Porcupine Tree - Preston 20/04/07

 

 

 

 

Another very good show by the band, this is the 4th time I've seen them and never seen a sub-standard performance.

The setlist was well thought out - all the older songs in the main set linking to the FOABP theme. Lightbulb Sun and Drown With Me in particular stood out as both fitting and beautifully played - Wes on lead, Steve on acoustic.

The new album was spectacular with the possible exception of Sentimental, which I dont think quite comes off as a concert piece and was beset with some sonic problems eminating somewhere amongst Richard Barbieri's bank of keyboards. Parts of Anesthetize still need work as a performance piece and I'm not sure Wes has nailed the Lifeson solo yet. At times though the piece was simply mesmerising with its change of pace and thunderous passages. The title track and Way Out Of Here were both triumphs - the former accompanied by the Lasse Hoile video that the band had to pull from its websites on Monday - one image of a youth holding a gun to his head  eerily predicting the graphic images coming out of the USA last Monday.

Even Less, Mother &Child Divided and Halo comprised the inevitable encore and a rapturous crowd was sent home elated. I dont know if it was just me and my mate but there seemed some kind of tension amongst the band. SW, not the most communicative of front men, was even more taciturn than usual and he looked tired and drawn. There seemed less interplay and interaction between him and Wes but this didnt affect the performance.I might be way off but I thought it worth mentioning.

 

For those who like ratings I'd give this evening a solid 8 out of 10.

 

It was the first time I had been to the Preston venue, which is part of the UCLAN Students Union.It claims to hold 1200 and it was certainly full. Acoustics were fine and quite a nice sized stage. Opening act Amplifier were an entertaining if one-dimentional diversion, like a psychedelic Zep meets RHCP.