Porcupine Tree Nokia NYC 5/19/07

 So, for those who like the heavier side of progressive rock, and if you haven't heard them yet, get to know this band Porcupine Tree . I saw them perform at the Nokia theater in NYC last Saturday night and they are extremely impressive.

They are not new by any means, here is some background from wikipedia:

Porcupine Tree originated in 1987 as something of a collaborative hoax between Steven Wilson and Malcom Stocks. Inspired somewhat by the big bands, such as Pink Floyd, that dominated the music scene during their youths, the two decided to form a fictional legendary rock band, named The Porcupine Tree. Wilson obliged the creation with several hours of music to provide "evidence" of its existence. The two also fabricated details such as band members, album titles, and backstory. The backstory purportedly included events such as meeting at a 70s rock festival and several trips in and out of prison.

As Steven Wilson stated, "It was something that I started doing as soon as I had the money to buy my own studio equipment. When you've got a studio in your house you tend to do things you wouldn't do when you're paying to go into a professional studio, where you're watching the clock all the time. The one thing I wanted to do, because I had a great love of late 60's/early 70's psychedelic and progressive music, was to make my own slant on that."[1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupine_tree#Beginnings

 So luckily, (for the time being at least) they remain under the radar, so I get to see them in relatively intimate settings like the Nokia theater. (Nice setup, bars everywhere, sound was great. Seats around 2000 I believe.With the ever delicious Virgil's BBQ literally down the street from the Nokia, this was as near perfect a night out in NYC as possible. I'll take the BabyBack BBQ shrimp combo please, with the mashed and beans YUM!)

I think they sold out at the last moment, so when they do come back around, tickets should be easy to score.

There are many facets of Porcupine Tree I find fascinating, and one of the most important would be their varied sonic pallet, they really understand the value of a heavier band making sure to use plenty of softer sounds as well. All the better to make the heavier sounds sound so much heavier in contrast to the lightness established by dexterous use of acoustic guitar and keyboards. The result is the most exciting combination of progressive rock sounds this long time fan has heard since the arrival of tool .

Speaking of other prog rock acts,and adding to the exciting buzz in the progressive rock circles about this band, Alex Lifeson from Rush, and the walking enigma Robert Fripp make a contribution on one song each on the new album Fear of a Blank Planet

Porcupine Tree seems to be the type of band that likes to respond to its fans, and playing the entire new album in order IMHO is just an excellent fan friendly gesture. (having a great new album in the first place is the only small pre-requisite to this scenario)

So I haven't heard note one of this highly anticipated new album, but I knew I would pick it up at the show, and then drive home and listen to the new CD. The band starts around 9:15 and rips right into the 7:28 minute title track, and this music is feeling right the first time around. Steven Wilson, the mad genius behind this progressive rock kaleidoscope of sound, prances around on stage barefoot, playing heavy guitar, singing beautiful lead and harmony with John Welsey another equally impressive guitar player and singer. (Who is only playing with P-Tree for this tour, he is not in the band. He should be though, great performer.)

They they play the second song from the album, My Ashes, a much slower yet beautifully paced song then the opener. And I know we are in for a special night when Wilson announces they are playing the rest of the album, then after taking a short break, they would play selections from their deep catalog of albums.( This show will always be easy for me to recall, just play the new album and last nights show is replayed.) ;)

Wilson is just such an impressive performer. He is the brains behind this operation, coming up with the musical ideas in the first place, then delivering live, not only on electric guitar, but more importantly, on acoustic guitar and also keyboards, not to mention his incredible lead vocal skills. I love watching all-pro musical performers like Wilson, he effortlessly switches from awesome lead guitar runs,back to heavy riffing,on to light acoustic sounds on piano, and back through each instrument again, with virtuoso perfomances, all while singing lead and harmony. Add to that a tool like video production, the jawdropping drummer Gavin Harrison, lush keyboards form Richard Babieri, and stage rattling bass by Colin Edwin, the result is pure sonic heaven.