IQ

VENUE O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON, LONDON DATE 08/12/2023

It’s bitterly cold outside tonight as IQ take the stage for yet another ‘Legendary Christmas Bash’, and to be honest, the atmosphere seems a bit frosty inside Islington Academy too. Downgrading from the far more suitable Islington Assembly Hall (where the band played in 2019) or 229 in Great Portland Street, probably hasn’t helped matters as it’s rammed to the rafters inside this soulless concrete box of a venue and sharpened elbows are pointing rigidly outward. There’s little in the way of Christmas cheer for anyone trying to manoeuvre their way towards the stage.

At the bar, one fellow of short stature is even getting belligerent with punters standing in front of him ordering a drink, seemingly oblivious to the fact that’s actually what happens at bars in venues. Later, he and his coterie of pals will be admonished, rightly, for yapping like terriers. There’s been a fair few posts on social media about behaviour at gigs recently, and not just from the prog community. Is this a reflection of where we’re at as a society?

Thankfully, IQ bring plenty of seasonal spirit of goodwill with them, as Prokofiev’s Troika rings out. Cheers abound as the band plunge straight into Awake And Nervous, followed by Subterranea, as impressive an opening couplet as any IQ fan could hope for. Better still, they offer the first of two new songs, this one with the working title of Malagonia. Later, we’ll get a second working title, Plinth, with the most welcome news that, yes, there will be a new IQ studio album in 2024. It’ll be the band’s first in five years (the last being 2019’s Resistance), in keeping with the timeframe they’ve adhered to since the release of 2004’s Dark Matter.

“For more than 40 years now IQ have been wowing fans in venues around the world, and on tonight’s showing, they’re better than ever.”

Neil Durant: in the zone.

Despite the smaller stage, IQ make the whole show look effortless. Each bandmember excels at their instrument of choice and coalesces into a brilliantly tight unit as they weave their way through Widow’s Peak and The Magic Roundabout. The latter’s parent album, The Wake, is to be the first of a coloured vinyl reissues programme that the band recently announced. Peter Nicholls says that they had hoped to have copies in time to sell at the show but, in time-honoured IQ style, that hasn’t happened. Those with long memories, which probably includes the bulk of tonight’s audience, will recall 1983’s debut, Tales From The Lush Attic, being on sale at gigs without the cover, after the band discovered the fee they’d paid to get the record pressed didn’t include the artwork!

Shifting into an even higher gear, IQ finish the set proper with three real belters: Leap Of Faith from Ever, a dark and ominous title track from The Road Of Bones and the epic Harvest Of Souls from Dark Matter. It’s a thrilling conclusion to what’s been a brilliantly delivered set, showing the full range of the band’s musicality, Nicholls in particular in excellent form. Needless to say, the roar that goes up at the conclusion damn near raises the roof.

Peter Nicholls: in excellent form.

We might have to wait ages for albums, but IQ certainly know how to put on a show!

The band reappear to even more cheers, while we await the moment that has become the highlight of these seasonal shows: Mike Holmes with an enormous pair of angel’s wings! Islington is not left disappointed, even if it’s clear the change in venue is posing Holmes and crew some significant logistical issues getting onstage. Thank God, then, for the announcement the band will be back at the Assembly Hall for 2024’s show.