Porcupine Tree - Baltimore, May 22, 2007

[Rick and Roll]

Originally Posted by VAXman

Porcupine Tree is as good as they will get in concert? Or the concert experience in general? I would probably agree with the latter part of your statement... I don't think they'll ever be better.

Irving Plaza, Deadwing Tour. Boring! They played very well but were WAY TOO LOUD. There was nothing happening on the stage but then, I figured they were probably cramped on the I.P. stage. I gave the Deadwing tour a second chance at the Keswick Theater. K.T. has a much much larger stage but they still had a catatonic presence. I like Porcupine Tree but live, IMO, their stage presence was about as exciting as watching milk turn sour. Those last 2 experiences turned me off to wanting to spend the money to catch any of this tour.

I thought the 2nd half of the statement reinforced the first...they are the top of their game right now, and will never be better.

Deadwing tour was super loud. That doesn't bother me if not distorted. Distortion bothers me. Great tour.

Interesting about the stage presence. My perch on the rail of the 2nd floor is the next best thing to being in front. The music is power and so well done. Steven Wilson has grown a lot on stage, and with all of the things he has to do on stage, manages to keep it together and engage the crowd. John Wesley is always good, also grown a lot since the solo tours. Barbieri and Edwin are statues, granted, but Barbieri's not doing anything exciting and Edwin's laying down the beat. And Gavin Harrison, he's got presence.

As many bands as I've seen, I get something different from each one. Some music is made to have the band jump around, but PT is perfect for what they do. Cool screen too. Go see them if you can....and please let me know what you think!

[VAXman(Admin)]

Originally Posted by Rick and Roll

I thought the 2nd half of the statement reinforced the first...they are the top of their game right now, and will never be better.

I know that, I was being facetious.

Originally Posted by Rick and Roll

Deadwing tour was super loud. That doesn't bother me if not distorted. Distortion bothers me. Great tour.

Irving Plaza was PAINFULLY loud and distorted. Cranking it to 11 is one thing; 111 is way too much. It's not always the band's fault either. Sometimes they just hire the wrong FOH and main board people. Regardless of the venue, all of the knobs and sliders are cranked to the 11s. I thought that the recent Todd Rundgren gig (the one that I took RM to when he was over here for ROSfest) would have benefitted from a considerable backing off on the volume at the board.

Originally Posted by Rick and Roll

Interesting about the stage presence. My perch on the rail of the 2nd floor is the next best thing to being in front. The music is power and so well done. Steven Wilson has grown a lot on stage, and with all of the things he has to do on stage, manages to keep it together and engage the crowd. John Wesley is always good, also grown a lot since the solo tours. Barbieri and Edwin are statues, granted, but Barbieri's not doing anything exciting and Edwin's laying down the beat. And Gavin Harrison, he's got presence.

I remembered your comment about Pineapple Thief -- shoe gazers. P Tree aren't that bad but, save for the film reel running the length of the Deadwing tour, it wasn't much of a stage show on the band's part.

I saw Richard Barbieri do a solo gig as a support for a Marillion gig. He was much more active -- of course he was busier too being a one man electronic orchestra -- than he was at the keys for P Tree.

I also saw John Wesley solo (also an opening act for a Marillion gig). He was much more engaging then too.

Maybe they feel they shouldn't upstage Steve Wilson?

Originally Posted by Rick and Roll

As many bands as I've seen, I get something different from each one. Some music is made to have the band jump around, but PT is perfect for what they do. Cool screen too. Go see them if you can....and please let me know what you think!

Granted! I think it was that comment made it sound like: If you see P Tree, you've seen the best on stage there ever will be. Go home and miss the rest. I've seen too many acts in (wow has it been this long) almost 35 years to say that any one of them is THE be all end all on stage. I can probably -- safely -- state that Pink Floyd's The Wall was the ultimate in stage theatrics even though I am no great fan of The Wall musically. I've been to many gigs that I've enjoyed more than The Wall with far less stage theatrics.

[PFD]

Looking forward to seeing them on Monday night here in Toronto

[zvinki]

I'll be seeing them on Saturday with my whole family and a bunch of my 17 year old's friends. Porcupine Tree is one of those bands that appeals to people of various tastes. My wife, for example, can't stand metal and distorted guitars yet she likes Porcupine Tree. I'll give you my take on their performance on Sunday or after.