Polyphia are currently in the midst of their Remember That You Will Die tour, which has seen the band hop continents and stages as part of a mammoth prog metal expedition.
In each setlist thus far, Tim Henson and co have included a rendition of CKY’s 96 Quite Bitter Beings, but during a homecoming show in Texas back in April the quartet flirted with the idea of distancing themselves from heavy territory and going full-blown classic rock.
Thanks to newly released pro-shot footage from the evening – which captures the concert in its entirety – Henson and bandmate Scott LePage briefly pay tribute to Thin Lizzy by rifling through the climactic harmonized lick of The Boys Are Back In Town.
The quick-fire cover – helpfully labeled “random playing” by one commenter demarcating the setlist – came after the band’s performance of Icronic, and served not only as a nod to Lizzy legends Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson, but also to Polyphia's home state of Texas.
Unfortunately, those hoping the six-string interplay between the two Ibanez signature artists would pave the way for a fully fledged cover were left disappointed.
We can’t imagine they felt down for too long, though: a classic Polyphia game of “sing the riff” was followed by a scorching run-through of Champagne.
Being pro-shot footage, the 65-minute film is an excellent insight into the energy, tones, onstage chemistry and downright absurd levels of virtuosity that is typical of a live Polyphia performance.
Both Henson and LePage’s newly released Ibanez signature electric guitars – as well as Henson’s TOD10N nylon-string – were wielded with flawless precision, and the sounds squeezed from their respective digital rigs were downright sublime.
Not only that, the two guitar masterminds showcased their improvisational side on numerous occasions throughout the 16-song setlist, which culminated in an epic rendition of Euphoria.
This isn't the first time the band has tackled a guitar classic – last year, Henson and LePage performed Pantera's Domination in celebration of Dimebag Darrell's birthday.
Polyphia are set to hit the road again later this year for a headline North American tour, which kicks off in September.
Head over to the band's website for a full list of dates.
