And So I Watch You from Afar & Caspian in Cologne

And So I Watch You from Afar are a Northern Irish instrumental rock band formed in Belfast in 2005. Their music draws on post-rock and math rock, built around interlocking guitars, abrupt rhythmic shifts and large ensemble passages. The self-titled debut introduced tracks including “Set Guitars to Kill,” while Gangs, All Hail Bright Futures and The Endless Shimmering established the core of their catalogue. In 2009, they supported Them Crooked Vultures during the supergroup’s tour of the UK and Ireland. A decade later, the band marked the debut album’s tenth anniversary with a dedicated tour and a hometown performance at Belfast’s Ulster Hall. Their festival history includes appearances at ArcTanGent and 2000trees, two UK events closely associated with progressive and independent rock.

Caspian is an American instrumental post-rock band formed in Beverly, Massachusetts, in 2004. Layered guitars, bass, drums and keyboards shape albums including The Four Trees, Tertia, Waking Season, Dust and Disquiet and On Circles; “Gone in Bloom and Bough” and “Hymn for the Greatest Generation” are among the band’s best-known pieces. A 2010 performance at Boston’s Old South Church was documented on the concert album Live at Old South Church. Caspian later toured North America with Japanese post-rock band MONO in 2016, then marked the tenth anniversary of The Four Trees by performing the album in full in 2017.