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It's been three years now, I've seen this band here in Munich last time. They played the Backstage Club in front of just about 500 fans, very intimate and very good. Today it's the sold out Muffathalle fitting in aprox. 1.500 units. So it's three times as much as then. (they've been here inbetween another time, but I missed out on that one) 
Even my enthusiasm for this kinda music is not that huge, unless a few exceptions, I've got to say straight away, - they are absolutely brilliant. And Purcupine Tree certainly belong to those, just mentioned exceptions. No question, - what Richard Strauss is in classical music, Purcupine Tree stand for progrock, so what?! The opera 'Electra' lasts for 4 hours. So a 25 minute solo of Purcupine Tree is peanuts compared to that. 

This english band around mastermind Steven Wilson is going since 1993. And he still looks and seems like a 20year old greenpeace student. (born in 1967), who always goes on stage barefoot. But the real kick this five piece got in 1999 with their album "Stupid Dreams", - a true masterpiece. By the way, it's just been rereleased again in a remastered version including a DVD. And shortly the Band will bring out their first ever Double Live DVD, which has been recorded at two shows on oct. 11. and 12. 2005 in Chicago West Park. 
However, you can name these guys the heirs of King Crimson, though their sound is not that complex and difficult like the one of the kings of this music style. Actually nobody knows, whether Crimson is still going. But that's one of Robert Fripp's typical habits. It wouldn't surprise me, if Crimson did a world tour tomorrow out of a mood of the mastro. 

Back to the action here and now, and Purpucine represents their individual kinda stuff. Right at the start, Wilson announces, that the show will be split into two parts, whereby the first part will include only very new, never played live before - music - six songs on the whole. During this set - no photographing is allowed. Who knows whe, or do those Brits think, that a digital Canon reflex camera is able to record sound as well, apart from taking pics? I seem to be the only photographer anyway. 
It seems only progrock can make six songs can last over an hour, and again a second announcement tells us, that the secon track will last as long as one whole side of a 33.3. inch longplayer record. Jes, but Purcupine Tree really can manage, that despite of the enormous lenght of these complicated tracks, it never gets boring, - not a single second. - And this is very well done indeed, 'cause except from a screen in the back of the stage, showing some psychodelic colourful pattern and a some landscape pics, it's only five musicians on stage, without showing much emotion, but playing their stuff absolutely perfect. And even dutch easy listening party rockers Vengeance, who've chosen to come here and check this band out on their day off, get totally enthusiastic about this act. It's the pure musicians heart coming out, I presume. 


Setlist
6 new no name tracks -
Open Car, Sound Of Muzak, Buying new Soul, Arriving Somewhere but not here, 3, Start Something Beautiful, Trains; Halo, Blackest Eyes

Five minutes break after the six piece, and after that, another six songs, and the applause noise level is rising straight away by the first tunes of 'Open Car' - 'the' song of  Purcupine Tree'- The band seems relaxter as in the first part. And after at least five murder threats from fans because of my photographing (their ain't no photopit in this venue, and you gotta fight your way through to the front, if you wanna get good pics)  - so after that, I can get relaxed as well and watch the rest in peace. 
Even some laughter is included in the middle of the set, when Steven Wilson interrupted his guitarplaying and singing to ask a fan in the first row, where he got his T-Shirt from and whether he could buy it from him. After a short discussion it's  - see you after the show. - Result is: despite a highly concentrated performance of real difficult music, the eye of our pseudostudent doesn't miss out on other things. 
Oh before I forget, next to Wilson, you find:  John Wesley (guit),  Richard Barbieri (keyboards), the always smiling Colin Edwin (bass) and the newest memeber Gavin Harrison (drums) who came in the band in  2002 for Chris Maitland. 
 End of Story, two and a half hours pure progrock, but thanks to - not too long solos and lots of singing, it seems neither boring nor tirering. No this is definately first class music, and the heritage of this styles is rescued for sure.
Thank you to King Crimson's sons, and hope the industry gives 'em a chance to survive. It is definately one of the most underrated bands around.

PS.: ..... what a Purcupine Tree is??? You better ask Steven Wilson....

                                                                                                   http://purcupinetree.com
                                                                                                   http://purcupinetree.com