Steven Wilson v. To. The. Bone.

[Metro]

Native English speaker here, and you're not alone. I've always heard that line in the Raven that way.

[cramx3]

Earlier this week I was picking my dad up from the airport and we had enough time in my car that we listened to the entire disk 1 from the Home Invasion concert.  I put it on not only because I've been listening to it a lot, but my father is a fan of classic rock and really likes good instrumentation rock music.  I thought he might dig it.  First comment was he saw on the screen in my car that it was live from Royal Albert hall "whoa these guys played there? why haven't I heard of them?"  so the venue already got his attention.  He later asks what radio station plays them  I was thinking of saying he needs to listen to Nick's internet radio show, but I knew that would just confuse him so told him there's really no mainstream play for this music.  At the end of our drive listening, he said he heard influences of Pink Floyd and Santana.  Seemed he really liked it, may get him the blu-ray/cd combo I have as part of his christmas gift. 

Either way, I keep listening and found a few other of his songs on youtube that I really enjoy..... Routine, wow.  I wish he played this song, I am totally in love with it.  Also, judging by the songs on the live album I like most, I may need to check out Porcupine Tree.

Show here in NJ is tomorrow night, I wonder how it will be since the venue is not really like any of the ones I see on his youtube live videos or something you see prog bands typically playing as it has a big pit but no real stadium style layout or seating.  Plus they had 2 for 1 deals for this concert last week so I'm not sure it sold terribly well, but I have no real idea of that.  Looking forward to it for sure and hoping for some different songs than the Home Invasion concert (seems he rotates a few songs)

[King Postwhore]

My mother in law, who is the spawn of Satan loved The Raven That Refused To Sing. 

[frogprog]

Saw the show last night in philly! Great show, Steven and the boys were on fire and seemed to be having fun joking around with each other. Craig's drums sounded fantastic and he was seriously kicking it! I loves me some Nick Beggs and watching him play the Chapman stick is so Prog!!
All the material ( with the exception of the Prince cover imo) was fantastic. I loved all the PT material although like I noticed in april, something about The Sound of Muzak sounded "off" to me and I can't quit put my finger on it.
As usual, Stevens banter between songs in his quirky British humour cracked me up.
It was my first time at The Fillmore and I was really impressed with the venue. Nice and clean with a very organised, polite staff. The sound was fantastic. All in all a great night out with a tremendous band hanging with my best bud. Good times!!

[cramx3]

The NJ show over the weekend was really fun.  They had a curtain down on one side of the venue since I guess it didn't sell the greatest, but the floor was mostly packed, felt a bit more intimate than when I saw him last time.  I chilled on the side stage near the entrance so I got fist pumps from everyone except Steven himself, he kind of just ran off/onto the stage every time.  The bass player was rocking out essentially with me a few times since I was really close to him.  But since it wasn't very packed I moved around to the back during the meat of the sets for the better view.  He said it was the 100th To The Bones tour and they switched up a couple songs for the people who saw the show in Philly the night before (and that they would switch it up some more for the next show in NY).  Song of Unborn and Arriving Somewhere But Not Here were probably my favorite songs of the night.  There was also a miss timing with Steven on People Who Eat Darkness which was kind of funny with the video starting but his guitar was off so he re-did the intro 

However, maybe the highlight of the night was Steven's banter and unexpected response from the crowd where he brought up that he saw a Bruce Springsteen guitar picture in the venue and the crowd booed for Bruce    Bruce is a local to the area so I was kind of shocked and so was Steven who clearly couldn't believe it. 

Here is where he brings it up first: https://youtu.be/UTzQFZkrd-w?t=713
Then he comes back to it later in the set: https://youtu.be/UTzQFZkrd-w?t=1234
And again one more time near the end briefly: https://youtu.be/UTzQFZkrd-w?t=1702
oh and one more last time during the encore: https://youtu.be/UTzQFZkrd-w?t=2103

[nobloodyname]

First clip is brilliant but goodness did you have someone who liked the sound of his own voice stood near you! (Sorry if it's actually you )

That second one is excellent, too

I know a lot of people don't like them, but I could listen to Steven's monologues for two hours and go home happy. (Nice fairy tale reference in the third one )

Your comment re Routine a couple of posts back: it's an incredible song, one that has actually reduced me to tears on a couple of occasions live (we've seen it performed by Ninet live more often than not, curiously). Combine it with Jess Cope's animation and it becomes even more powerful.

[millahh]

Native English speaker here, and you're not alone. I've always heard that line in the Raven that way.

I always figured it was an (intentionally left-in) autotune artifact in Raven...hadn't thought about the others.

