Porcupine Tree - a rant and a review.

[ForeverAutumn]

Let me begin with the rant…

I like shows where I can sit down. I like having a reserved seat, especially if I can get a good reserved seat…like I had last night. I like showing up for an 8:00 show at 7:55 and know that I can sit in my reserved seat. I don’t have the time, or the inclination, to start lining up for an 8:00 show at 4:00 so that I can rush the stage and get close. I don’t really care if Steve Wilson doesn’t like to play to sit-down crowds. I don’t need to listen to his derogatory remarks about being in a sit-down theatre. I pay him to entertain me, not the other way around. So get off your high horse Mr. Wilson and just appreciate the fact that I’m there at all and stop being such a pretentious jackass.

There. I feel better now.

Now, onto the review…

PT put on a great show last night…as I expected them to. They started off by playing Fear of a Blank Planet from start to finish. The visuals that they had on the screen added a new depth to the songs. And, no, Alex Lifeson didn’t show up for his solo . For their second set they went into a bunch of songs from their back catalogue, including several cuts from Deadwing and In Absentia.

One of the things that I noticed was that Steve Wilson seemed to leave more of the singing to the guitar player than he has in the past. I don’t know if that’s a new trend or if his voice is just tired this late into the tour.

I’ve seen PT three times now, and each time they’ve put on a great show. The first time I saw them, I paid $10 and there were about 200 people in attendance. Last night’s show was $35 and sold out (about 1150 peeps). I suspect that this might be the last really small venue, reasonably priced tour that they do. It looks like more sit-down shows in their future as they move to bigger venues. Steve Wilson better get used to it.

[kexodusc]

interesting assessment...glad the show was good.
Some artists have to ***** in order to keep up their image, or get psyched up to do shows. Guess SW is one of 'em.

[Troy]

Performing live is a give and take thing. The band feeds off the audience almost as much as the audience feeds off the band.

Most rock bands don't like to play to sit down audiences because the energy level in the audience is lower. The audience appears less interested in the music when they are not standing up grooving to the music. The REAL fans always find their way close to the stage at standing shows and the band always performs better for the raving nuts down front.

I'd rather go to see bands that play to standing audiences than seated ones even if it means I have to stand up for several hours on my creaky old legs. It's just a better show.

[Dave_G]

I only saw PT once a few years ago and nobody was sitting down, and it was cool.

I don't think PT will ever hit it big time. Too obscure. Too weird. Too druggy. Too artsy.

I like them a lot and think they have the goods to make it big time but in order to do that they gotta change something. Basically their music is doom and gloom drug stuff and that just doesn't appeal to the masses. Also very European.

IMHO of course!

SW is a superb musician that is for sure and he makes some excellent cd's.

Fire away, Troy!

Dave

[ForeverAutumn]

Performing live is a give and take thing. The band feeds off the audience almost as much as the audience feeds off the band.

Most rock bands don't like to play to sit down audiences because the energy level in the audience is lower. The audience appears less interested in the music when they are not standing up grooving to the music. The REAL fans always find their way close to the stage at standing shows and the band always performs better for the raving nuts down front.

I'd rather go to see bands that play to standing audiences than seated ones even if it means I have to stand up for several hours on my creaky old legs. It's just a better show.

I don't disagree with anything that you're saying. But, instead of thanking the sold out crowd of 1100+ people for coming out to see the band, he chose to complain about the fact that we were sitting down. It just seemed arrogant to me. If you want people on their feet then rock out to get them on their feet! If we're not standing, maybe it's because you aren't playing hard enough. The opening act got a standing ovation several times throughout his 40 minute set. Porcupine Tree did not. I still love the music, but I was a little put off by the attitude.

BTW, the first time that I saw PT was in a club, standing up. By the end of the night, my back hurt so much that I was at the back of the club sitting on the floor...but that's just me.

[3-LockBox]

Let me begin with the rant… I pay him to entertain me, not the other way around. So get off your high horse Mr. Wilson and just appreciate the fact that I’m there at all and stop being such a pretentious jackass... It looks like more sit-down shows in their future as they move to bigger venues. Steve Wilson better get used to it.

meeooowwww pfft! pfft!





(note to self___don't pissoff FA)

[kexodusc]

Performing live is a give and take thing. The band feeds off the audience almost as much as the audience feeds off the band.

Most rock bands don't like to play to sit down audiences because the energy level in the audience is lower. The audience appears less interested in the music when they are not standing up grooving to the music. The REAL fans always find their way close to the stage at standing shows and the band always performs better for the raving nuts down front.

