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Porcupine Tree in NJ, 5-14-05

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Topic: Porcupine Tree in NJ, 5-14-05
Posted By: threefates
Subject: Porcupine Tree in NJ, 5-14-05
Date Posted: May 15 2005 at 17:04
Well I had a really fun day yesterday out in New Jersey. I'm lucky I went to the meet & greet with PT at Vintage Vinyl Records before going to the show in Asbury Park, because the Stone Pony allowed no cameras in the place at all. Had to put it in the car..., but hopefully I'll get some good shots of them next week at Irving Plaza.

The only 2 from the band who showed up here were Steven Wilson and John Wesley. Now John Wesley just recently joined Porcupine Tree. Last time I saw him, he was the roadie for Marillion and performed as their warmup on their tours. I got to spend some time with both John and Steven after the signing, while Steven bought some cds from some obscure metal bands.. and John and I realized we had a friend in common.. so he called him we left a nice weird message together on his answering machine...

The show was actually great, even tho the club itself is somewhat small, the place was packed. They had 2 bands and a solo guy warming up for them, which none of us, including the band knew until we got there and when Steve Wilson found out he wasn't going on till 11pm, he said, we'll I guess I have time for a nap.

Unfortunately I had to stand thru all 3 warmups... but the second warmup band was pretty cool to watch on stage. They are called "Tunnel" and they are an instrumental band with the great Percy Jones, bassist from Brand X, who has played with everyone from Steve Hackett, Roy Harper and Brian Eno to David Sylvan and Suzanne Vega. Its a trio with bass, drums, and some Dutch guy on minivibes.. which was pretty interesting to watch. Not unlike a bit of King Crimson's stranger work... this was great to watch live, but doubt I could listen thru an entire cd.

When PT finally came out, they started with "The Sound of Muzak" from In Absentia. Since that is my favorite PT album... I was estatic. They ended up doing most all of Deadwing, Blackest Eyes from In Absentia, which is my favorite.. and She Moves On and Trains was the encore. Some of the other bands had horrible sound, but PT sounded really good, which couldn't be easy in the way the room is setup.

Steve plays on stage barefoot, he says he can get a better feel from his pedals.. and I gather he's in his 30s, but he's another guitarist who looks about 18 on stage. The drummer was excellent, had his drums miked very well, so that I could feel every bass drum beat in my chest. I've always like that. John Wesley did a great job on guitar and backing vocals. I think he makes a wonderful addition to the band. Steve has some really beautiful guitars.. I can't wait to get a picture of his acoustic.

Overall it was one of the best shows I've seen in a long while. If anyone can see them at Irving Plaza, or Philly next weekend, I recommend it. And they will be in Montreal tomorrow (Monday) night at La Tulipe.

Some pics from the signing:

Steve Wilson in the sunglasses, John Wesley with curls..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine%20Tree/P5140085.jpg - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine% 20Tree/P5140085.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine%20Tree/P5140076.jpg - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine% 20Tree/P5140076.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine%20Tree/P5140079.jpg - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine% 20Tree/P5140079.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine%20Tree/P5140089.jpg - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine% 20Tree/P5140089.jpg

my favorite shot of Steven
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine%20Tree/P5140064.jpg - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine% 20Tree/P5140064.jpg

me taking a picture of him, while he's taking a picture of me...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine%20Tree/P5140087.jpg - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine% 20Tree/P5140087.jpg

Hey, look he's got the same camera I had stolen in England....hmmmm

Me trying to find out where he got that camera...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine%20Tree/P5140091.jpg - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine% 20Tree/P5140091.jpg

Later at the Stone Pony, the keyboardist, Richard Barbieri.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine%20Tree/P5140096.jpg - http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v20/Pebble/Misc/Porcupine% 20Tree/P5140096.jpg

And for those of you who have always said that Steve Wilson is sort of dorky looking... actually he's quite adorable...



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THIS IS ELP



Replies:
Posted By: Tony R
Date Posted: May 15 2005 at 18:23

Thanks for the pics 3F8ts !Clap

PT were brilliant when I saw them in Manchester (UK) and they deserve a much larger  audience.Gavin Harrison is a remarkable drummer and his performance on Hatesong is jaw-dropping.

You must be tiny as I reckon Wilson can be no more than 5'6.Smile

 



Posted By: threefates
Date Posted: May 15 2005 at 18:33
Actually, Tony... I'm 5'6

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THIS IS ELP


Posted By: CaincelaOreinim
Date Posted: May 16 2005 at 13:43

Awesome...I'll be seeing them at Irving.