[SoundscapeMN]

loved Steven's comment about Prince (yes, he never left, as he is "one of us" being Minnesotan).

also a lot of Bruce Springsteen stuff is great, namely the 70's stuff. Jungleland = stone cold prog classic.

[SoundscapeMN]

Today is the 25 year anniversary of the 1st Porcupine Tree concert:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej_9eswpHjI

25 years ago today, on the 4th December 1993, Porcupine Tree made its first ever live appearance at the Nag's Head in High Wycombe, UK. By then 2 albums and an EP had been released under the name (and a third one was half finished), all of which gave the impression that Porcupine Tree was a band, when in fact it was a solo project, just me messing about in my bedroom studio, although Colin and Richard had both guested on one song each on Up the Downstair released earlier that year. Positive press and a growing fanbase had led to increased pressure for live appearances, so in late 1993 I asked 3 brilliant musicians I knew, Colin Edwin (from my home town of Hemel Hempstead), Richard Barbieri and Chris Maitland (both of whom had played with my other band no-man) to join me in forming a real band line up of the project. For some reason they all agreed, and on the strength of the buzz about the project, Richard Allen at my then record company Delerium managed to book this show, as well as 2 others and a BBC radio session. After one week of rehearsals this was our first ever gig in front of an audience, performing a 7 song, 70 minute set in a backroom of a pub to about 200 people that had traveled from all over the country. The first song played was Voyage 34. which you can find elsewhere on the web, but here is a mixing desk recording of the second song Always Never. This would have also been the first time I had sung in front of an audience, at least since the days of my various school bands, so I can only imagine now how nervous I must have been at the prospect!

[faizoff]

Is there any opening act before Steven Wilson comes on?

Last time he came down to Florida, he had John Wesley do a short set for about 30-40 mins before the band came on.

[utopiarun]

I attended the Starland Ballroom show on Saturday night. Earlier that day me and my girlfriend went to Vintage Vinyl in Fords, NJ to get our DVDs signed by Steven. The line was long but Steven was very nice, chatting to anyone who wanted to chat and took pictures with everyone. It was great meeting him!

The show was fantastic, as usual. I saw the show earlier this year at Keswick and I wasn't too much in favor of standing for the whole night (I'm 57 and standing for long amounts of time are murder on my back and legs) but we found a railing at the back, which was not really too far from the stage and it made it bearable. The band was on fire, I love Blundell's drumming and the rest of the guys are amazing too. So glad I decided to do this concert (at the insistence of my girlfriend, who would probably run off with SW if he asked!  )

Steven's speeches about Bruce and Bon Jovi and Sinatra were very funny. I know he seems like a very self-important  guy, but from what I have seen, he is a nice guy.

[utopiarun]

Is there any opening act before Steven Wilson comes on?

Last time he came down to Florida, he had John Wesley do a short set for about 30-40 mins before the band came on.

Hi, no opener for the show in NJ on Saturday.

[goo-goo]

He is going to have John Wesley as opener for the Florida dates only I believe.

[KevShmev]

How did Florida get so unlucky?

[faizoff]

What do you mean? John Wesley's stuff is really good. I enjoyed his set when he did it last time.

[RandalGraves]

How did Florida get so unlucky?

John's from Tampa, if I'm not mistaken. His opening set was...interesting. Just him playing with himself. So to speak.

[Fritzinger]

What do you mean? John Wesley's stuff is really good. I enjoyed his set when he did it last time.

Saw him in Utrecht opening for Marillion. Let's just say I didn't like what he did...

[ReaperKK]

How did Florida get so unlucky?

Is it just me or is John always the worst performer on the live PT stuff? Some of his solos just leave me going wtf?!?!

[KevShmev]

Yep, his solos were atrocious.  I was so looking forward to Dark Matter on the Anesthetize live DVD, only to see it and realize that Wilson let him play one of the solos, which he butchered beyond belief.

[mike099]

My mother in law, who is the spawn of Satan loved The Raven That Refused To Sing.

  my bedtime iPod music usually ends with Drive Home and The Raven That Refused To Sing.
Going to see SW Monday night in Nashville.  Another standing concert for me.

[ReaperKK]

Yep, his solos were atrocious.  I was so looking forward to Dark Matter on the Anesthetize live DVD, only to see it and realize that Wilson let him play one of the solos, which he butchered beyond belief.

*shudders* you just reminded me a memory I thought was long lost

[Fritzinger]

Yep, his solos were atrocious.  I was so looking forward to Dark Matter on the Anesthetize live DVD, only to see it and realize that Wilson let him play one of the solos, which he butchered beyond belief.

