VOLA. They were a wonderful act to have in between Arch Echo and Intervals to split things up and change the vibe a little bit. As a major fan for years, I almost wish that they had headlined the show, but I am just thankful to have been able to see them again in general. In my (100% biased) opinion, they stole the show! VOLA can slow things down and bring the heavy, while embracing the technical prowess of progressive music. They are definitely masters of their craft. Not only do they play phenomenally, but they have their own lighting and that really helps set the visual tone for their music live. Seeing them perform is an experience.
Their set was a perfect balance of songs from their new album, Friend of A Phantom, and their older material. Every time a song ended, I was buzzing in anticipation of which one they would pick to play next, and not a single one was a miss. They finished their set with "Straight Lines." Once they finished playing, the entire crowd was crying out for them to play more, almost booing that their set was over. The set was a normal length, but their music is just SO good you can't get enough! It is great to see so many other people love this band as much as I have for nearly a decade now. I do wish their set was longer, but obviously, they had to make time for Intervals to play!
Last, but definitely not least, Intervals took the stage. They opened up the room with their presence. Honestly, there is not too much to say about their performance. It is always perfect! They never disappoint. You know exactly what you are going to get when you see Intervals live. You can always bank on a perfectly crafted set played perfectly by extremely talented musicians. Their set included a balance of songs from their new album, Memory Palace, and several songs from their older material. Memory Palace just recently won a Juno award for Instrumental Album of the Year. The songs played from Memory Palace include "Neurogenesis", "Nootropic", "Chronophobia", "Circuit Bender", "Galaxy Brain", and "Mnemonic."
They played some fan favorites from their album, In Time, including "Epiphany" and "Mata Hari" as well! To top off the night, they ended with my personal favorite song from them, "Libra."
The Memory Palace tour is still kicking. If you want to make it out to one of the last remaining shows, I highly recommend it! See below if this tour will be near you in the next few days!
