Franck Carducci & The Fantastic Squad – A Colourful Celebration of Rock, Prog and Imagination

As a concert photographer, I always hope to capture an image that stays with me. A photograph that does not simply disappear into an archive but earns a permanent place among my favourites. That happened during Night of the Prog 2017, when I took a photograph of Franck Carducci that remains one of my personal highlights to this day. It was also a performance that set the entire festival site alight and confirmed that Carducci was far more than just another name on the European prog circuit.

When his name appeared on the Midsummer Prog bill, I looked forward to the show with particular interest. Not because I expected to capture the photograph of a lifetime again—the lighting and stage conditions in Maastricht were far from ideal for that—but because I wanted to see whether Franck Carducci & The Fantastic Squad could still generate the same energy and stage magic.

The answer became clear within minutes.

Opening with Alice’s Eerie Dream, the band chose a song rooted more in blues rock than in complex symphonic prog. It immediately set the tone for a performance built on energy, atmosphere and audience connection rather than technical display. Carducci appeared as flamboyant as ever: top hat, colourful outfit, bass guitar in hand and constantly on the move.

During that opening number, Mary Reynaud made her entrance and instantly became one of the evening’s most eye-catching figures. Dressed in a glittering silver outfit that reflected the sunlight with every movement, she crossed the stage with almost childlike playfulness. She skipped between the musicians, posed, sang and constantly interacted with Carducci, guitarist Barth Sky and the audience. From the very first moments, she added a theatrical dimension that would remain a defining feature of the entire show. It quickly became clear that this was not a frontman backed by anonymous musicians. The name The Fantastic Squad proved entirely justified.

What immediately stood out was the unique atmosphere the band created. The combination of Carducci’s glam-rock flamboyance, Reynaud’s theatrical presence and the energetic guitar work of Barth Sky gave the performance a playful, almost Bowie-like quality that contrasted sharply with the often serious demeanour of many contemporary prog bands. There was room here for humour, theatre, visual spectacle and pure rock ’n’ roll without sacrificing musical quality.

Barth Sky emerged as one of the stars of the show. With flying hair, classic rock poses and infectious enthusiasm, he brought a healthy dose of vintage rock energy to the stage. Songs such as Torn Apart and Slave to Rock ’n’ Roll showcased that side of the band perfectly. The latter in particular worked brilliantly live, becoming an irresistible anthem where melody, groove and audience interaction mattered more than complexity.

Musically, the band sounded surprisingly direct. While some studio recordings suggest a more keyboard-oriented approach, the live sound was driven primarily by guitars, bass and drums. As a result, the performance felt heavier and more rock-oriented than many symphonic prog acts. Another striking feature was the old-school stage setup. At a time when many bands rely on compact digital rigs and almost empty stages, amplifiers, keyboards and drums were all clearly visible. It reinforced the feeling that the music was being built right before the audience’s eyes by five musicians rather than emerging from an invisible digital system.

At the back of the stage, Léa Fernandez served as the engine of the band. Her powerful drumming held together both the straightforward rock songs and the longer compositions, while her visible enjoyment perfectly reflected the spirit of the performance.

One of the most memorable moments arrived with The Angel. Written by Mary Reynaud herself, the song functioned less as a prog epic and more as a carefully crafted stage tableau in which her voice, presence and theatricality took centre stage. Wearing large white angel wings, she transformed from flamboyant stage partner into an almost mythical figure. The result was a moment where music, theatre and visual imagination merged completely.

The recent album Sheeple was represented by two songs that highlighted different aspects of Carducci’s current musical identity. The Limits of Freedom showcased the album’s most direct side. Built around groove, rhythm and a powerful classic-rock approach, it became one of the most immediate and effective moments of the set, driven by strong drumming, prominent bass lines and propulsive piano work.

Even more impressive was The Betrayal of Blue, one of the evening’s clear highlights. The lengthy composition combined dark passages, powerful choruses, layered arrangements and constantly evolving tension into a compelling prog-rock suite. Midway through the piece, Mary Reynaud stepped forward with a theremin. Not only her hands but seemingly her entire body became part of the instrument. The flowing movements of her arms and upper body created a lightly sensual, almost hypnotic atmosphere that briefly blurred the boundaries between music, theatre and performance art. Yet the piece did not remain in that dreamlike mood for long; it soon rebuilt towards a powerful conclusion in which the entire band unleashed its full force once again.

The older epics were equally well represented. Closer to Irreversible revealed a more emotional side of Carducci’s songwriting. Beginning as a restrained ballad, it gradually developed into a melodic prog-rock piece in which the spirit of Steve Hackett and Genesis never seemed far away.

With A Brief Tale of Time, the audience was treated to perhaps the evening’s most overtly conceptual composition. This multi-part epic combined romance, science fiction, electronic experimentation and symphonic rock into a single ambitious work. The music moved from acoustic passages to darker electronic soundscapes before returning to a melancholic conclusion.

The symphonic peak arrived with Artificial Paradises. Layer by layer, the suite unfolded through atmospheric arrangements, acoustic passages and extended instrumental development. Mary Reynaud also played an important vocal role here, helping transform the piece into a classic prog-rock epic in which every member of the band had the opportunity to shine.

After so much ambitious material, the choice of Pink Floyd’s Eclipse felt like a natural tribute to one of Carducci’s major influences. The set then concluded with On the Road to Nowhere. Where the previous songs had explored long-form compositions, theatrical scenes and musical adventures, this final number focused on warmth, spontaneity and direct audience connection. During the closing moments, the entire band gathered at the front of the stage, creating a fitting final image for a performance that celebrated not one individual but a close-knit collective of musicians clearly enjoying every second on stage.

Nine years after that memorable Night of the Prog appearance, Franck Carducci once again demonstrated why he remains such a beloved live performer. The combination of strong songs, theatrical flair, colourful personalities, excellent musicianship and infectious enthusiasm made this performance far more than a simple concert. It became a show in which progressive rock, classic rock, theatre and pure joie de vivre continuously reinforced one another.

In a festival packed with musical highlights, Franck Carducci & The Fantastic Squad ultimately delivered something that should never be underestimated: smiles on the faces of both audience and musicians alike. In the end, that may well have been their greatest strength.