This was the first show I saw at the "new" Intersection in Grand Rapids.
I had seen many shows at the old Intersection in the 90s and early 2000s, including Letters to Cleo, Zwan, Expanding Man, Killing Heidi, Tonic, and many others that I am forgetting.
I was impressed how well the ventilation system worked at the new location. For someone allergic to cigarette smoke and a lifelong asthmatic, I didn't have any issues.
Porcupine Tree has always been a band that has been hard to review for music reviews and for fans to describe. I hate trying to pigeon hole them into a specific genre but most of the time they get lumped into the progressive rock category. I don't necessarily agree with that, because I don't consider myself much of a prog rock fan but I am quite a Porcupine Tree fan. For instance, I'll probably never go to a Rush, Yes or Dream Theatre show. Great music, just not my style.
The audience mix was interesting. An even blend of old and young, which is a great demographic, because it shows that good music transcends generations.
I admit I am a bit of a late comer to the band, after hearing
Shallow from
Deadwing on the radio driving home from work one day in 2005. It was one of those moments where the hair on the back of your neck stands on end. I had to figure out who this band was. A few years and many albums later, I have a pretty good picture.
The show overall was excellent. The softer songs translated very well to a live setting, and the harder edged songs really had a dynamic and energy that only a live show can provide. Most of the songs had a multimedia display that played behind the band during the show that really added to the event. You can tell they put a lot of effort and thought behind their music. Even though the albums have quite a lot of production to them, they were able to pull off live renditions with very little aid of prerecorded material. I don't go to shows to see exact replicas of the albums or for a lip-sync extravaganza.
With the amount of talent in this band, there is no reason they are not playing the Van Andel or Palace, but maybe I am a little greedy when I say I am glad I am still able to see them in a small venue. I tend to avoid enormodome shows like the plague due to how impersonal they are.
Like the audience, the set list was a mix of old and new. All of
Fear of a Blank Planet was played.
Steve Wilson noted during the show that
Fear of a Blank Planet was a concept album about ADD. After many listens, I can definitely see that.
Personal highlights of the show for me were: Open Car, Mother and Child Divided, Lightbulb Sun, and of course, the 18 minute long Anesthetize. The song has 3 distinct parts and I never notice that it lasts 18 minutes while listening to the album. Considering that the album is about ADD, I find that a bit amusing.
Songs that never clicked with me on album but clicked for me live were: My Ashes, Sleep Together, and Halo. I have a new appreciation for all three songs now.
After the show, I was able to get a poster signed by all the band members. I'm going to hang it somewhere near my desk at home. I will take a picture of it and my ticket sometime soon and post them.
A preshow interview with Steve Wilson can be found
here.
A good discussion about the Grand Rapids show can be found
here. I ended up not wearing my Happycat shirt. I wore a green shirt I had bought at Walmart about a half hour before the show that said "I rock out because it is what I do!". I didn't want to go to the show in my professional work clothes but didn't have any T-shirts in the car, so the $5 el-cheapo shirt had to suffice. I didn't want to break the PCU movie rule and wear a
Deadwing tour shirt.
A collection of pictures from the show, not mine, can be found
here.
Setlist:
Fear of a Blank Planet
Lightbulb Sun
My Ashes
Anesthetize
Open Car
Gravity Eyelids
Drown With Me
Sentimental
Blackest Eyes
Half Light
Sever
Way Out of Here
Sleep Together
Even Less
Mother & Child Divided
Halo
In summary, go see these guys live and buy the albums!
