Steven Wilson Band: 5/4/13

This was an incredibly loud, dynamic,extensive performance by Steven and his band. Guthrie Govan is a master of sorts. Really someone whose as adept from a technical standpoint, as most any guitarist I've seen or out there right now. And Marco Minneman, from what I could tell as I only saw parts of his playing from the angle I was sitting at, seemed as versatile and precise a drummer as Steven could ever play with.

Many of the moments of this show were incredible dark thematically. The video screens and even just down to a moment where Steven used a demonic voice to speak to the crowd.

Such as with Raider II, as he told about it being inspired by a serial killer from the 1980's.

I think Steven has right now, a band that musicianship wise, that compares to Dream Theater or you pick any modern band of virtuosos. Steven himself is really not, as he's admitted. But he has written with this new record, some incredibly technical music.

And even I think many of the Grace For Drowning songs were more interesting live. Jazz or Jazz-inspired music often is (or Jazz is supposed to be better live anyway).

Setlist (I think)

Luminol
Drive Home
The Pin Drop
Postcard
The Holy Drinker
Deform to Form a Star
Watchmaker Intro Video
(Bass Communion song)
The Watchmaker
Index
Sectarian
Insurgentes
Harmony Korine
Raider II
The Raven That Refused to Sing

Encore:
a Medley (but I don't believe it included Radioactive Toy, as most if not every other show on this tour did. Why? likely because it's been 8 years for our town).


Here's what I've posted in brief amounts about the show thus far

it was great, save for some of the sight-lines given I was upstairs off to the side a bit. But it was really an epic show. I wrote this on this dreamtheaterforums.org the other day "saw him in Minneapolis last night after sadly, an 8-Year Hiatus (which the other 2 previous shows with PT SOLD OUT by the way). Epic show as I'm sure others who've seen him and his band know. 

3 hours, complete Raven and much of Grace.

Constant Video screens of course too."


More to hopefully add later. But the biggest reason I want to include this review now is beyond the worth thousands of words perhaps show, my friend Josh Rundquist aka That Drummer Guy got to interview Steven Wilson before the show the other night. He also is going to interview Daniel Gildenlow on Saturday in fact before the Pain of Salvaton show in St.Paul.

Steven Wilson - Deform to Form a Star/Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye (2011)

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"The new solo album website will probably launch in early June now. The music is done, but we're still working on film material and the deluxe edition. It's presented as two 40-45 minute albums in the same package (which begs the question; when is a double album not a double album? When it's 2 single albums issued together!) The album titles are "Deform to Form a Star" and "Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye".

So, this was announced about 10 hours ago. A double album? or 2 separate solo albums ala Devin Townsend in 2009 and this upcoming June.

I don't recall how much I've written about 2008's Insurgentes in here in the past, but I suppose repeating/recalling my feeling about it is worth adding.

I probably listened to it about 5 or 6 times. It wasn't bad, but my biggest issue with it was how much it lacked vast differences from Porcupine Tree and even Blackfield. And along with that, it was a bit hit and miss. Some memorable songs or sections I recall, and then some that just fit its "mood."

Many on the forums gushed over it and claimed it to be unlike anything he had ever done. Sorry, but I didn't hear that.

That being said, I did check out the movie last year and enjoyed some of it, enough to desire to revisit the record again. I haven't remembered to sadly though. But given these new records are coming soon (September supposedly), giving some re-evaluation or at least revisiting to the record and film again might be worth doing.

But I definitely am not expecting these to be vastly different than his other work. If they somehow happen to be, and/or depending on the quality, I'll be pleasantly surprised.

I guess I'd love them to just contain as many well-written songs/compositions more so than being "progressive" or original. But to say I have huge hopes for these would be false. Afterall, Insurgentes I don't believe even ended up in my top 50 in 2008.

Insurgentes - The Film (2010)

Steven Wilson's myspace blog


New Insurgentes clip
Lasse Hoile has posted up another clip from the Insurgentes film on his YouTube page here. This time it is SW's opinion on the impact of shows like Pop Idol on modern music.

We should have some news about a late 2010 DVD release of the film soon - in the meantime it continues to play at selected international film festivals. The latest confirmed is a screening in Argentina at Muséo Municipal de Arte Moderno de Mendoza, on 28th May at 20:30.



I want to see this. Dunno how likely you'll find me forking over the cash for a dvd (unless it's cheap or they threw in a copy of the album at least). Maybe Hulu or archive.org will host it (or youtube).

However, it doesn't mean the album is any better, more different (than PT/Blackfield) or original or anything. Any more than when it came out in 2008.