by Steven Wilson
The Moore Theatre, Seattle, WA
June 17, 2015
Steven Wilson at the Moore Theatre – Seattle – 2015
Steven Wilson concluded his current tour, HAND. CANNOT. ERASE. at the Moore Theatre in Seattle and it was something to behold.
Steven Wilson began his career with his band Porcupine Tree back in 1987 and his career has never looked back. On tour in support of his newest album, ‘HAND. CANNOT. ERASE.’, Wilson has been recognized by Rolling Stone for having one of the best albums for 2015.
I’ve been listening to Steven Wilson since 1995 when I received his Porcupine Tree album ‘The Sky Moves Sideways’. This album showcased his progressive rock styling that has since evolved into a rich tapestry of sound. Wilson has become one of the premier musicians and producers in the progressive rock genre. I was fortunate enough to see Porcupine Tree perform at Coachella in 2010, so to see Steven Wilson perform again was going to be a real treat.
On this evening, the show opened with the instrumental piece “First Regret” with no one on stage, lights dimmed and a motion picture of various city-scapes to set the tone. Then Steven Wilson appeared and the crowd arose to their feet in appreciation. Wilson and band proceeded to play the opening titles from his current album and it was quite exquisite. The featured song of the evening for me was the beautiful “Perfect Life”, really just an amazing song, full of sonic textures and compelling lyrics.
In the early 1970’s, King Crimson was one of the breakout bands of the day bringing forth what would be defined as Progressive Rock. Pink Floyd, YES, Genesis, and many more would create a sound that sonically impressed. Steven Wilson has tapped into this musical heritage and has created his own reputation as one of the best in today’s music scene.
More importantly, as a producer, he was recruited by King Crimson ‘s Robert Fripp in the ambitious undertaking of remastering and converting the entire KC catalog into DTS 5.1 Digital Surround Sound for their 40th anniversary. For Robert Fripp to bring in a new and young talent into the Crimson world says a lot about the talented Mr. Wilson.
Regretfully, I wasn’t able to stay for the entire show but for the time I was there, I was transported by his sound and musicianship. I will certainly be looking forward to the next time!
View more from Peter Dervin’s Steven Wilson Photo Gallery HERE
Read full concert review HERE