Fates...are these opening acts on the bill for there too you think?  Cuz I mean, as a bassist, Percy Jones! can't wait!! John Wesley also has joined them again = quality harmonies ala Heart Attack and Mellotron Scratch I pray?  Wasn't too thrilled with his act opening for Marillion but when I saw Porcupine Tree last with him, ahah and at the same place, it was exceptional.  Too bad they opened for a quite terrible acoustic-only Opeth.  And Porcupine Tree AREEE the headliners correct heh? If there are 3 bands...should be a pretty long show...hopefully.  Looking forward to it nonetheless.



Posted By: threefates
Date Posted: May 16 2005 at 14:42

No actually the opening band for PT at Irving Plaza will be Jordan Rudess with the Rudess Morgenstein Project. 

Percy Jones was incredible Saturday night.  Some of the guys who run the NJ Proghouse were there and I said they should really look into booking those guys, they were awesome.



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THIS IS ELP


Posted By: Tony
Date Posted: May 16 2005 at 15:27
Thanks a lot for the review. I'm going to see them in a few hours at La Tulipe. It's going to be a great show, I'll report in probably tomorrow morning!

Can't wait!!


Posted By: CaincelaOreinim
Date Posted: May 16 2005 at 17:10

ooo Rudess and Morgenstein sounds good too, that Dixie Dregs show at BBKing's was quality to say the least.  It IS that Morgenstein right?  And wait, are Tunnel the same band who were at Nearfest about two-three years ago?  If it's the same band I had no idea Jones was in it...interesting. 



Posted By: threefates
Date Posted: May 17 2005 at 08:31

Yes, that is the same Morgenstein from the Dregs.  Actually Jordan Rudess was at that show. I got a picture of him afterwards.

Tunnel did play Nearfest a few years ago.



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THIS IS ELP


Posted By: hightea
Date Posted: May 19 2005 at 10:50

threefates nice review can't wait for friday night.

About how long did PT play for?

 

 




Posted By: threefates
Date Posted: May 20 2005 at 14:40
Almost 2 hours...

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THIS IS ELP


Posted By: zatoiv
Date Posted: May 21 2005 at 18:14

Hey, it's taylor(the 16 year old from the pt show last night) just though i would say great pictures once more, and thanks for being so nice last night! it was a great show, see you around.

 

 



Posted By: threefates
Date Posted: May 21 2005 at 20:00

Hey Taylor... its so good to see you here.  It was great having you at the show last night!  It makes a show more fun when you can really enjoy it with the people around you.  I've met a lot of really nice people from the few PT shows I went to.

THe show last night was even better than the show last week.  The place was packed, the crowd was really into it.. and even tho they said no pictures... I got plenty of pictures anyway.. which I will share with you guys later!



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THIS IS ELP


Posted By: Dick Heath
Date Posted: May 27 2005 at 10:56
Originally posted by threefates threefates wrote:

Unfortunately I had to stand thru all 3 warmups... but the second warmup band was pretty cool to watch on stage. They are called "Tunnel" and they are an instrumental band with the great Percy Jones, bassist from Brand X, who has played with everyone  Its a trio with bass, drums, and some Dutch guy on minivibes.. which was pretty interesting to watch. Not unlike a bit of King Crimson's stranger work... this was great to watch live, but doubt I could listen thru an entire cd.

 

Tunnels. Surprised they were playing second fiddle to PT, IMHO a much superior set of musicians. Personally I do not have a problem listening to whole Tunnels' album, Live: Art Of Living Dangerously is one for true jazz rock fans and a mite challenging, while the latest studio album Progressivity was one of the best in the genre the year of its release, and certainly more accessible. Marc Wagnon on midivibes, I think is the name you might have been the name you were searching for .

http://www.buckyballmusic.com/ - http://www.buckyballmusic.com/

for info and the source of some live Brand X recordings



Posted By: Trevinski
Date Posted: May 31 2005 at 04:43
Originally posted by threefates threefates wrote:

. and I gather he's in his 30s, but he's another guitarist who looks about 18 on stage.



Steve is currently 37, I am hoping his age doesn't catch up with him soon, long live PT.


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Finite for today.