I'd rather go to see bands that play to standing audiences than seated ones even if it means I have to stand up for several hours on my creaky old legs. It's just a better show.

I think this is a very, very good point and brings up something obvious. Even personally, my own band feeds off a live crowd that's moving and dancing instead of just sitting drinking beer. I much prefer playing outdoors in a tent or at a park than in a pub. Think the crowd energy has a lot to do with it.

On the flipside of that, while I haven't seen PT live other than in video, a lot of the proggy/artys bands I've seen like them don't always have the most "active" stand up crowds - Symphony X, IQ, and Dream Theater crowds I've been in have been pretty intense, Pink Floyd, Spock's Beard - not so much - they seem to "concentrate" or be focused on the music more than react to it. Living the moment - though I bet those fans can remember a helluva lot more about those shows than the guys crowsd surfing or whatever. They were probably more "into it", even if the energy wasn't high.
I wonder how big a deal it really makes in PT's case? Guess maybe SW answered that for us. The man wants his crowd to stand.

All that aside - it is a bit of a jackass thing to do - get better management or pay the hell attention to the venue you agree to play in - that's the time to ***** and whine about it. Not after you've soaked your fans for $60 or whatever. You agree to take the money, you forfeit your right to b*tch.

[3-LockBox]

Venues are a give and take. I myself prefer to sit, than stand for however long. Depending on the venue, you can do both, sit and stand. I do hate venues that allow people to stand in front, blocking the view of the priciest seats. I also hate it when I'm in a seated venue and some a**hole in fronts of me wants to stand right in front of his seat.

But yeah, that's disappointing to hear SW make a point of whining to paying customers, cuz it weren't that long ago this guy was playing half empty clubs in this country.

Be careful Steve Wilson, your british is showing.

[-Jar-]

I've stood for about 95% of the concerts I've ever attended.

I can only remember a few times when I felt like standing but I could just tell that someone would probably b!tch if I did..

Even some classical concerts I can hardly stay in my seat :-)

-jar

[PeruvianSkies]

Great musicians/bands don't need to beg or complain about getting the fans to stand. They just play their hearts and soul out and create the energy needed to make the fans want to stand. I don't think this needs to be a forced thing. I always get annoyed with standing ovations, which seem to be a standard nowadays in just about any type of musical venue or theater venue. To me, the standing ovation is something highly regarded. The show must be so moving, so powerful, and the audience (together as one) stands to recognize that they experienced that moment in time and would like to visually express their appreciation. However, it has been dumbed down to just a routine show ending act, which usually leads to another annoying trend....the encore. I've been to concerts that have sucked. Everyone hated the show and yet we get an encore.

Ok, back to the standing thing....

I agree with Rae...if you are paying to watch a band you should be able to sit, stand, lean, hunch, sit Indian style, whatever floats your boat. Anything that is comfortable and doesn't ruin the show for those around you. I think that it's also a respect-thing if the people in front of you also remain seated unless the entire place is standing because (as you said) not everyone wants to stand for the entire show.

[Monkey Bones]

So get off your high horse Mr. Wilson and just appreciate the fact that I’m there at all and stop being such a pretentious jackass.

No kidding! Next thing you know he'll be bitching about my customary wine and cheese break during the show. Smells like ...

with the lights out its less dangerous
here we are now
entertain us

[kexodusc]

However, it has been dumbed down to just a routine show ending act, which usually leads to another annoying trend....the encore. I've been to concerts that have sucked. Everyone hated the show and yet we get an encore.

LOL..another pet peeve of mine....the band exits the stage huddles behind the curtain for a few seconds while the crowd goes wild, teases for a minute, the crowd still cheers, the beep goes off on the watch and the band goes back on stage for the oh-so-planned encore.
The very first time this was done, damn, that was showmanship! I see this stunt pulled in Football stadiums and dive bars now...boring!

[BarryL]

I like showing up for an 8:00 show at 7:55 and know that I can sit in my reserved seat. .

Hmm..seems you were late for a Dream Theater show and lost your seat there too! Even if you were sitting, you wouldn't be able to see anything. The difference was, DT didn't ask the crowd to stand.

Glad you liked the show. I wouldn't have wanted to stand either.

[ForeverAutumn]

Hmm..seems you were late for a Dream Theater show and lost your seat there too! Even if you were sitting, you wouldn't be able to see anything. The difference was, DT didn't ask the crowd to stand.

Glad you liked the show. I wouldn't have wanted to stand either.

True. But I do have a really cool Dream Theater T-Shirt to show for it.