Devin Townsend Project Rocks Gothic Theatre

Tim Wenger | January 5, 2015

photos and words by Jessica Black

Progressive metal giant The Devin Townsend Project performed at the Gothic Theater, Saturday, December 13, 2014. Featuring Devin Townsend (Vocals, Guitar, Synths, and Ambience), Dave Young (Guitar, Keys, and Mandolin), Brian ‘Beav’ Wadell (Bass), Ryan Van Poederooyen (Drums) and new addition Mike St-Jean (Keys, Synths, and Programming).

Starting his career singing on Steve Vai’s 1993 Sex and Religion, Townsend founded Strapping Young Lad releasing five albums between 1995 and 2007. He formed The Devin Townsend Band in 2002, releasing two albums between 2003 and 2007. After a two year hiatus, Townsend returned with The Devin Townsend Project on his own independent label HevyDevy Records.

Earlier in 2014 the Canadian musician, songwriter, and record producer released Casualties of Cool, Townsend’s country and blues rock album project featuring Ché Aimee Dorval, Morgan Ågren and guest musicians.

The Abstract Reality North America Tour show was opened by London based, Monuments, featuring Chris Barretto (ex-Periphery vocalist) who replaced Matt Rose. The band is promoting their second album The Amanunensis (July 2014, Prosthetic Records/Century Media Records).

The Devin Townsend Project played second supporting of the release of Z², a double concept recording (Ziltoid 2, pronounced “zed squared” October 27, 2014, HevyDevy Records/Century Media Records/InsideOut Music). Z² consists of Dark Matters (sequel to 2007’s Ziltoid the Omniscient, a “rock-opera” featuring a fictional alien that comes to Earth in search of the “ultimate cup of coffee” and subsequently wages war upon the planet after disliking it.) and Sky Blue (the sixth DTP album). The main theme, according to Townsend, is “Ziltoid against the world.”

The ensemble displayed superior showmanship throughout the set transporting the audience across Ziltoid’s universe with lyrical and musical meticulousness set against a backdrop of giant screens showing a variety of stunning visuals enhancing the storyline. Townsend let his humor shine between songs with quips like, “This one is from the new album, ill-received even by me,” “We have a new style for our sound: Oompa-Loompacore!” and playing a custom Framus & Warwick Flying Z guitar that actually billows white clouds from a built-in smoke machine.

Set List

“Regulator” Ocean Machine: Biomech

“Rejoice” Z2: Sky Blue

“Midnight Sun” Z2: Sky Blue

“War” Infinity

“Z2” Z2: Dark Matters

“March of the Poozers” Z2: Dark Matters

“Ziltoidian Empire” Z2: Dark Matters

“Bad Devil” Infinity

“Ziltoid Goes Home” Z2: Dark Matters

“Grace” Epicloud

“Kingdom” Physicist (re-recorded for Epicloud with vocals from Anneke van Giersbergen)

The show closed with co-headliners, Animals As Leaders, promoting their third album The Joy of Motion (March 2014, Sumerian Records). Formed in 2007 by Tosin Abasi (Guitars) with Javier Reyes (Guitars) and Matt Garstka (Drums); the three-piece instrumental act mixes progressive metal with jazz, electronic and ambient embellishments.

What’s next for the influential and eccentric front man and his crew? Following the news of the lightning-fast sell out at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall for the “The Return of Ziltoid” show in April 2015, the musical mastermind revealed an extensive run of European Chaos In The Skies Tour dates in March (opening acts Periphery and Shining), and will be headlining next summer at the Stonehenge Festival in July.

The Devin Townsend Project:

www.hevydevy.com

Animals As Leaders:

http://prostheticrecords.com/?p=499

Monuments:

thisismonuments.com