Original neo-prog survivors Solstice took to the stage at Fairport Convention’s Cropredy Festival in 2023, almost exactly 25 years after they last appeared there.
They’ve been experiencing something of a rebirth in recent years – but back in 1998, plans to record the set for a live album had to be abandoned when technical problems made the tapes unusable. So there seemed to be a certain closing of the circle in recording last year’s gig for both audio and video releases.
Already out on vinyl, Return To Cropredy now arrives in a fulsome CD and Blu-ray edition, packaged with a documentary, New Light, looking at the band’s 40-plus-year history.
The footage from Cropredy captures well the technical prowess of the band, the constant visual communication and interactions between everyone onstage and the pure joy and human qualities of the performance.
From the first moments of opener Shout, singer Jess Holland, along with backing vocalists Ebony Buckle and Dyane Crutcher, are already deeply invested and bouncing around – they’re seldom more than a hop, skip and a jump away from full dance mode.
Sometimes hi-intensity prog-folk, sometimes light, soaring reverie and sometimes fresh funky pop-rock with world music leanings
For the audience it may have been easy to focus on the obvious antics of these three and on founder Andy Glass’s often exquisite guitar ministrations and occasional dervish twirls, but the video footage gives us insights to the rest of the band.
Witness the polished and consistent rhythm section of drummer Peter Hemsley and bassist Robin Phillips; and the colour and character provided by Steven McDaniel on keys and long-serving fiddle player Jenny Newman.
Sometimes hi-intensity prog-folk, sometimes light, soaring reverie and sometimes fresh funky pop-rock with world music leanings, Solstice are never less than joyously entertaining and utterly committed here.
The New Light documentary uses the pivotal addition of Jess Holland in 2019 as its jumping-off point to run through a very detailed history, based on interviews mainly with current members of the band, as well as early fans including Gregory Spawton, Steven Wilson and Prog’s own Jerry Ewing. It also includes copious old photos and live video clips.
A relatively unfussy production covers Solstice’s origins in and around Aylesbury, how they found their way into the burgeoning neo-prog scene of the early 80s, their survival through the late 80s and 90s playing to increasingly exclusive audiences, the make-or-break decision to get Holland to front the band and their genuine joy – and some surprise – at the momentum their subsequent career has attained.
It’s a warm-hearted tale of the power of music and musical community.
• Return To Cropredy / New Light is on sale now via Wild Thyme.
