Live Performance Reviews

Marillion – Aylesbury (UK) Thursday 9^th March 2005.

I arrived early in the afternoon which afforded me a few hours exploration time of the band’s spiritual home. Market Square (does that name sound familiar?) sits in the centre of the ubiquitous shopping mall complex that is populated with the usual suspects (teenagers in hooded jackets, old age pensioners, screaming children, etc) who go about their daily business unaware of this town’s small part in progressive rock’s history.

This gig is ostensibly a warm up show for Marillion's three day weekender in Minehead between Friday the 11^th and Sunday the 13^th of March. The party faithful (i.e. the Web fanclub) have rolled up to see band blow the cobwebs out and have a bit of fun while they do it. The civic centre is a concrete and stone space with ageing pine floors and fittings. The auditorium is similarly neutral, spacious but without character and holds host to a crowd who get on like an extended family, all handshakes, back slaps and hugs.

With a set split into two halves, the band have warned everyone in advance that the show has to be over at 10.30pm or trouble with a capital ‘T’ will be visited upon them by the local authorities. Pete Trewavas appears unperturbed however as he wanders through the crowd acknowledging calls of his name with waves and cheery greetings.

Finally, the hall darkens and the stage lights slowly smoulder into life revealing a slightly sheepish Pete who grins at the faithful while he dons his bass. The crowd react with a cheer as the rest of the band appear at their various stations, checking equipment and sightlines. There are a few moments of silence before the first notes of ‘Invisible Man’ begin to throb from the PA, much to the delight of the crowd and the guys settle back into the beat. A couple of bars later Hogarth (‘H’), dressed in the now famous (infamous?) grey suit and half moon glasses, with hands clasped behind his back, stalks onto the stage and utters the song’s open line ‘The world’s gone mad…’

Third song in (ironically; You’re Gone) and the technical gremlins make their presence felt as Mark Kelly’s keyboard rig splutters and dies, leaving the band temporarily as a four piece to fill in as best they can. Better poker faces you could not wish to find as they boogie on despite the gaping holes in the sound. I for one was impressed at Ian Mosley’s metronomic timekeeping as he played without any backing for nearly half a minute before Mark’s rig was restored to health and slipped back in seamlessly.

The band were presenting a cut down version of the Marbles album with warmth and humour (Marbles pts 1-4, Fantastic Place, Don’t Hurt Yourself, Angelina). This was never meant to be anything more than a run through for the weekend but forgotten chords, fluffed lines and technical problems aside, it was obvious that the band were finding their feet with frightening ease. The highlight of the evening’s first set however, was Neverland, A slow burning hymn to lost memories and past glories which ignited beautifully with a superb, soaring solo by Steve Rothery (who really has filled out a bit since I saw this band play last – ten years ago). A song very reminiscent of the Clutching At Straws line-up and a fine way to go into the set break.

My favourite song of the second set isn’t one I know but ‘An Accidental Man’ (from This Strange Engine) and certainly a crowd favourite judging from the reaction it gets as band strike up the first few chords, held me spellbound, clapping along with the four hundred other souls in the room and and for five minutes I let its power and splendour wash over me.

The evening was rounded off with ‘Between You And Me’ from Anaraknophobia and although I was largely indifferent to the album version of this track, live and in the flesh, it’s a different matter entirely. The band and crowd lock together and during the closing minute ‘H’ just leans on his mic stand and smiles quietly to himself.

Even at this stage in the band’s career, I feel a tremendous sense of having witnessed the passing of something unique. I will say that although this gig could never be classed as a vintage performance, the Marbles album and tour has been the band’s most successful foray into public life since Season’s End (featuring actual hit singles no less) and it’s immediately apparent that this past year has been a special time for both fans and band alike. With a few last shows/festivals to play before this particular cycle of the group's life comes to an end, I get the feeling that it’s going to be a worryingly tough act to follow.

No time to post a comprehensive review of the Porcupine Tree concert in London on 2 April as I'm off away again today, but just wanted to say that it was a great concert. No doubt some of the other forum members will post their report here too.

The playing was really tight. Wilson's a star - some great guitar playing - but I also want to mention Harrison's drumming, which I thought was excellent. The Astoria was nicely packed and everyone seemed to be enjoying the show. My only minor quibble (well, got to find something wrong!) was that the singing on the first encore 'shesmovedon' sounded a little flat to me and that's a song I particularly like. Other than that, excellent. Good lighting and back projection - nothing too fancy. Understated.

Quite liked the Astoria too. It's a bit of a dump but the layout is comfortable - better than a lot of the newer all-seating halls. And plenty of bars within easy access! I first went to the mosh pit but ended up upstairs because I got a great view of the stage. What was the roped-off area on the right hand side upstairs? It was labelled "Warners". Presumably they meant Warner Bros.? Corporate entertainment? There were a lot of them!

