Galahad: Alive At Loreley

The beautiful German amphitheatre at Loreley is something of an iconic venue for progressive rock bands, with the stunning setting above the Rhine long being known for hosting the annual Night of the Prog festival. Fifteen year after they appeared at the fifth incarnation of the event, Galahad have trawled through their vaults to commemorate a show that proved to be something of an end of an era. Taking place on the 3rd of September 2010, not only would this show confirm Galahad’s position as one of the best and most interesting bands to come out of the UK prog scene, it would also be their final performance with bassist Neil Pepper, who would pass away almost a year to the day on the 2nd September 2011 after a long battle with oesophageal cancer. That in itself may partly explain why this recording has sat unheard for such a time, but whatever the reasons, we can all now simply rejoice that we too can experience the show.

There can’t be many live albums that open with the frontman wishing the audience ‘good afternoon’, but handed an hour long slot in the middle of the day, Galahad took on the task of entertaining a crowd basking in the sun and, judging by these results, turned it into something of a triumph. Opening with the ever evolving “Sleepers� the intricate introductory section soon gives way to musical interplay and insightfully glinting vocals that grab the attention. At thirteen minutes plus, this was no easy-in for the band but the adulation shown them at its conclusion tells you all you need to know. A long associate of Galahad, mixing/mastering expert (and Threshold guitarist) Karl Groom really must be commended for the work he’s done on Alive At Loreley. The results sounding sharp, focussed and yet still giving you the feeling that you are standing in the audience experiencing the show first hand. Often these days live albums are so sterile that in truth, they almost sound like studio exercises but with Galahad resisting the temptation to fix the odd little glitch, it most certainly isn’t the case here and this album is all the better for it.

Known for lengthy songs, squeezing enough Galahad goodness into a 60 minute set was always going to be something of a challenge but cleverly, the bases are covered. With the aforementioned “Sleepers� setting the scene, the magnificent, jagged majesty of “Empire’s Never Last� really hits home. From there the past is deeply delved into, “Richelieu’s Prayer� from the Nothing Is Written 1991 debut allowed room and space to breath that the original studio version never quite achieved. That it’s “Bug Eye� from Following Ghosts that comes next says much about Galahad and their refusal to conform - its sweeping keys and almost ambient swirls casting a mid-set spell that genuinely raised the hairs on the back of my neck when I first heard it. Poised, composed and yet still possessing a proud grandeur, it makes way magnificently for “Seize The Day�, which at that time was two years away from being released on the 2012 Battle Scars album. A surging, growing piece that allows keyboard player Dean Baker to show his full array of talents, it’s a track which also beautifully illustrates the strengths of how guitarist Roy Keyworth and Neil Pepper on bass lock in seamlessly with Spencer Luckman’s drums.

Introducing a special guest guitarist for the closing number in the shape of Mark Spencer, who would go on to join the band on guitar and then bass in future years, the expanded sextet power to the finish line with the uncompromising “Termination� also from the Empire’s Never Last album - the band’s most recent at the time. If it hadn’t already been confirmed by this stage, this song makes no apologies in confirming the utterly infectious storytelling style of singer Stu Nicholson. His expressive vocals are a highlight not just here, but throughout and from start to finish he holds the audience in his hands as he and his bandmates weave their varied way through their musical mastery.

Poignant as a tribute to a much missed band member, Alive At Loreley is not just a celebration of the life of Neil Pepper but also of the music he and his bandmates created together. Galahad have continued to go from strength to strength from this day on but as a snapshot of where they were back in 2010, this live album does its job nigh on perfectly.

Track Listing

1. Sleepers
2. Empires Never Last

3. Richelieu's Prayer
4. Bug Eye
5. Seize the Day
6. Termination

Added: September 14th 2025
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Galahad Online
Hits: 82
Language: english

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