Porcupine Tree - Loppen, Christiania Denmark 4/15/03 guest list
From Aural Innovations #24 (July 2003)
It was arranged with Ralph and the manager from Porcupine Tree that I and Dieter would do an interview with someone from the band for the new Danish Porcupine Tree web site (www.porcupinetree.dk). We met at 4 and the band was loading in the equipment. I shook hands with Steve and said hello. Nice but very quiet, private guy. We were told to come back at 7. We met up again at 7 and the band was still playing the soundcheck. Sounded good. After the band ate, about 7:45, we were told we could speak with Richard Barbieri, the keyboard player in the band. We did an interview for about 20 minutes and he was very nice and friendly. A bit later all the people I knew were showing up and it was getting really packed. Nearly 400 people for this show. The band started right at 10. I hung out with Magnus and Mikael Krog. The band opened with Blackest Eyes, a very heavy song from the new CD. In fact, most of the concert was the new CD. They played nothing from the first 4 releases and only Waiting from Signify. We had hoped for Dark Matter but they did not play it. The addition of a second guitar player has made the band very heavy. Great playing from all the musicians but I felt with the new guitar heavy sound the band has that Richard was left behind a bit and only provided some soundscapes, etc. The band was tight as hell and great players. A very good live band but you get pretty much the exact replica of the CD. Steven played some great guitar. The highlights were Hatesong, Russia on Ice and Wedding Nails. They played about 95 minutes. I hope the next tour they will play a more varied set with at least one song from most of the older CDs.
Set List: Intro>Blackest Eyes, The Sound of Muzak, Gravity Eyelids, Even less, Pure Narcotic, Waiting, Hatesong, Russia on Ice, Strip the Soul, Heartattack in layby, Wedding Nails, Encores: Shesmovedon, Trains
Reviewed by Scott Heller