Trinity co-founders Adam Hodgson and Matt Cohen are both huge fans of Lonely Robot. When they heard there was another album on the way, they were understandably eager to have John Mitchell bring his space rock odyssey to Trinity. However, speaking to Prog, the two gave somewhat conflicting stories as to how they signed the band up for the show. Cohen told us it was straightforward, that Mitchell was just as keen to play it as they were to have him. Yet Hodgson seemed to think a little alcoholic lubrication was needed to loosen the veteran prog artist’s resolve.
So which story is true?
“Adam’s side of the story is what we’re going with,” laughs Mitchell. “He took me to the pub – he’s very good at that – and said ‘look we’re doing this thing, do you fancy headlining it?’ It’s flattering to be asked as we’re still a relatively new and novel musical act. It’s the first time we’ve headlined anything apart from our own gigs so it should be quite an experience. We’re aiming to take all the projections and cameo appearances with us and make it a bit of an extravaganza.”
This show will be one of the first performances since his new record, The Big Dream’s release. A sprawling, episodic prog opera, it promises to be a captivating and theatrical spectacle, the icing on the day’s massive prog cake. Alongside his headline performance, Mitchell will be performing with Kim Seviour, launching the singer’s solo album, which he produced.
“I’m so glad Kim hasn’t given up on music because she’s a fantastic talent. I can’t wait for people to hear it as it’s a little bit different. We’ve only just finished the set list and I’ve inadvertently become the MC of the endeavour. It’s a nice ending to the story.”
Around the release of Lonely Robot’s debut album, Please Come Home, Mitchell was asked by Echoes And Dust for his thoughts on social media, leading him to say some bleak words upon mankind: “In a bid for maximum social interaction,” he said, “we have become more disconnected than ever before from those who immediately surround us.”
Trinity then, a charity event priding itself on its community, open invitation and touching humanity, provides the antithesis. Still though, Mitchell wants to make sure everyone has a good time:
“I was in London the other day and people kept bumping into each other because they are so preoccupied with the small black monoliths that they’re staring into. I find it depressing. I think we should have a ban of phones at Trinity, how about that? Everyone has to talk to each other. Maybe I’ll go around with a gun telling everybody to hug each other.
“Let’s go to the nuts and bolts of it, though. This gig is for a good cause, everybody knows someone who’s died of cancer. I’ve lost some very good friends; John Wetton, people in my family, there are people I know who are very, very ill. It’s heartbreaking. If there’s anyway you can do something to help that then I’m all for it, and who the hell doesn’t like going watching rock gigs? Do remember that, whilst the money does go to a good cause you do get to have, and I hate myself for saying something so cheesy, a rocking good day. From my point of view it’s a no brainer.”
About Trinity Live:
The idea for Trinity Live came about in 2014. It was originally planned as a triple-headliner tour for Magenta, Touchstone and The Reasoning but was rescheduled as a one-day fundraiser when Magenta vocalist Christina Booth was diagnosed with breast cancer. The original event raised £12,000 for Cancer Research UK, Macmillan and Teenage Cancer Trust.
Lonely Robot tops the bill with Touchstone, Ghost Community & more also performing. This year’s event includes a prog auction and an aftershow party at The Zephyr Longue with a DJ set from Prog Editor Jerry Ewing and a surprise acoustic act being announced nearer the time.
Tickets for Trinity II are available here. More information can be found here.