Posted By: ProgConro
Date Posted: June 21 2005 at 18:29

Hey there. I saw Porcupine Tree the day before threefates saw them. Myself and three friends saw them at the 9:30 club in D.C. It was just PT playing, there was no warm up band because 9:30 is pretty small. They opend up with DEADWING and they were great. Steve Wilson did say that they were a little jetlagged so they were kinda tired but that did not stop them from having a great show. I was so excited, the crowd was cool as well and had a lot of energy.  Towards the end of the show I think they were playing BLACKEST EYES and Colin Edwin's bass strap did break so his bass started to slide down and did land on the floor.  One of the rodies came out to fix the strap, and while he was doing that Colin just kept on playing while his bass was on the floor. The show was good and the video images on the screen behind them game out smooth and clear.  My friends and I had a great time and that show I will remember always  



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Come to us, Lazarus, it's time for you to go


Posted By: rushlady2112
Date Posted: June 22 2005 at 22:24

I also saw the Porcupine Tree show at the 9:30 Club.  Good to see long-time fans as well as a new generation of young fans appreciating the talents of Steve Wilson and company.  The only downside of the show is that it was too short, and it would have been nice to hear some of their more spacey/psychedelic numbers mixed in (was hoping to be surprised and hear Nine Cats or Rainy Taxi or Collapse the Light Into Earth).  But overall, it was an excellent show, probably one of the best shows I've seen in the past 10 years.

I heard from a friend tonight that they will be back for a second leg of the tour?  Any truth to that?  Anyone?  I will definitely be there.



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The more that things change, the more they stay the same.

If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.


Posted By: threefates
Date Posted: June 23 2005 at 09:59
Yes, Wes told me that they would be back here in Oct. of this year....

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THIS IS ELP


Posted By: Chooks
Date Posted: June 24 2005 at 12:30
[QUOTE=Dick Heath] [QUOTE=threefates]

Tunnels. Surprised they were playing second fiddle to PT, IMHO a much superior set of musicians. Personally I do not have a problem listening to whole Tunnels' album,

I'm a fan of PT but haven't heard any Tunnels. Which albums would be reccomended as an intro to these guys as they sound pretty good. And me living in Perth Australia have absolutly no chance of seeing PT unless I travel coz your hard pressed to get any bands let alone those that can actually play (as compared to you top 40 bands which i'm actualy alergic to in most cases). I even have to order Pt albums in from the UK or US so that means i'm still waiting for Deadwig to arrive. Stop laughing at my isolation Perth is renowned for indie rock which i can't stand by the way, too many scaffs (even when our summers get 40 C plus)

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Listening to Porcupine Tree In Absentia, POS Remady Lane, Anthrax Sound of.., Meshuggah Catch 33



Posted By: Borealis
Date Posted: July 15 2005 at 20:38
Originally posted by threefates threefates wrote:

When PT finally came out, they started with "The Sound of Muzak" from In Absentia. Since that is my favorite PT album... I was estatic. They ended up doing most all of Deadwing, Blackest Eyes from In Absentia, which is my favorite.. and She Moves On and Trains was the encore. Some of the other bands had horrible sound, but PT sounded really good, which couldn't be easy in the way the room is setup.

Steve plays on stage barefoot, he says he can get a better feel from his pedals.. and I gather he's in his 30s, but he's another guitarist who looks about 18 on stage. The drummer was excellent, had his drums miked very well, so that I could feel every bass drum beat in my chest. I've always like that. John Wesley did a great job on guitar and backing vocals. I think he makes a wonderful addition to the band. Steve has some really beautiful guitars.. I can't wait to get a picture of his acoustic.

Overall it was one of the best shows I've seen in a long while. If anyone can see them at Irving Plaza, or Philly next weekend, I recommend it. And they will be in Montreal tomorrow (Monday) night at La Tulipe.

I saw the show yesterday at Québec City (I missed the one at Montréal, for 18+ only...) and it really was like all you said! I agree on everything. Funny, they also made Shemovedon and Train as an 'encore'... It was also pretty fun to see Wilson trying to speak french a couple of time between two song.

On the pics, there's 'Je ne sais pas pourquoi' writen on his T-shirt... Heh.



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Vive le Québec libre!...


Posted By: MuShRoOm MaN
Date Posted: September 02 2005 at 21:45

just wanted say that porcupine tree kicks ass

 



Posted By: billm57
Date Posted: September 19 2005 at 10:27
agreed. PT put on a great show here in Chicago at the park West a few months ago.They are coming back in Oct with robert fripp opneing for them. May have to go back for a second helping



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