Steven Wilson - O2 City Hall, Newcastle 15.05.2025

How do you go about reviewing a concert that left you speechless ? Well I’ll give it a shot ……

I’ll be honest and admit I was pretty late to the Steven Wilson / Porcupine Tree party and I’ve no idea why as they tick all the boxes in my music taste. So tonight was the first time I’ve seen Mr Wilson live and was pretty excited about it!

Knowing it was a seated show I expected to be photographing from the sides of the hall or mixing desk but on arrival we were told we would be shooting from the back of the stalls thankfully I’d packed my monopod for a bit of steadiness. Totally understandable though when a show like this is so immersive the last thing you want in the corner of your eye are people up and down the room snapping away so apologies now for the photos that go with this.

The evening is split into two sets the first being a performance of his latest album 'The Overview' in full and then a set of older material.

Standing centre stage in a spotlight Wilson’s falsetto introduction to part one - 'Objects Outlive Us' is impeccable and as that flows into 'No Monkeys Paw' the visual screen above the stage takes us on the journey into space accompanying each segment of the piece perfectly.

My particular favourite part of the piece is 'Objects Meanwhile' where the lyrics compare everyday life going on while huge things are happening with planets and galaxies while we all crack on unaware. I love Wilson’s wordplay in this “it’s best not to think about that, it’s better to live without facts“ All around a seemingly simple melody but when you listen carefully there’s all sorts of rhythms going on and it’s during this we get our first blast of Nick Beggs’ booming bass rattling stomachs throughout the hall.

The sound itself is incredible with PA both front and back creating a quad / surround sound and quite alarming when some of the spoken word backing comes in from behind.

As each segment melts into the next, the musicianship is astonishing. Adam Holman on keyboards effortlessly mixes classical piano like riffs and synthesizer tones at times very reminiscent of Patrick Moraz on Relayer (in my opinion) while Wilson and Randy McStine trade guitar solos and licks. I have to say McStine was incredible this was my first Steven Wilson live experience and I thought he took on all the big guitar parts himself however Randy did a helluva lot of the heavy lifting (again my opinion) and in that final segment of pt1 'Heat Death Of The Universe' he was jaw dropping! The texture and tone of his playing is just beautiful!

After a rapturous applause and a quick thank you from Steven we are off again into part 2 'The Overview' - beginning with him stood between two banks of keyboards an almost trip hop backbeat kicks in over the sequencers of 'Perspective' while once again the screens continue our visual journey.

A 'Beautiful Infinity I' is gorgeous with the harmony vocals and acoustic melody drifting into 'Borrowed Atoms' where Craig Blundells’ complex drum fills are just mind boggling.

It is a lot to ask of an audience to listen to a complete album that is only two tracks and has a lot going on but this is a Steven Wilson crowd and yes there’s going to be a few who don’t connect to the latest release but on the whole tonight they hung on every note intently and as the last notes of 'Permanence' hadn’t even faded they were on their feet applauding and cheering what was an incredible 40 minute plus performance.

Again a quick thank you and the band take themselves off for a twenty minute freshen up while we all try to take in what just happened grab a pint a quick loo visit before set two.

Suitably refreshed everyone is back in their seats eager for the next set which begins with a hypnotising 'The Harmony Codex' the first of four from the same titled album we will hear tonight, its soothing waves of sound wash over you like an aural massage.

Keeping the tempo downbeat 'King Ghost' follows and like all the previous tracks played and the ones to follow it’s accompanied by its appropriate film, making the whole night a very immersive experience indeed.

Steven jokes at one point that he is the worst musician in his own band and to be fair when you take in the calibre of those he has chosen it’s easy to see how he could think that especially when they get to flex their muscles on the likes of 'Luminol', Beggs hammering the crap out of the Wal bass he recently managed to get back after so many years and Blundells drumming just out of this world.

Delving into the back catalogue we are treated to 'Dislocated Day' taken from Porcupine Trees 1995 album 'The Sky Moves Sideways' much to the delight of many of the crowd one young guy near me nearly took his neighbours glasses off head banging along to the powerful almost Eastern vibe guitar riff and solos.

During the band intros Wilson jests that they bully Craig and during some of the more complicated parts of 'Impossible Tightrope' and 'Harmony Korine' he and Beggs do their best to try and put him off his rhythm! Failed of course but you can see them all laughing and enjoying every bit of playing.

I have to say I wasnt expecting Steven to be so animated on stage (like I have said late to the party and first time seeing) but having Randy McStine certainly freed him up to bounce around the stage between guitar and keyboards and drummer botherer!

Announcing 'Vermillioncore' to be the last song of the night he is met with a resounding “noooooooooo” 2000 voices strong but swiftly retorts “yeah but we have a two song encore and one of those is 15 minutes long!”

And he wasn’t joking! After a standing ovation the band return for an epic 'Ancestral' which had me in bits by the time that incredible guitar solo a few minutes in was delivered and then if I’d been younger and fitter I’d have joined the head banging guy for the insanely heavy finale! What a band!!!

It’s rare you get a crowd cheering a bit of furniture but that’s exactly what happens when a crew member places a stool centre stage in front of the mic. The fans all know this means 'The Raven That Refused To Sing' will see out our night on an emotional note especially with the animated film that was made for it. Absolutely flawless rendition many of my friends freely admitted being brought to tears and one even said it was the gig of any year let alone this one!

I have to agree it’s going to be a really tough one to top for both quality and performance. Each one of the band members are top of their game making it look so easy to play some of the most complicated pieces.

I totally understand why Fripp has called Mr Wilson The Progfather I just wish I’d joined the party sooner!

But as they say better late than never! And I guess I found some words after all if they make sense is another thing entirely!

Steven Wilson

Photos & Review - G's Gig Shots