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The tenth annual NEARfest at Zoellner Arts Center, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA, USA, was held on the weekend of June 20–22, 2008. “NEARfest X” was the fourth consecutive visit for Gentle Giant’s Gary Green.
| Fish | Liquid Tension Experiment | Banco del Mutuo Soccorso |
| Synergy | Peter Hammill | Echolyn |
| Discipline | Radio Massacre International | |
| Koenji Hyakkei | Mörglbl |
This was the last NEARfest at the helm for festival co-founders Chad Hutchinson and Rob LaDuca, who are retiring after 10 very successful years. Thanks, Chad & Rob! The reins of NEARfest have been handed over to Jim Robinson, Ray Loboda, and Kevin Feeley, who will steer it into its second decade.
Roger Dean again attended and provided what will be his final festival logo, at least for the time being. Mark Wilkinson, who has worked extensively with Marillion and Fish through the years, once again acted as second artist-in-residence. Guest appearances were also made by Mo Moore of Nektar and Bob Moog’s daughter, Michelle.
Friday night’s “pre-show” finally became an official part of the festival, expanding it to 3 days and 10 bands. The ubiquitous Larry Fast, making his fourth appearance on a NEARfest stage in 10 years, opened up with only the second full-length Synergy® concert ever, followed by a rousing set from Fish.
The Return of Banco Francesco DiGiacomo | 
Larry (“Synergy”) Fast in the shadows | 
Fish is clutching at straws on a Friday night | ||||||
Liquid Tension Experiment Saturday’s headliner | 
Echolyn revisits “As The World” | 
Peter Hammill at the piano | ||||||
Roger Dean’s NEARfest X logo behind Larry Fast’s rig | 
Koenji Hyakkei kicks off Saturday morning | 
Vittorio Nocenzi Banco keyboardist | ||||||
Christophe Godin Mörglbl funny-man guitarist | 
Foss Paterson, keyboards Fish | 
Steve Dinsdale and Duncan Goddard, RMI | ||||||
Matthew Parmenter Discipline | 
Rodolfo Maltese Guitarist for Banco | 
“Electronic Realizations...” Synergy | ||||||
Ray Weston Echolyn | 
Brooding intensity from Peter Hammill | 
Alessandro Papotto Banco | ||||||
Sagara Nami’s operatic voice Koenji Hyakkei | 
Nektar’s Mo Moore introduces pal Larry Fast | 
John Petrucci Liquid Tension Experiment | ||||||
Filippo Marchegianni, guitars – Banco | 
Frank Usher and the big guy Fish | 
Brett Kull of Echolyn | ||||||
Larry Fast | 
Francesco DiGiacomo | 
Peter Hammill | ||||||
Keyboard virtuoso Nocenzi of Banco | 
Aurélien Ouzoulias Mörglbl’s drummer | 
Gary Houghton, Radio Massacre International | ||||||
Keiko Komori, reeds Koenji Hyakkei | 
He’s all ears Fish | 
Banco’s Maltese vocalizing | ||||||
Peter Hammill on Saturday afternoon | 
Synthesist Larry Fast opens NEARfest X | 
Mike Portnoy Liquid Tension Experiment | ||||||
Maurizio Masi Banco percussionist | 
Chris Buzby on keyboards Echolyn | 
Jon Preston Bouda Discipline | ||||||
Fish’s Steve Vantsis and Gavin John Griffiths | 
Maurizio Mariani, bass Banco | 
Taku Yabuki, keyboards Koenji Hyakkei | ||||||
Peter Hammill in the spotlight | 
Keyboardist Jordan Rudess Liquid Tension Experiment | 
Bassist Ivan Rougny Mörglbl | ||||||
Cyndee Lee Rule guests on violin for RMI | 
Larry Fast in his natural habitat | 
Paul Ramsey, drums Echolyn | ||||||
A tribute to the legendary Bob Moog | 
750,000 Anni Fa...L'Amore? DiGiacomo emoting | 
Heralding the arrival of Fish | ||||||
Kengo Sakamoto, bass Koenji Hyakkei | 
Paul Dzendzel & Mathew Kennedy, Discipline | 
Amnesiac Peter Hammill | ||||||
Tony Levin on bass Liquid Tension Experiment | 
Vintage synth sounds from Vittorio Nocenzi | 
One of Professor Fast’s mini-lectures | ||||||
Bassist Tom Hyatt Echolyn | 
Maltese playing acoustic Banco | 
An imposing frontman Fish | ||||||
Mörglbl wear their sunglasses at night | 
Duncan Goddard, electronics Radio Massacre International | 
Peter Hammill Still Life | ||||||
Sagara Nami Koenji Hyakkei | 
Banco closes the 10th NEARfest | 
Rhapsody in Purple Liquid Tension Experiment | ||||||
The Cheese Stands Alone Ray Weston | 
Warm Wet Circles Fish | 
Phobos and Deimos Larry Fast | ||||||
Alessandro Papotto Banco | 
Matthew Parmenter Discipline | 
Fundraisers Larry Fast and Michelle Moog-Koussa | ||||||
Fish doing his best Sean Connery impression | 
Koenji Hyakkei’s driving force – Tatsuya Yoshida | 
DiGiacomo in contemplation | ||||||
John Petrucci | 
Christophe Godin | 
Jon Preston Bouda | ||||||
Theremin, anyone? Gary Houghton, RMI | 
Faith Healer Fish walks into the audience | 
Vittorio Nocenzi addresses the crowd | ||||||
Last Frame Peter Hammill | 
Brett Kull Echolyn | 
A breather for Keiko Komori Koenji Hyakkei | ||||||
Chris Johnson, guitars Fish | 
Rodolfo Maltese Banco | 
When The Water Breaks Mike Portnoy | ||||||
Steam and Steel Towers Synergy’s Metropolitan Suite | 
Buzby and Weston Echolyn | 
Matthew Parmenter Discipline | ||||||
Filippo Marchegianni of Banco | 
The dual electronics of Radio Massacre International | 
Mörglbl’s animated bassist, Ivan Rougny | ||||||
Koenji Hyakkei Taku Yabuki | 
Oops... Fish just saw the bar bill | 
Mariani and Papotto Banco | ||||||
Introspection Peter Hammill | 
Jordan Rudess and his rotating keyboard rig | 
Echolyn’s Paul Ramsey | ||||||
Francesco DiGiacomo | 
Larry Fast | 
Fish | ||||||
RMI’s Houghton on guitar | 
Tatsuya Yoshida Koenji Hyakkei | 
Vittorio Nocenzi Banco | ||||||
Brett Kull | 
Aurélien Ouzoulias | 
Tony Levin on Stick® | ||||||
Ray Weston on bass Echolyn | 
Rodolfo Maltese and his baby trumpet | 
Farewell, Chad & Rob – thanks for 10 great years! |
NEARfest X logo ©2008 by Roger Dean