Stuart Ball
Amelia Ball (aged 8 at the time of writing)
It is a particularly cold November evening in the famous, old university city as we approach the New Theatre. This 1930s Art Deco building is a perfect venue for such a venture by the band and as it has been some 25 years since they last played here, they are well overdue a return. Marillion have been such a huge part and influence on my life for more than 30 years. So it is with some not inconsiderable pride, that tonight I am accompanied by my 8 (I’ve been told to write nearly 9!) year old daughter – Amelia. As I hit the 80 mark in my Marillion gig-going life, she hits number 1 and I have an excited little girl on my hands.
My Daddy has listened to Marillion all his life. He always puts them on in the house and I have wanted to see the band play a concert for a long time. When we got there, we bought a Marillion poster for Daddy and a lanyard for me. We had to go up lots of stairs because we were sitting in the balcony. The view from the top was amazing.
Support act Harry Pane arrives on stage. The unassuming, modest singer songwriter shares his heartfelt and emotional folk-pop songs with an air of confidence but never arrogance. His tales of growing up in a sleepy Northamptonshire town and of everyday life and love float warmly across the audience. It takes a brave man to take on the acoustic version of Fleetwood Mac’s Big Love but he carries it off with poise, composure and style. By the end of his short 30 minute set, Harry – ably assisted by double bassist Nathan Weanie – has no doubt gathered many more fans.
10 years ago, Marillion released the Less Is More album, an acoustic, stripped back reworking of songs from the previous 20 years. Fast forward 8 years and the band, ever inventive, this time added the string quartet In Praise of Folly, a French horn and a flute to their sound during their first ever concert at the Royal Albert Hall. The overwhelmingly positive response to this endeavour gave the band the confidence to announce a full tour featuring this set up. Having secretly worked at Real World Studios, the band surprised fans with the release of Marillion with Friends from the Orchestra, in the autumn of this year.
Before Marillion came on stage, I felt very excited because it was my first time seeing them. I was hoping to hear Seasons End, Power and Estonia. Seasons End is my favourite. After the first singer had been on before Marillion, I couldn’t wait for them to play the first song.
As the house lights dim, an expectant atmosphere saturates the air. The crowd are here to see a rock concert but we all know we are in line for something slightly different tonight.
Never ones to take the easy option, Marillion open with Gaza. The sprawling, expansive 17 minute epic, which does not feature on the orchestral album, is a brave opener in this context. As the opening middle-eastern inspired string salvo strikes, it is clear that the additional musicians are in no way here to just make up the numbers. Throughout the evening, Mike Hunter’s stunning arrangements draw out the delicacy, power and colour within the different tracks. From the opening minutes, h stalks the stage like a man possessed and delivers a vocal and visual performance among the best I’ve ever witnessed from him. A few dates into the tour and the band are firing on all cylinders already. The sound in the New Theatre is impressive and the power of the drums rain down. Ian, as usual, makes drumming look like no effort at all and Pete’s bass work during this opening song is impressive even by his own exacting standards. They make a truly dynamic duo. A lone candle burns on the screen behind the band during the ‘Nothing’s ever simple….’ section, with h’s exquisite vocal delivery highlighting the vulnerability within the lyric. The rapturous reception at its conclusion shows that Gaza deserves its place as one of the band’s best modern day epics.
In the first song, which was very long, there was some incredible drumming which I loved. The drumming is the best part of the songs for me because I like the loud and rocky bits. I was playing along with my invisible drum kit.
The band had previously played Afraid of Sunlight in this form at the Royal Albert Hall. Steve Rothery was once asked if he had to choose one song to some up what Marillion was all about which would he choose and he named Afraid of Sunlight. It remains one of the band’s most iconic tracks and a perennial favourite with the fans. The orchestral flourishes during the song add tangible emotion and together with Mark’s gorgeous keyboard sound, elevate it to another level entirely.
30 years after it was written, the lyrics of Seasons End are unfortunately as topical as they’ve ever been. Sam Morris on the French horn provides some gripping moments of emotion and the solo from Rothers, who has never need theatrics within in his playing, is still one of my favourites.
When Seasons End began I was so happy. It was the song I really wanted them to play. I like it because I think the singing is great and I can sing along with some of the words. It makes me sad when he says it might never snow again in England. I hope that it does.
