Well what do we have here? Cynic fans, the band’s upcoming North American tour with Lesser Key (featuring former Tool/Lusk/Feersum Ennjin bassist Paul D’Amour, by the way) just got way more interesting. Cynic’s reclusive bassist/Chapman Stick tapper, Sean Malone, will be performing live with the group for the first time since the Focus era. Drummer Sean Reinhert just confirmed as much on his Facebook page.
Looking forward to playing these shows with Sean Malone on bass/stick while Brandon enjoys fatherhood. The last time we shared the stage with Sean was almost 20 years ago at the Limelight in NYC (June 24th 1994).
If you follow Cynic you’re likely aware that Malone has stayed on good terms with the Reinhert and guitarist/vocalist Paul Masvidal, and has in fact performed on every studio album since the band has nixed its hiatus. Yet Malone isn’t much for touring, and the band has used a veritable smorgasbord of rotating hired guns to hold down the low end at performances. That’s why I freaked out to even get a glimpse of Malone playing a Cynic tune in the studio. I guess now it’s obvious what he was practicing for… so I guess you can bet that they’ll play “Veil of Maya,” but that’s about as safe of a gamble as Meshuggah whipping out “Future Breed Machine.”
I don’t know if Cynic intentionally kept this tour short, just a week each for the East and West coasts, to accommodate Malone, but if that’s the situation then it’s a small price to pay. Unless you live in the center of the country, in which case I say “neener neener, you schmucks.” Sincerely, the Tri-State Area.