I just watched it and didn't know this song before at all. Honestly, good band, but this video shows why I like SW solo a lot better than Porcupine Tree. The song is very good (very Floydesque in the verses!), but man, what a "real" lead guitarist could have done with those two solos! Imagine what the Govanator would have done here? Think of Ancestral or Drive Home...

[KevShmev]

Yep, his solos were atrocious.  I was so looking forward to Dark Matter on the Anesthetize live DVD, only to see it and realize that Wilson let him play one of the solos, which he butchered beyond belief.

I just watched it and didn't know this song before at all. Honestly, good band, but this video shows why I like SW solo a lot better than Porcupine Tree. The song is very good (very Floydesque in the verses!), but man, what a "real" lead guitarist could have done with those two solos! Imagine what the Govanator would have done here? Think of Ancestral or Drive Home...

Listen to the studio version of Dark Matter. Wilson's solos are masterful.

[mike099]

As the show gets closer to Nashville, noticed that the 2 North Carolina shows are sold out.  One venue capacity is 750 and the other 1,050.  Hope we have a good crowd in Nashville.  The venue holds 1K.

[eric42434224]

Going to the show this Saturday in Ft. Lauderdale

[Xanthul]

Listen to the studio version of Dark Matter. Wilson's solos are masterful.

Quoted just for emphasis. Studio Dark Matter is one of PT's best songs without a doubt imo and the solos are a big part of that. The live version... I honestly don't know how SW let that make it to the DVD to be honest. It's beyond horrible.

[Metro]

And it's not like it was just a bad night for John. The Anesthetize DVD and the Atlanta live album were recorded about a year apart and there's really no change or improvement between either version of his solo on Dark Matter. Hell, his solo early on in Anesthetize(The song) is even worse on both DVDs. It's like he runs out of ideas after 2 bars and then just noodles aimlessly until it's over. 

[goo-goo]

One of the things that Steven said to John was that he didn't want the solos to be like in the studio albums. Steven gave him a green light to do what he does. Usually, that's what he does when he brings other players.

[DarkLord_Lalinc]

Listen to the studio version of Dark Matter. Wilson's solos are masterful.

Quoted just for emphasis. Studio Dark Matter is one of PT's best songs without a doubt imo and the solos are a big part of that. The live version... I honestly don't know how SW let that make it to the DVD to be honest. It's beyond horrible.

Nah, it's not beyond horrible. It's not God-tier as the studio version, but it was nice to have that song documented. I thought that the extra small things Harrison played and some of the extra synth textures were nice.

[ReaperKK]

One of the things that Steven said to John was that he didn't want the solos to be like in the studio albums. Steven gave him a green light to do what he does. Usually, that's what he does when he brings other players.

*Wonders how Guthrie would've handled the solos*

[Xanthul]

Nah, it's not beyond horrible. It's not God-tier as the studio version, but it was nice to have that song documented. I thought that the extra small things Harrison played and some of the extra synth textures were nice.

I meant Wesley's solo sorry, the way I worded it sounds like I'm bashing the whole song.

[mike099]

Went the Nashville show last night.  The venue holds about 1K and looked to be about 750 or so in attendance.  The venue is an old converted warehouse and the overall sound was great.  Steven does a great job involving the audience with his stories.  The funniest one he told was about a festival in Turkey this past summer.  A kid turned his back to the band when they played the pop song Permanating.  He stated the kid had one of those black metal t-shirts that was designed so that you could not see the band name.

The highlight for me was Detonation and Sleep Together.  I am not too fond of the studio version of Detonation, but it rocked live.  It was nice a surprise that they played Routine(apparently for the first time in a while), but we did not get Arriving Somewhere.  All of the musicians were good, but the bass player was on fire and was really enjoying himself.

Before the final two songs of the encore, Steven apologized that the final 2 were sort of downer songs and probably not the songs to send the audience off with, but he would play them anyway.  The two songs were the Sound of Muzak and The Raven Refused to Sing.

If you get a chance to see the show, well worth the money.

[KevShmev]

Given his current thing about playing to standing audiences only, I am a little surprised he didn't tweak the set list to close the show with a couple of rockers.  He should play Permanating in the encore just to bug the prog snobs who can't deal with a good pop song.

[senecadawg2]

The highlight for me was Detonation and...

Completely agree with you on this point. I too am not crazy for this song on the album, but thought it was awesome live.

[Evermind]

Given his current thing about playing to standing audiences only, I am a little surprised he didn't tweak the set list to close the show with a couple of rockers.  He should play Permanating in the encore just to bug the prog snobs who can't deal with a good pop song.

Why would he play a mediocre pop song to do it?

I'd be bummed not getting Arriving Somewhere after it was heavily featured in the previous shows. I hope it returns to the setlist eventually.