How was 'Ocean Cloud' live ?This was the highlight of the weekend for me. We all knew that this was going to be played on the Friday night, although everyone expected it to be played after Marbles II in keeping with the album order. So it was a bit of a tease in leaving it for the encore. The peformance on Sunday was even better and unexpected. Just as the band were leaving the stage and saying their thank-you's after playing Made Again, Steve Rothery approached the mic and said "So what do you wanna hear, any requests?" or words to that effect. Pete Trewavas said "You had to pick the longest one didn't you"
Not a great deal of 'Fish-era Marillion' played. Notably, nothing from 'Misplaced Childhood', how come ?The band have moved on to be honest. They will occasionally play the older material but there is no real need. The inclusion of Fugazi was the biggest shock of the weekend as this hasn't been played for nearly 18 years. However it should be noted that this was part of the 'Swap the Band' set.
In the build up to the Weekend, fans were invited to send in recordings of themselves singing or playing an instrument to a Marillion song. The best ones then had the chance to get up on stage and play the song with the band. Fugazi was sung by a chap called Martin (I forget his last name) and a brilliant job he did too. However, this for me, as much as I enjoyed it, was just glorified karaoke. Apparantly, the only band member who wasn't keen on playing this song was Steve Rothery.
When Steve Hogarth joined Marillion, he was given a list of songs sung by Fish that the rest of band were still happy to play. He was told if there was anything that he didn't want to sing then that was fine by the band and he wouldn't be forced into singing something he couldn't relate to. The Fugazi album fell into that catagory. Over the years that Steve Hogarth as been in the band, we have heard him sing nearly all the best Fish era songs but with so much material to choose from, inevitably the older songs get dropped. The last tour saw no Fish material performed at all.
(Incidently, Fish is doing a tour this year that will feature Misplaced Childhood in its entirety.)
The one thing I have learned from this band is don't try and predict what they are going to do. So who's to say we won't get a Misplaced Childhood performance in this, its 20th anniversary year. Unlikely, but not impossible. This is a band that do not live in the past.
Were there any warm-up bands ? If so, who were they and what were they like ?Yes there were support artists/bands each night. Not all to my tastes but all performed and were received well. The best was on Sunday when we had a solo performance from Richard Barbieri (Porcupine Tree/Japan) and The Pineapple Thief.
Did you manage to get a 'meet and greet' with the guys ? If so, anything memorable said or signed ?There were signing sessions on Saturday and Sunday and I got my copy of 'Marbles' and the book 'Separated Out' signed by all the band.
This band is the most friendly and approachable I have ever come across. It's not a case of band or fans but of a family and I feel honoured to be part of it.
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