By Andrew Bansal (live photos by Chelsea Lauren)
July 25th 2015, The Orpheum Theatre, Los Angeles CA: A unique combination of live progressive/symphonic rock and Russian ballet, Heart Of Storm is a theatrical production that brings together the talents of seasoned rock musicians Derek Sherinian (keyboards), Doug Aldrich (guitar), Tony Franklin (bass), Gregg Bissonette (drums), Brent Woods (guitar) and Brandon Fields (saxophone), along with a group of professional ballet performers guided by Russian-Korean choreographer Stanislav Tsoy. Heart Of Storm made its U.S. debut with two nights at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles, July 24-25 2015. Both events were filmed for a broadcast on PBS, and complimentary tickets were given out for the local audience. These events were presented by Red Rock Ballet and supported by Los Angeles non-profit organization Jay Nolan Community Services, and courtesy of them, after-show meet-and-greet passes were granted to attendees who made donations. Metal Assault is always on a quest to discover out-of-the-box innovations in the realm of heavy rock/metal music, and this certainly promised to be one of them.
For night #2, doors opened as early as 6:30, and attendees were seated on a first-come-first-serve basis inside the grand yet intimate Orpheum. The show began shortly after 8 PM, as the team of Russian ballet performers presented a 90-minute visual exhibition enacted to an all original set of instrumental tunes composed specifically for this show, performed live by the six musicians. The band was positioned in the back of the stage atop a riser at least 15 feet in height, and the ballet was performed in the foreground below and in front of them. It was, in all honesty, the kind of never-before-seen event that would stand out in memory as completely distinct from your average rock concert, but what’s more, it wasn’t just unique for the sake of being so, and achieved what it aimed for with overwhelming success.
The show altogether comprised eleven songs, based on a story which is quite simple in concept but brilliantly expressed by Heart Of Storm’s sonic and visual presentation, leaving a long-lasting impression on each and every viewer in attendance. Various segments and facets of the story were portrayed by fantastic musical compositions performed to perfection in the background, and a vast range of movements, facial expressions, clothing colors and stage props executed with flawless proficiency by the ballet team in the foreground. The pieces were arranged expertly, resulting in a smooth and quick flow of the story from one chapter to another. Attendees were handed program sheets that described each chapter of the story, but it was actually easy to follow it just by paying attention to the event unfolding on stage, without reading the sheet. All eyes were on the ballet group but the ears were certainly focused on the exemplary performance of the six-piece band of rock ‘n roll greats.
The most striking feature of the entire show was undoubtedly the sheer power and wizardry of the tone emanating from Doug Alrich’s guitar, which further enhanced the impact of the feel with which he was laying down every single note and chord. When it comes to the purity and strength of the guitar sound, Doug Aldrich is unmatchable and unparalleled in every sense, as was evident from the manner in which he held this entire building captive. One cannot think of a better choice to fulfill this role. Besides, his band mates on stage weren’t behind by any means, as Derek Sherinian dictated the mood and emotion of the music with his longstanding and well-renowned prowess on keyboards, Brent Woods held his own on the second guitar, Gregg Bissonette wowed the audience with his exploits on drums, while Tony Franklin and Brandon Fields served excellently on bass and saxophone respectively. The style of the music could be broadly categorized as progressive rock, but within these 90 minutes it presented plenty of jazz fusion-like variations as well.
Over the years, hard rock/heavy metal musicians have made several attempts at blending their live show with theatrical elements, to varying degrees of success and failure, but Heart Of Storm undeniably wins accolades for not only being up to the challenge, but also approaching it in a manner all of their own, and most importantly, emerging triumphant from it. Los Angeles is indeed fortunate to have witnessed the U.S. debut for two nights, but this event needs to tour everywhere, because it deserves to be seen and appreciated by the entire world. One of the most breathtaking rock-centric events ever seen.
Heart Of Storm links: website | facebook | twitter | instagram