A prog special featuring: Touchstone - 'Ye Olde Middley England Christmas Concerts' (HH)
+ special guests Panic Room
Touchstone are a five-piece rock band with prog/rock/alternative influences. The band was formed in 2003 by Rob Cottingham & Adam J Hodgson. Paul Moorghen joined on bass in 2006, Al Melville joined on drums in January 2007, and to complete the line up Kim Seviour joined on vocals April 2007.
The first studio EP, Mad Hatters, was recorded in April 2006 at Outhouse Studios in Reading. The band then recorded their debut album, Discordant Dreams, there in July 2007 with John Mitchell (Kino, It Bites, Arena, Frost*) mixing, and Tim Turan (Motorhead, Frost*, Marilyn Manson) mastering the LP. In January 2008 - the band won 'Best New Band Award' at the Classic Rock Society awards and in Sept. 2008 toured with It Bites.
Wintercoast The band’s new album, Wintercoast, was also recorded and mixed again at Outhouse in February-March 2009, using the same team. Oscar-winning actor, Jeremy Irons, also features as a very special guest performing the prelude narration. The album was launched at the Rights Of Spring festival in Philadelphia May 2009 and will be featured in Classic Rock magazine June 2009. Return to USA in October, full UK tour towards the end of the year and Poland tour being planned.
Comments about the band
Jeff Wayne (War Of The Worlds) - 'stunning, passionate music, wonderful singing... '
Geoff Barton - Classic Rock Magazine - 'One of our favorite new bands... scintillating amalgam of
atmospheric prog and jolting power chords...an album of skyscraper proportions'
Rick Wakeman - Yes - Planet Rock Radio - 'Really great new band and great tracks...'
PANIC ROOM released their debut album 'Visionary Position' in 2008 gaining glowing reviews in the press, including national magazines 'Classic Rock' and 'Powerplay' who both gave it 8/10. The band's live shows have also been praised by Classic Rock, who described the band's music as 'spine-tingling' and 'irresistible' and said that 'They deserve to be huge'. The amazing reception that the 1st album and the band's live shows received, culminated in PANIC ROOM being presented with the 'Best New Band' award in January 2009 by former Genesis guitarist, Steve Hackett, at the Classic Rock Society Annual Awards. New album 'Satellite' now sees the band embracing a much more live and energised sound, bringing into the studio the improvisational and spontaneous quality that makes their live performances such compelling events.
The band play an eclectic mix of music that combines a great 'pop' sense of melody with a harder 'rock' edge - Jerry Ewing of Total Rock Radio descibed their music as "... a splendid melting pot of styles and genres, throwing out rock, jazz, soul, blues and more ethereal moments at every turn.. Led Zeppelin meets Kate Bush".
PANIC ROOM owe much of their success and sound to the sheer magnetism of singer, Anne-Marie Helder's voice. Fireworks Magazine described her as "...nothing short of a star... she has the most incredible voice and versatility, one moment bringing to mind Kate Bush, then Joni Mitchell, Carole King and even Alanis Morissette... a mesmerising performance".
Outside of PANIC ROOM, Anne-Marie also performs with progressive rock band, Mostly Autumn and has a prolific solo career. In addition to supporting various international artists such as Midge Ure and Paul Young, she has recently completed a national tour supporting ULTRAVOX on their reunion dates and has also recorded a duet with Asia (and former King Crimson) vocalist, John Wetton, that appears on the recent Wetton/Downes 'iCON 3' album.
Legend: (NS) = No Seating - Standing only, (AS) = All seated, (LS) = Limited Seating, (HH) = Half standing - half seated.
