On 16th September 2022 IQ stepped onstage in Barcelona and performed the concert we now have here, celebrating 40 years as a progressive rock act. That it was a year overdue was caused by the pandemic of course, but that it was a special night was never in doubt. Mike Holmes has been the only constant throughout the band’s career, but Paul Cook, Peter Nicholls and Tim Esau were all there at the beginning as well, it is just that they all had some time off for good behaviour. The line-up is, of course, completed by Neil Durant, who has now been there for more than a decade, and it is strange to think that at one time he was an avid fan of the band he now plays in (as with Mike Varty in Credo, one of Neil’s key roles is reducing the average age of the band).
I first saw IQ when they supported Magnum some time a million years ago, and unless one was heavily involved in the prog scene back in 1993 it is hard to understand just how huge ‘Ever’ was when it was released, heralding the return of IQ with Peter Nicholls back in the fold alongside Mike, Paul, Martin and new bassist, ex-Ark stalwart John Jowitt. That album kicked off with “The Darkest Hour”, showing that IQ were back to lay claim to the prog throne as they belted into one of their heaviest numbers, and after an intro that is the first song on this set, sounding just as powerful and dramatic as it did nearly 30 years earlier. This is then followed by “It All Stops Here”, taken from the ‘Seven Stories Into Eight’ demo before we move into the latest album.
That they can do this so seamlessly displays the depth of material available to them, and it must have been a nightmare to devise a setlist which covers their career but ensures they do not miss out on the latest albums of ‘Resistance’ and ‘The Road of Bones’. I was not the biggest fan of the album prior to those, ‘Frequency’, but given I have awarded every other album of theirs the highest marks possible it is fair to say they have had an amazing career so far, and even with a running time of 135 minutes there are still many classics missing from this set. Anyone who has been a fan for any length of time will always complain something should have been included, but given the delights on offer, combined with stunning performances throughout, any comments like that are quite churlish indeed.
Highlights? Oh yes, way too many to mention. The band sound as tight as one who have been playing together for many years yet are still fresh and vibrant – this is not a group of hacks who are only in it for the money, they are exciting and powerful. Listen to “No Love Lost”, where Peter makes the song very much his own, even though it was originally sung by Paul Menel, and Neil has somehow managed to totally capture the original synth sounds while Cookie is still rolling around the kit, Tim provides additional bass runs, and Mike is the perfect foil, rocking hard at some points and keeping it tight at others.
I would have to check the racks to see how many live IQ albums I have, but it is a few. The one I generally play most often is 2000’s ‘Subterranea: The Concert’, as that always struck me as very special indeed, but there is something about this mix of old classics and new which really captures the essence of IQ and is indispensable to both fans of the band and those who may be wondering just what is the fuss all about? IQ – 40 years young, and still leading the way.
