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Now that I've had a full week to digest the first proper PROPHET show in 21 or so years and having read all the great comments by band and friends on Facebook, I can finally put to words what this show was like.
From my standpoint, I was a big PROPHET fan back in the day but I got to know that band a little late in the game or should I say I was a bit too young to see the band in their heyday as it was before my 21st birthday and getting into bars in NJ was not happening. Up until this "reunion"/warm-up show for their appearance at the 2012 Z Rock Festival in the UK I had only witnessed the band twice before in concert. Once was in 1991 on the bands last "tour", if you will, for their third album "Recycled" and the second time was in 1996 at a benefit show they did for late keyboardist Joe Zujkowski here in NJ.
Although Joe Z. (along with original singer, Dean Fasano - RIP) has left us, the familiar faces of Scott Metaxas, Ken Dubman, Russell Arcara and James Callahan were present and accounted for at Starland on this night. Joined by keyboardist Bill Dellicato (formerly of NJ act BYSTANDER and who did an outstanding job this night) the band ripped through what I would call just about a perfect selection of songs from all three of their albums.
Highlights of the evening were many but PROPHET staples such as "Can't Hide Love", "Peace Of Mind", "Tomorrow Never Comes" (with of course Metaxas taking on lead vocals) and the two tracks from the debut album, "Street Secrets" and "Power Play" sounded as good as ever. Of course the band ripped it up with the instrumental "Hyperspace" and treated long-time fans to several songs from the bands 1991 album "Recycled", which Metaxas explained the songs were just that, and recycled from old tunes the band had lying around at the time. The guys also did plenty of joking with each other throughout the evening and appeared to having a ball.
As I recall from the last time I saw the band they again closed the show with "Red Line Rider" and then treated the crowd to a tribute of sorts. They decided to pay homage to PROPHET's alter ego, the EDGAR CAYCE BAND, and pulled out a couple of cover songs for their encore. Fan were treated to RUSH's "Red Barchetta" and DEEP PURPLE's "Highway Star" and before you know it this great evening was done. 
It was quite a joy to see PROPHET again after all these years and as I put the finishing touches on this review the band will be getting ready to take the stage in the UK for the Z Rock show. I truly hope the guys get a new passion for playing these songs again and continue to play a show every now and again. Heck, as Scott Metaxas stated in his interview here with RockEyez just a couple weeks ago, the band may even get back into the studio and see what they can come up with. I know there is a legion of fans around the world that would welcome that!
So even though everyone is a little older (or put on a little more weight as Russell Arcara joked during the show!) PROPHET still sounded great on this night at Starland and they need to be back making music on the stage (and in the studio!) even if just for fun.
Thanks go to Michael "Smitty" Smith, Sandi Murphy and Scott Metaxas himself for making this a memorable evening and lets hope we can all do it again sometime soon! |
