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PORCUPINE
TREE WITH BIGELF IN LOS ANGELES |
Porcupine Tree and Bigelf
Club Nokia
Los Angeles, Calif.
Sept. 19, 2009
By A. Lee Graham
Concerts are a dime a dozen for hardened music fans, occasions
to toss back a few cold ones while monstrous amps pound our
sternums senseless.
And that's a shame, because what first captivated us as young
music fans can become tedious, even routine. Left to lesser
bands, concerts offer nothing but aural wallpaper and post-show
eardrum buzz. Not so on Sept. 19, for the mighty Porcupine Tree
was in the house. Those attending the evening's festivities
experienced not music as background, but background lending a
technological edge to the music itself.
From videos accompanying almost every song to Steve Wilson's
trippy guitar (can a stringed instrument contain the universe?),
the stage demanded attention. And like an iPod-addled
adolescent, we were transfixed by every note, every chord, every
transcendent moment that produced goofy smiles and heartfelt
applause through this elated crowd. And with Neil Peart, Simon
Phillips, Danny Carey and David Torn reportedly in the audience,
expectations were high.
Fans knew something special lay ahead when Wilson announced that
The Incident would be performed in its entirety. Wilson's
uncompromising decision carried a welcome "screw you, corporate
radio" sentiment. Nice.
Until witnessing The Incident performed live, this scribe
enjoyed the conceptual piece about unforeseen, often tragic
circumstances and their impact on our lives. But live
interpretation breathed new life into the piece and brought new
appreciation for the work. In other words, catch this tour, and
you will understand!
Before we knew it, "The Incident" ended and Wilson announced a
brief intermission. A digital timer gave us 10 minutes to heed
nature's call before a second equally stellar set kicked off
with "The Start Of Something Beautiful." What followed was an
inspired song selection: "The Pills I'm Taking," "Lazarus,"
"Buying New Soul," "Bonnie The Cat" and "The Sound Of Muzak" hit
the sweet spot for many of us. And what better way to close the
evening than "Way Out of Here" and "Trains," capping more than
two hours of aural splendor.
Credit some crackerjack musicians for helping Wilson realize his
vision. Richard Barbieri remains a textural titan, infusing each
tune with keyboard grandeur. And Gavin Harrison's drumming seems
to improve with each release ("Bonnie The Cat," anyone?), while
Colin Edwin's four-string rumble helps flesh out Harrison's
percussive complexity. And lest we forget John Wesley, the oft-uncredited
guitarist helping flesh out Wilson's riffs.
Wilson continues to expand his horizons, with keyboard and
guitar at his able fingertips. Sure, he and his bandmates
neglected big chunks of Porcupine Tree history (some Sky Moves
Sideways or Up The Downstair would have been nice). But prog-rock's
premier juggernaut prefers to reach forward and craft new
classics to provoke and please. Suffice it to say, nice job,
guys.
Not to be overlooked was Bigelf, a surprise to many in
attendance. The Los Angeles quartet has amassed quite a
following for mixing an eclectic concoction that borrows from
the best. Imagine The Beatles, Black Sabbath, Pink Floyd and ELO
thrown in a blender and emptied on Planet Pufnstuff, and ...
suffice it to say, words can't convey the over-the-top '70s vibe
created
by Damon Fox and his band of merry men.
From "The Evils Of Rock & Roll" to "Hydra" and "Madhatter", cuts
from Cheat The Gallows and Hex caught the audience off guard.
Most loved it, but some found the band's sartorial style and
devotion to all things old-school (Mellotron keyboard, leather
fringe, laser effects) a bit gimmicky. But they missed the boat,
for Bigelf follows the beat of a different lava lamp. And for
those grooving along to "Blackball" and its Deep Purplesque
breakdown, music is its own reward.
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