Alternative Weekend: Concert in my house with Steven Wilson

#AlternativeWeekend is a theme to post about any music you consider to be outside the mainstream. There is so much great music out there that does not get the attention it deserves.

I have posted about Steven Wilson numerous times. I got into his band Porcupine Tree in their later years before they split, but they are now back together with a new album out this week. Mr Wilson has had a productive solo career that has varied between dark prog epics and short pop songs. He has been veering more towards the pop side lately and I know some of the fans are not so keen on that, but as a musician he should make the music he wants to.

I got to meet him at a signing session for his autobiography recently. I have not read it yet, but I also bought one of his concert movies and watched that last weekend.

This is a concert from his tour of the To The Bone album at London's Royal Albert Hall. I did not see that tour, but I saw him at the same venue on the previous one. I know @slobberchops went to a gig on this tour as he kindly bought me a shirt.

This is a three hour disc that is mostly the concert plus some songs filmed at rehearsal and a short interview. As he says there he has a large repertoire of songs to draw on, but he has not had big hits and so does not feel he has to play certain ones.

There are a fair few songs from To The Bone and I think I enjoyed them more as live performances than on the album. It is just not one of my favourites. He does put on quite a show with lots of projections.

The band are amazing with Alex Hutchings on lead guitar, Adam Holzman on keyboards, Nick Beggs (yes, from Kajagoogoo) on bass and Craig Blundell on drums. Ninet Tayeb joins Steven on vocals on several songs. Beggs and Holzman have been in the band for years, but Blundell was on drums last time I saw them. This is complex music with long songs and changing time signatures, so their level of concentration must be intense.

There are a few Porcupine Tree songs in the set. The drumming on this is crazy.

I think he calls people who say they do not like pop music 'snobs' just before he plays one of his poppiest songs, Permanating, that features Indian dancers on stage. He has stated his love of The Beatles and Abba many times. I agree with his comments about him operating outside standard musical genres. He has that freedom whilst still selling lots of records to his loyal fans. I did not actually buy his most recent album as it did not connect with me as much, but I do like a lot of the new Porcupine Tree album. I may have missed the chance to see them on tour as I think it is sold out. I am sure he still has lots more music in him and it will be worth checking out.

The cat Pixie was enjoying the show with me. Of course I was putting it through the surround system with the sub-woofer giving some nice bass. TV speakers are not generally that good.

Rock on!