There are tracks on the orchestral album that work extremely well and one of the best is this version of Estonia. h tells us the story of how the song came to be and the new mournful, melancholic opening serves to make the music even more poignant than the 1997 original. The beauty of Mike Hunter’s arrangements is in the small details, such as the pizzicato accompaniments from the strings as the band come in. Lyrically, Estonia remains one of h’s most loved lyrics and it’s easy to see why: from heart-rending to comforting in one short emotional step.
Steve Hogarth is sometimes very funny and he makes me laugh. He has so many jackets and he kept changing them! I think the singing is the hardest part of being in a band because he has to remember all the words. It must be really difficult because some of the songs are so long! I wonder if he has ever forgotten them.
Of the tracks not to be included on the recent album, Power, one of the best songs from more recent albums, was one I thought would work well with the accompaniment of the sextet. This proved to be true as every musician on the stage is given the chance to shine. h was obviously extremely comfortable with his voice by this point as he truly lets rip and reminds us again, if any reminder were needed, that not only can he be a tantalising and sensitive vocalist but he possesses a true ferocity when the song demands it.
I’ve always thought of The Hollow Man as a track that works exceptionally well within the environment of the Brave album but that some of the impact is lost when performed individually. However, after the version of the song performed tonight, I’m more than willing to change that opinion. Annemie Osborne’s performance on the cello is breath-taking, adding a haunting desolation to the song that beggars belief. The arrangement is terrifyingly diaphanous and may yet become the definite version of the song.
Man of a Thousand Faces provides some welcome relief after its bleak, dark predecessor. Hoops reflected from the glitter balls chase each other across the walls and the band are smiling, enjoying the interaction with the crowd, especially during the coda.
I liked Man of a Thousand Faces. It’s easier to dance to. Some Marillion songs are really hard to dance to!
The Sky Above the Rain follows quickly and not for the first time this evening the opening (in particular Nicole Miller’s viola, which adds an electrifying profundity) is achingly beautiful. If it were possible, the “Maybe they’ll talk….” section raises emotions a few more notches and astounds in its splendour.
Rounding off the main set is The Great Escape. The Last Of You has lost none of its barbed savagery over the years and h spits the lyrics with a fiery fervour, while the staggering solo during Fallin’ From The Moon is one of Steve Rothery’s most understated yet emotive moments in the entire Marillion canon. The band leave the stage to a deafening ovation proving the idea to stage such a tour has been a phenomenal success.
The band return after a few minutes of enthusiastic applause, stamping and cheering. For me, Fantastic Place is one of the songs on the MWFFTO album that works less well than others; conversely the same cannot be said for the live version. Margaret Hermant and Maia Frankowski work in tandem to provide an ever swelling crescendo which builds phrase upon phrase throughout the song until it reaches its climax.
Some songs tonight I expected, some I hoped for but the inclusion of one, beyond all others, surprised me. Separated Out injects an infectious energy to the set and it is obvious that the band is having just as much fun as we are. This leads into a brief burst of Led Zeppelin’s Kashmir and even the “real musicians” (as h calls them) cannot resist a fleeting moment of unbridled freedom as they stand and rock out with the band.
I thought the lights at the concert were really cool especially the glitter ball. Sometimes they pointed at the audience and they went in my eyes. It must be really bright if you are on the stage. I liked it when the orchestra all stood up and danced too. The people in the orchestra play their instruments extremely well and I enjoyed watching the violin and cello players.
The band have played for just shy of two hours as they leave the stage for a second time but we have yet more to come. As they return and the opening notes of This Strange Engine permeate the already electric atmosphere, we begin another journey through h’s early life which is just as captivating as it was upon release over 20 years ago. Of course some things have changed – it’s now 55 not 35 summers down the line – but every section of the song retains an ability to hypnotise and enthral the listener. Subtle, gossamer light touches of shade are added by flautist Emma Halnan as h begins his tales of upright pianos and strange misty visions of God. It’s a tour-de-force that never disappoints and Steve Rothery’s blue horizon solo is, even now, majestic and magnificent.
After the concert I was tired but really happy. I would definitely go to see Marillion again. I only saw one other child at the concert so I am pleased I was able to go. It was fun going with my Daddy and I will remember the concert for a long time. I would certainly go to see Marillion again.
With a rotating set list, there are some songs that have been played on the tour that we didn’t hear tonight but we both leave the theatre ecstatic after an absorbing and beguiling evening’s entertainment. The orchestral experiment has been an outright triumph and Marillion concert number 2 and 81 for Amelia and I respectively, is surely not too far away.