The band deserve a wider audience.

I too saw Porcupine Tree at the Astoria on Saturday and they were brilliant! And as Frizs has said they were very together and the sound was amazing but Steve's vocals could have been a bit clearer especially on the quieter songs. They played for almost 2 hours and performed to near perfection a selection of past favourites like 'Even Less' and 'The Sound of Muzak' and just about every track from their new album 'Deadwing' including a really thundering version of 'Shallow' with its fantastic grinding riff.

One of the highlights for me of the set was when they did a couple of spacey psychedelic tracks from 'Up the Downstair' where Steve's guitar playing was awesome. Steve announced that they have or are about to re-released 'Up the downstair' using Gavin Harrison's superb drumming replacing (in Steve's words) 'the cheesy drum machine' that he was never happy with on the original album.

The Astoria was busy and I too stood upstairs where the view was great but it was VERY hot up there and those handy bars were very much appreciated!

PT really seemed take hold of the crowd especially when they ended with a brilliant sequence of songs mainly from In Absentia and I almost had kittens when I thought they were going to leave without playing my all time favourite song 'Trains' but of course they were saving the best until very last, it was a perfect end to great evening.

I've noticed Deadwing has had had heaps of excellent reviews from a wide variety of music sites and publications this last couple of weeks maybe this will the album that finally gets PT the recognition they deserve outside of the progressive community.
 

Porcupine Tree played the Garage in Glasgow (Scotland) last night. The gig was pretty much a sell out with a good cross section age wise (I went with my sons!). There can't be too many bands who attract such a wide range of fans, albeit predominantly male.

The set list was dominated by their current album, "Deadwing", and the previous "In absentia", although they did also play a couple of tracks from "Up the downstair", to promote its forthcoming release. "Even less" ("Stupid dream") closed the main part of the show, to the delight of the assembled masses. The set list differed slightly from London with a couple of "Deadwing" tracks being omitted, pehaps due to time constraints.

The new tracks all sounded really good live. "Deadwing" had arrived on my doorstep a few days before, so I'd had the chance to become slightly acquainted with them before the show. I was surprised to see 5 people on stage, but apparently John Wesley now tours (but does not record), with the band as a second guitarist and vocalist. Steve Wilson generously gave him a fair bit of room to sing and play lead guitar, enthusisatically leading the appreciation of his efforts.

The sound mix was good, although the bass was too dominant, especially given the apparent preference for the lower strings. The volume overall was too loud, (no it's no just an age thing). I sometimes wonder whether bands consider the size of the venue when setting the sound level. The everything louder than everything else approach is not necessary for music as good as this.

I, along with many in the audience would have liked to have heard some more of the older material, but I accept that the band has to move on. The Garage has a 10pm curfew, as it becomes a nightclub later on. It was therefore amusing with five minutes to go till 10pm, when the band was going into their second and last encore number ("Trains"), to hear all the cries for "Radioactive toy" and "Voyage 34"! I think the band were genuinely surpised by the enthusiasm of the Glasgow audience, and indeed by the turnout. Their previous Glasgow gig had been cancelled at short notice, for which Wilson apologised. Early comments of the band's own forum indicate this was probably the best gig of the UK tour.

The curfew also impacted on support act Anathema, who only played for half an hour, to allow PT time to play their full set. I had concerns about hearing Anethema as my experience of them to date has been their death metal offerings. I was therefore pleasantly surprised by their performance, which had proper vocals, and highly melodic songs. For one number, they were joined on stage by a female vocalist of credible talent. Their final song caught many of us by surprise, being a cover of Pink Floyd's "Comfortably numb"! Their ending to that track reminded me of the "Uriah Heep live" version of "Circle of hands", high praise indeed!

Highlight of the evening though? Undoubtably meeting forum members FRAGILE, SHRINKING VIOLET, and METROPOLIS, the first time I've met anyone from the forum!

I saw them,(d21) last year and I was pleasantly surprised.It was excellent.

They are here on Monday,but unfortunately i am out of town.

But if you like Doors,by all means ,check them out.

Jean and I were at the VdGG gig in Leverkusen yesterday, and it was great as usual. Here the track list:

The Undercover Man
Scorched Earth
Every Bloody Emperor
Lemmings
Darkness (11/11)
Childlike Faith in Childhood's End
The Sleepwalkers
Nutter Alert
Man-Erg
Killer
Wondering

"Killer and "Wondering" were the encores.

Three tracks missing from the Royal Festival Hall gig from June ("Refugees", "Masks" and "(In the) Black Room"). Ah well, that one was a very special gig; the first one after almost 28 years. And I can hardly await the live album from it (which will hopefully include the whole concert; no problem to put it all on a double CD).