Review by Shawn Perry
From 2008 through 2021, Steven Wilson released six studio albums under his own name. For longtime fans of Porcupine Tree, the band Wilson founded in the late 1980s and put on hold in 2009, the singer’s forays into pop music was a bit off-putting and out of character. Whether or not Wilson got the memo may never be known. What matters is that Wilson, keyboardist Richard Barbieri and Gavin Harrison secretly regrouped as Porcupine Tree and released the head-spinning, mind-blowing Closure/Continuation in 2022. Even better is that the British trio, joined by American guitarist Randy McStine and bassist Nate Navarro, decided to hit the road for an all-encompassing world tour that included at stop at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles.
As much as you want to believe that Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree are one and the same, the inherent differences became apparent the minute the five-piece band hit the famous Greek stage. Barbieri and Harrison were both on top of their games, squarely carving out their roles within each PT tune. Barbieri’s atmospheric tones are a signature component of the band’s arsenal. And Harrison is simply a monster behind his kit, demonstrating that his stint with King Crimson, as well as Pineapple Thief, has refined his style, cadence and attack to an art form. His smooth touch and elegant fills are integral to the unconventional pacing and tempos that drive Porcupine Tree’s songs.
They opened with a mesmerizing “Blackest Eyes” from 2002’s In Absentia, before moving onto a big chunk of Closure/Continuation. McStine did an impressive job nailing the intricate, precise guitar parts and singing harmonies, while Wilson, barefooted and wiry, handled the lead vocals, played mostly rhythm guitar with a couple solos, plus took occasional turns at the keyboards that sat between Barbieri and Harrison. Navarro sailed through the bass intro of “Harridan” before the group exploded into the heavy bridge like a unified force on a mission. A collective aura of awe and wonder swept across the confines of the Greek as the players filled the sky with a magnificent mix of melody, calculating dynamics, and world-class musicianship.
“It’s good to be back after 12 years,” Wilson told the audience, reminding everyone that they only had three hours, broken into two set sets, before the curfew. Of the new songs in the first set, “Rats Return” strutted the hardest with each man on stage locked and loaded, following Wilson’s rant on fraud, ego and self-interest. “Dignity” felt the most like classic Porcupine Tree — its weepy-eyed lyrics conjuring up images around a story of homelessness, framed by Barbieri’s beatific keys, Wilson on acoustic, McStine on slide, and the rhythm section playing it cool, allowing the notes to breathe. It was a lighter-in-the-air (smartphones were a no-no tonight) moment, though this reviewer didn’t turn around to look.
“The Sound Of Muzak,” another one from In Absentia, might have been one of the biggest crowd-pleasers of the night, and had everyone singing the chorus between its choppy verses. “Last Chance To Evacuate Planet Earth Before It Is Recycled” came close to freaking out the first 10 rows, with the haunting words and creepy onscreen images of Marshall Applewhite, the leader of the Heaven’s Gate religious cult that committed mass suicide in 1997. “Chimera’s Wreck,” with its mournful cry and early Genesis-like build, found Wilson working over his crusty Fender Telecaster before he and the band exited for a 25-minute or so break.
With such a strong first half, it was up to the second half to make it a night to remember. The video screens portrayed the evils of opioids and wasted youth as “Fear Of A Blank Planet” edged forth, driving in its point with relentless stamina and a rainfall of notes. The ominous shading of “Buying New Soul” served as the perfect segue into “Walk The Plank,” the most eclectic, non-sensical track from Closure/Continuation. Wilson sat behind his small keyboard rig, tapping through his software-driven synths and samples from his laptop. Once Harrison started to swing through the noise, the effects synced up and the whole song started to fade. A momentary sense of dread may or may not have rumbled the seat of a every third or fourth patron before it came to a sudden end.
The music video of red wolves run amok added yet another surreal feel around “Herd Culling,” the last new track PT played for the night. That same feeling carried through on “Anesthetize” before a calm fell over the sold-out outdoor venue and the easy wail of “I Drive The Hearse,” followed by the sharp poignancy of “Sleep Together” brought the main set to a tantalizing close. It came down to the three-song encore of “Collapse The Light Into Earth,” “Halo” and “Trains” to affirm PT’s immeasurable range — from a simple, emotive leap to what Wilson introduced as the closest song to a “hit” PT has ever had, ending the concert on an upside note. There was barely a clear eye in the house when the band was done taking their bows.
Call it progressive rock, call it metal, call it whatever you want. The one thing you can call Porcupine Tree is a cornucopia of immersive sound, bathing in somber points of view and variable nuance to suit either or both at the same time. The show’s demographic stretched the gamut, but everyone seemed to have a similar smug and satisfied smile on their face as they made their way out of the Greek and into the madness of Hollywood down below. After tonight, you had to be prepared for anything.
