Marillion

[YaBB Master (Colin)]

Please post reviews, reports and photos in this topic.

We encourage people to 'cut & paste' anything you write on social media, as posts here will be archived for a year, rather than being lost after a few hours.
Please no 'hot-linking' or external links to anything that could just have been posted here.  

If you want to post photographs, read the 'About Photographs' topic.

[Dan O.]

A fabulous set from the prog masters - very brave to play large chunks of their latest opus "F.E.A.R. - F*** Everyone And Run" in front of a festival crowd, bringing out the title track of their album "This Strange Engine" and finishing with "King" from 1995's "Afraid Of Sunlight". Frontman Steve "H" Hogarth wielding his electric cricket bat was a highlight too.

An acquired taste but one that I acquired long ago, so I'm beyond help...

[Adam]

Hmmm....not easy to access unless you were a die-hard fan. I thought that Steve Hogarth seemed high/drunk, and came across as a bit of a nobber. Sonically impressive sound, though.

[Ian_]

 I thought they were okay musically - though the lead singer was a complete prat. At least he had the good grace to tell himself to shut up  

[Jim]

i just wonder why they baulk at playing Fish era material when much of their later stuff sounds musically very similar?

[Mitch]

Haven't really listened to Marillion since Fish left, but found it very pleasant to lie back in the sun (for most of the set) and let the sound wash over me. The choice to play long stuff was apparently because they played all of their short songs last time! Agree Steve Hogarth seemed a bit odd, but at least he was fairly self-depreciating about it.

Jim, much as I would have liked to hear some of the "old Stuff" it is nearly 30 years and over a dozen albums since Fish left, so I can't blame them too much for not playing any of it.

EDIT: having gone away and checked, they do play some Fish-period songs at their equivalent of Cropredy...

[Collstoke (Ian)]

Enjoyed most of the stuff but Hogarth definitely seemed drunk

[Mitch]

P.S. My favourite tweet from those shown on the screens over the festival was "The food stall queue was so long it lasted half a Marillion song"

[mickf]

Not my cup of tea, but they were good at what they do and seemed to please an awful lot of people, so that can't be bad.

[Will S]

Having enjoyed them last time they played, I was disappointed this time - probably because they had decided to play their long songs ('impenetrable sh*t', as the singer described them) instead of the shorter numbers they did last time.  A mistake in my view.  It pleased the Marillion-heads at the front, but having gone down their expecting to enjoy them again, I gave up after a few songs (i.e. about halfway through their set!).  I think the vocals were actually clearer further back too, which didn't help me when I was at the front listening to stuff I couldn't even work out what it was supposed to be about!

[PaulT]

 

I recognised a couple of their numbers from last time (I think), but not really for me.

[Tony Mc]

Couldn't stand them last time, but I like impenetrable s""t, so thought they were excellent. Long meandering sonic wave, brilliant. Steve H might be a nobber, but no more than Fish who was the biggest big head on the planet. I think more lead singers should be drunk, its funny!

[Albie]

Yep, I thought the singer was funny, I liked his jokes and comments. The music was good, but they aren't really my thing. I'd watch them again somewhere though, if our paths crossed one summer weekend.

[David V B]

Enjoyed them last time but not this. It might have been th effect of the Moggies from Mars on before, but it all seemed samey and so my usual prog aversion kicked in.

[Glen S]

This was the third time I'd seen them...1984 in Oxford (Fish era) followed by a 30 year gap to Cropredy 2014... I enjoyed their set a lot, although "Easter" was the only song I was familiar with...Will definitely investigate further based on this...

[Andy]

i just wonder why they baulk at playing Fish era material when much of their later stuff sounds musically very similar?

Because Fish forbids them to play anything he wrote?

I thought the lead singer was unnecessarily foul mouthed and was unimpressed, overall.

Other opinions have been stated, obviously, but for me they were sub-standard for this years Crops.

[issy]

What was all that about "farmers"??  

[Andy]

He said that Fairport were Farmers who couldn't pen a tune, I believe.

Um...

[Shane (Skirky)]

i just wonder why they baulk at playing Fish era material when much of their later stuff sounds musically very similar?

Because Fish forbids them to play anything he wrote?

Don't think so. They played most of Clutching at Straws at their annual (ahem) convention this year.

[Poor Will (Bill)]

Enjoyed the music, especially Steve Rothery's guitar work but was rather bemused by Steve Hogarth's behaviour.
I notice their proposed signing session was cancelled too. I don't think it's difficult to guess why.
I have a feeling they will not be making another return appearance.