It’s not every day that a rock band plays a concert with a full-blown symphony. There was Deep Purple, who played with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1969; Metallica, who played with the San Francisco Symphony in 1999; and now Sons Of Apollo, who are set to release Live With The Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony at the end of this month, recorded while they were on tour last year in Bulgaria. While I know there are others I’m missing, I’m here to speak with you about the last of these epic endeavors.
Recorded on a beautiful September evening before a thrilled Bulgarian audience at Plovdiv’s Roman Amphitheatre, Sons Of Apollo pulled together a special set. The first part largely mirrored the set list they had been performing throughout the tour, based firmly around their debut album, Psychotic Symphony, which I witnessed and spoke about here. The second part, joined by the Plovdiv Symphony Orchestra and Choir – lovingly nicknamed the Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony for this night – consisted of a set of cover songs tailored by Portnoy to both the band’s musical tastes, as well as to take full advantage of the symphony’s presence. More than once I had goosebumps along my neck from how everything fell into place just right. Running the gamut from Queen to Ozzy Osbourne, there’s a great deal at which to marvel.
Being able to not only hear what’s going on, but to see the chemistry and synchronized efforts of this band, really convinces me that getting one of the releases which include the blu-ray or DVD are the way to go. Being able to see how well Sherinian’s keystrokes fall in line with Sheehan’s tremendously heavy bass notes help me understand how the group were able to create some of the remarkable lows on their debut album. It’s all the little things that really add up here, such as Soto holding Bumblefoot’s guitar while the latter plays it in lap-steel fashion, or Bumblefoot playing Portnoy’s symbols with the headstock of his guitar, or watching Sherinian perform Van Halen’s “Eruption” guitar solo while making his way around the keyboard – all these little touches really add to the experience. And the mix is beautifully balanced, allowing each instrument to come across clearly and boldly.
Of course, there is a version which contains the 3-CD collection as well, including a few songs – Aerosmith’s “Dream On” and Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” – that aren’t part of the video releases due to being unable to secure clearance. While I’ve been typing this, I’ll admit to having gotten lost in their rendition of of the latter. Portnoy and Soto do a great job alternating vocals duties, Sherinian and Sheehan provide swelling accompaniment alongside the symphony, and Bumblefoot’s guitar solo just goes on and on, building in waves of emotion. I think this is the seventh time the song has played on repeat. I would have loved to see their expressions.
Some might find it weird, or even presumptuous, that a band with only one album under its belt would opt for not only a live album as its second release, but one with a symphony orchestra at that. Perhaps it’s the nature of this band that makes it work so well; five extremely talented individuals, each with a storied history to draw on. This isn’t their first, or even second, rodeo, and they certainly don’t seem to be slowing down now. Their original works are inspired and precise, and they have a hell of a lot of fun regardless of the tune they’re playing, to the point that it’s infectious. I’d highly suggest everyone check this release out; I know I’d already have pre-ordered it if my wife hadn’t wanted gift ideas.
To pre-order Live With The Plovdiv Psychotic Symphony in its various formats, click here.
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