Live Reviews

Also Eden have been playing to (mainly!) appreciative audiences since the first gigs in 2005. Here are what the critics have had said ...

Summer's End Festival, 2009

Various forums

"Also Eden - I saw them supporting Magenta at the very same venue, Lydney town hall, in 2007. That was the first time I'd seen either band, and I remember on that occasion thinking Also Eden weren't bad, but they were totally blown away by Magenta. Two years on and Also Eden have improved considerably. Huw's got a good voice and with the second album they have some better material to perform. I'd describe their music as 80s prog but with some nods to the 70s, somewhat similar to the Fish-era Marillion in places. They very much held their own amongst the afternoon bands and got a good reception from the audience, not only for their performance but also for Huw's hard work in putting the festival together with Stephen, and ensuring everything was running smoothly during the event. In fact they were good enough that nobody was prepared to leave the building when the fire alarms were going! "

"I saw Also Eden for the first time the last time they did Summer's End and I was impressed back then. I wasn't really expecting much to have changed but they had got even better since then. They were very well received and were obviously lifted to another level by the response they got. If they'd had a new CD for sale, I'd definitely have bought it! "

"Mixed reactions to this one - certainly musically they are very good, Huw's voice is excellent - during the first song I thought it sounded a bit fragile, but it kept getting better. However, I didn't get a great deal of energy coming off stage, and there seemed to be a lot of goodwill from the audience. I may well try and hear soem of their albums as I was very impressed musically."

"I've seen them a few times now, have always been impressed with their sound, and it keeps getting better. They have that neo-prog sound I like. I already have both cds, so it really is About Time they brought out a new one. Looking forward to the December gig."

"I'm with Simon on the bestest bands of the weekend - Hackett really does stand in a class of his own, it was almost surreal it was so good - and would add Also Eden to the list, who I'd not seen before, but having done so I 'get' them. The albums are good, live they're blinding. "

"and a great weekend all round - good performances from Also Eden & Quantum Fantay in particular..."

"The weekend was very good indeed... My obvious favourite was Pendragon, others were Also Eden who were amazing band and Steve Hackett, RPWL and Pallas. "

Night of the Prog, Loreley, 2009

Various forums

"Saw them twice in Germany in the meanwhile (pROCKfest 2007 and pROCKclub last year) - very impressing"

"They are a superb band and all very nice guys too. It was great to see a relatively unknown band open the show with a thoroughly professional and enjoyable performance and I had a great time hanging out with Huw, Steve and the rest later. They sold a lot of CDs off the back of the performance so it seems they won over some new fans. "Skimming Stones" was well received so including that track on the Classic Rock presents Prog free promo disk has obviously helped with exposure too."

Starsound Studio, Utrecht, 2009

Background Magazine

A high-level prog rock concert. I had seen them twice before at the Progfarm Festival, but this performance was their best on Dutch soil so far. According to lead singer How Lloyd-Jones, they came to The Netherlands in the best possible line-up ever. They found in Dave Roelofs an excellent new Dutch drummer . The future looks bright for Also Eden if they manage to keep Dave in the band for a long time. Dave told me that he liked fusion but during the concert it looked as if Neil Peart ( Rush) sat behind the drumkit. The band kicked off with Star, the opening tune from their second album It’s Kind Of You To Ask. Wow! That really sounded awesome. More material from this album followed. The audience reacted very enthusiastic. The first title played from their debut album About Time, was Between The Lines. They did it in the best possible way. In spite of the high temperature on stage, the musicians gave everything they had. Bumble and the encore Children Of The Night were the other two pieces taken from their first release. Singer How looked satisfied when the small audience made enough noise for a final encore. They ......... already belong to the premier league of the progressive rock scene....(and) deserve a larger audience.

Summer's End Festival, 2005

DPRP

First on the bill are Also Eden, a relatively new band with the lead singer being none other than the aforementioned Huw. And they were not bad at all. The opening slot at all day festivals is a difficult gig, but they seemed to have a decent turnout and gradually won the audience over, not just with their excellent music but with Huw and drummer Mark Hall's entertaining between song banter. Closing song Between the Lines was very impressive, and the band seemed genuinely surprised to be called back for an encore. I wasn't.

ProgFarm Festival, Holland 2006

iO Pages

The next band Also Eden was introduced as Almost Eden. Personal problems were the reason that the bands drummer and bass player did not make the trip to Bakkeveen. Only a couple of days before the festival did I get the news that not the whole band would perform the music of the bands masterpiece "About Time". At first I was very dissapointed. But after I had seen the trio playing the three songs from this fantastic album plus a great Peter Gabriel cover ("Here comes the flood") and one new piece, I probably would call their performance the best of all done during this anniversary festival. Lead singer Huw LIoyd-Jones, keyboardist Ian Hodson and gitarist Simon Rogers must be given a big complement for playing such a professional concert without any rhythm section.

Club Riga, Dec 2006

Fireworks Magazine

Oh boy! I felt so sorry for these two bands, and indeed the promoters, as they ended up playing in front of the proverbial one man and his dog. I’m glad I made the effort as I have now been introduced to a great new band in Also Eden, and also witnessed a great gig. In the circumstances one could have forgiven the bands for taking their foot off the pedal but they didn’t. Also Eden must have been tempted to turn around and go home at Reading when they heard that neither drummer nor bass player were going to make it, but they soldiered on with an impromptu set of rearranged songs and a splendid job they did too.

I was immediately taken by their sound and the excellent voice of Huw Lloyd-Jones, which has more than a touch of Alison Moyet about it and his performance on the cover version of Peter Gabriel’s ‘Here Comes the Flood’ was a clincher as far as I was concerned and said that these guys have class.

I jotted notes like Pallas, Jadis and Marillion as comparisons as they played three of the five tracks from their debut album alongside the aforementioned cover and an edited version of an epic, ‘Widow’s Eyes’, scheduled for the sophomore release. I look forward to seeing the full ensemble at some point in the not too distant future.
Gary Marshall