COMA DIVINE

This is one of the best live recordings which belongs to my collection - absolutely flawless. Don't know if they ever have been more spacy and psychedelic on the stage. What also strikes are the excellent percussion specials by Chris Maitland. No - not my first collision with PORCUPINE TREE which has been The Sound of Muzak from 'In Absentia'. Since I could enjoy them live for the first time during their Absentia-Tour in 2002 (unfortunately wasn't aware of them before) I got curious about what they worked out on the stage in the past. Therefore sometimes later I discovered the PT gem 'Coma Divine' which was recorded five years before. What I'm writing about is the expanded version released 2003 including 14 tracks which must have been the recordings of the whole concert in Rome.

First of all I must say: what a fantastic stage presence by the band despite of the fact only Wilson managed the guitar and vocal part. What I want to express: there is no help from John Wesley for example. Signify and the two parts of Waiting are somewhat warmups for this fantastic concert. Afterwards the band is breaking all barriers - promised! The Sky moves Sideways opens very floydy and speeds up for the last 5 minutes with a brilliant bass line by Colin Edwin - a fantastic live version of this song. Dislocated Day and Sleep of no Dreaming are also much more emotional presented as the studio versions. Moonloop is my highlight of the first CD because it is a fantastic spacy song with a furious 4 minute finale. Never heard a better (emotional and melancholic) guitar solo from Steven Wilson.

CD 2 begins with Up the Downstair - a dynamic song which really rrrrrrocks, exploding and imploding for several times. The Moon touches your Shoulder is (per)formed with wonderful guitar licks and sensitive percussion work by Chris Maitland. The song gets tempo 'til the end and fades directly into Always never, yet another track which combines uptempo rock and slowtempo psych. Is...not is a fantastic instrumental opener for Radioactive Toy, one of the long time standards played live. With no doubt another beauty of the album. And it is clearly audible: the band is getting vocal help by the italian crowd.

A must have for every PT fan and an advice for every proghead who is interested in listening to excellent live performances.

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