Marillion

[Jim]

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.

 the played kayliegh and a couple of others last time they played as a sop to the crowd

[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?

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

 the played kayliegh and a couple of others last time they played as a sop to the crowd

Just part of their overall failure to satisfy, then.

[Peter H]

 Very disappointing. Having looked forward to seeing a band we last heard of over thirty years ago we were totally underwhelmed. Steve Hogarth's apparently drunken behaviour and foul mouth didn't help their case either.  A waste of a good slot on the bil and we couldn't even go to the pub for fear of losing our spot.

[Malcolm]

 Steve Hogarth's apparently drunken behaviour and foul mouth didn't help their case either.  

It can't be too difficult to include a clause in the performers' contracts about foul language. Break the rule and the sound gets cut. Cropredy used to be 'family friendly'.

I remember back in the 80's a particularly poor performer (solo male, dressed in black, can't recall his name) swore a lot as part of his 'act' and was loudly booed from the moshpit.

[Andy]

I remember the Hamsters' final, swear-filled Cropredy performance and they, too, were banished, never to return. Then there was the chap who did Zappa's Titties and Beer - haven't seen him back either.

However, having thought about it, high horses should not be climbed upon with regard to the swearing. Digance does it every year, Dougie Maclean effed and blinded (saying, with a clear misunderstanding of the crowd "we're all adults here"), the Pierce Brothers used the f word many times during their set.

The difference is that we liked them.

[Bingers (Chris)]

Disappointing. Saw them a load of times when Fish was leading them but a drunk Steve Hogarth (or whatever he was on) turned me right off and I don't think any of the Hogarth-era songs match the Fish-era songs.... so it was totally Fugazi  

[Danny_C]

There I walking back onto the site after seeing Leather Rat at the Brasenose (they was very good thank you for asking) when my high spirits were assailed by some terrible noises.  Thinking this was a sound check or some feedback I strolled up to the beer tent for refreshment (it was very warm and it’s a very long walk back from the village so I needed hydration!), it was at this point the shear horror of what was happening hit me: I had come back during the Marillion set!

I do not like self-indulgent prog even it’s played well, and this was very sub-early Genesis at best.  Long twiddly numbers meandered on for ages with no real effect The only interesting bit were the singer (I use the term loosely) going off on one which caused a slight smile.  I retired to the back of the field and read a magazine till the nasty stuff was over.

[Andy Tuck]

I am a prog fan, but Marillion manage to be everything that is bad about this genere. Can't see why they were ever invited back when there are so many better bands of this type. I accept that it has to be a known band, but the Enid or Focus would have been so much better.

[Bingers (Chris)]

I am a prog fan, but Marillion manage to be everything that is bad about this genere. Can't see why they were ever invited back when there are so many better bands of this type. I accept that it has to be a known band, but the Enid or Focus would have been so much better.

Oh I totally agree and Focus are playing at The New Day festival in Kent in 2 weeks time

[StephenB]

I also was perplexed as to why they were brought back so soon. Three years ago I was waiting for a pleasant surprise but got totally underwhelmed, annoyed even, by the slimy arrogant prat of  frontman. The good thing about this year is that it made the always difficult "which band to miss for a tent break" decision an easy one. It seems from what I'm reading here that nothing improved.

It's not the genre by the way. .. I loved Fish the year after.

[DarrenWilliams]

I agree Steve Hogarth did seem somewhat 'refreshed'. I did find him quite amusing, especially the bit about playing 'some impenetrable ***'. I think a lot of it was quite self-deprecating, but agree it wasn't suitable for a family audience. First time I've ever seen Marillion, and I'm only really familiar with the Fish era stuff, apart from a recent purchase of Brave in preparation for Cropredy (they didnt play anything from it!) and listening to their most recent album on Spotify. On the basis of that, and their performance, I'd definitely go and see them again.

[davidmjs]

Afternoon swearing is a old complaint.  Remember Buzzcocks?

[Herts Claire]

Afternoon swearing is a old complaint.  Remember Buzzcocks?

And the Bad Shepherds version of "All Around My Hat"?

[Barry]

I am a prog fan, but Marillion manage to be everything that is bad about this genere. Can't see why they were ever invited back when there are so many better bands of this type. I accept that it has to be a known band, but the Enid or Focus would have been so much better.

Or Big Big Train with Jude guesting.

[davidmjs]

I am a prog fan, but Marillion manage to be everything that is bad about this genere. Can't see why they were ever invited back when there are so many better bands of this type. I accept that it has to be a known band, but the Enid or Focus would have been so much better.

Does anybody actually know what the Enid even sound like these days?  It's 3 youngsters now, isn't it, playing, er, God knows what?

[richardkendell]

I didn't like them the first time I saw them, I liked them less this time.

[barryanorak (Julian)]

Not too sure where to start with this one...

Firstly, a couple of Australian brothers dropped the 'f' bomb in the same slot, the day before and yet they were just 'charming'...

Secondly, on the subject of being 'refreshed' - a certain bass player, of our acquaintance, and by his own admittance, has not performed sober in living memory.

Thirdly, I thought that Marillion were on top form - they were all clearly enjoying themselves, the banter may have gone down badly with some,  but there are a lot of people with selective hearing - I have heard so many reports of what he said which bears no relation to what actually came out of his mouth. H is a performer, he inhabits the songs, so those who are complaining about him moving around too much, didn't watch him, or probably listen to him...

But...Marillion have always been a Marmite band, Fish left them thirty years ago, although some people also seem to think that Fairport ended as a band in the early 70s.  There is no way to make everyone happy.

I absolutely loved it.

[Paul]

I didn't enjoy them last time, and I thought that they were even worse this time.

Sorry, not my cup of tea; and I do like a lot of prog.

Paul

[Tony Mc]

Not too sure where to start with this one...

Firstly, a couple of Australian brothers dropped the 'f' bomb in the same slot, the day before and yet they were just 'charming'...

Secondly, on the subject of being 'refreshed' - a certain bass player, of our acquaintance, and by his own admittance, has not performed sober in living memory.

Thirdly, I thought that Marillion were on top form - they were all clearly enjoying themselves, the banter may have gone down badly with some,  but there are a lot of people with selective hearing - I have heard so many reports of what he said which bears no relation to what actually came out of his mouth. H is a performer, he inhabits the songs, so those who are complaining about him moving around too much, didn't watch him, or probably listen to him...

But...Marillion have always been a Marmite band, Fish left them thirty years ago, although some people also seem to think that Fairport ended as a band in the early 70s.  There is no way to make everyone happy.

I absolutely loved it.

Well said.

[johanna/ulla]

I didn't like them the first time I saw them, I liked them less this time.

Same here.
The singer was overrefreshed, the songs were boring and I left the arena.