Live Review - Power Quest at Wakefield Strafford Arms 2/12/08

You’ve got to feel for Power Quest really. Given that they emerged around the same time as Dragonforce and that they are certainly no strangers to each other (keyboardist Steve Williams having played in Dragonheart – an early version of the band that was to become Dragonforce – and current ‘Force guitarist Sam Totman having played on Power Quest’s debut album are just two examples), it’s a bit disappointing that while Dragonforce have gone on to achieve world-beating status, Power Quest are still plugging away on the pub circuit. This is even more disappointing when you witness just how good Power Quest are live and the realisation that they are actually more musically diverse than their dragon-loving buddies sets in. The band are all great players with Steve’s keyboard skills rivalling that of a certain Ukrainian gentleman and singer Alessio’s voice reaching notes you would doubt the existence of. Unfortunately the Power Quest experience is hampered tonight by the fact they’re playing in an uncomfortably tiny venue and that said venue have seen fit to employ one of the worst soundmen to ever sit behind a desk – if this guy isn’t out of a job by the end of the night, there’s something seriously wrong – and a collection of Wakefield kids up past their bedtime who clearly don’t know the first thing about the etiquette of mosh-pitting.
Despite these problems however, Power Quest manage to deliver a quality performance. Songs like ‘Wings of Forever’, ‘Far Away’, ‘Edge of Time’ and ‘Find My Heaven’ are anthems that should be belted out in arenas, not your local watering hole but alas, maybe this is part of the appeal of a band like Power Quest – that you can go see them with 100 or so of your metal brethren and leave pleased in the knowledge that everyone else is missing out and that you’ve just been privileged to a performance not many get to see. However, for Power Quest’s sake, hopefully this will change as I’m sure we the enlightened few would gladly trade that status for the further success of one of the UK’s best, and most unsung, bands.