Marillion Weekend 2013 pictures

[Trapezium Artist]

Chaps and chapesses,

For those who might be interested, I've posted a smattering of pictures of Marillion at Port Zelande a couple of weeks ago, during the Saturday concert of the 2013 Marillion Weekend:

//http://www.flickr.com/photos/markmccaughrean/sets/72157633083833266/

Slightly funny gig for me in many ways. I had a guest pass pre-arranged for me through one of my colleagues here at ESA, since Marillion have been hooked up with our astronauts and have been to visit ESTEC, where I work. Only after the gig did I realise that in fact this was a backstage pass too, so had I stayed, I could have done some ligging. But a somewhat bigger miss was that I heard later that Rick Armstrong, son of Neil and a big Marillion fan, was also there; certainly would have been good to meet him.

Also, since I arrived immediately before the concert due to trusting my GPS too closely ("After 200 metres, turn left, then board ferry" indeed), I didn't have the opportunity to get a good location for taking pictures. So they're all from a bit of a distance, since I didn't fancy tangling with the rabid Marillioneers to push down the front. Ah well, they are what they are.

The whole gig was videoed for future DVD release, but from where I was standing, the cameras, cranes, and other gear was fairly intrusive, so there were times when it all felt very impersonal.

Finally, they played the whole of "Brave" non-stop as the first half of the concert, without saying a word. As a non-rabid Marillioneer, it left me a bit cold, I have to admit, particularly when combined with the fact that this was a much bigger venue and audience than I've been used to recently, especially compared with the Twats in Hats gig shortly before. Initimate it most certainly wasn't  8-)

Things warmed up for me in the second half, although I suppose it says something that the most enjoyable moment of the gig was "Warm Wet Circles". And even that was five years after I first saw Marillion in the Chambers Street student union bar at the University of Edinburgh in April 1982 ... I swear there more in the band than in the audience ...  


Edit: lest anyone, particularly of the rabid fan variety, get the wrong idea, Marillion played extremely well, the light show was great, and the crowd were very much into it. It just didn't quite hit the spot for me, at least the level I've now become accustomed to  8-)


Anyway, the pictures are there.

[Trapezium Artist]

Hmmm, not many people willing to out themselves as Marillion fans round these parts then, I take it ...  8-)

[Mikey]

Hmmm, not many people willing to out themselves as Marillion fans round these parts then, I take it ...  8-)

Never done much for me, just can't get into them

[D S]

Hmmm, not many people willing to out themselves as Marillion fans round these parts then, I take it ...  8-)

Sorry TA - hadn't spotted this thread yet.  Some nice photos in there. Interesting to note that Steve and Pete appear to have swapped sides of the stage from the sides I have always seen them adopt - maybe just fancied a change...
Yes, I am a Marillion fan in that I have all their studio albums and most of the live ones too but I'm certainly not a rabid fan.  I do find them a frustratingly variable band these days.  Loved all the Fish stuff but almost regard them as a different band to the H era one.  Enjoyed the 1st 2 H albums, never really clicked with Brave despite it having a couple of brilliant tracks, thought Afraid of Sunlight was possibly their peak with H, hated the next 3 with only a few tracks getting passmarks, considered Anoraknaphobia to be a return to form, Marbles was another highlight, and then came another 3 albums I just don't connect with I'm afraid.  Sounds.. is the best of the 3 but I certainly didn't think it was the best album of last year -  unlike the readers of Prog magazine (not when compared with the new albums by the likes of It Bites, Rush and Anathema).
I've seen them live 4 or 5 times (only once with Fish though) but the idea of a whole weekend just listening to and taking about Marillion doesn't appeal.  I've never dared stray onto their Forum but I understand it is one of the ones where you can really get flamed by fanatics.  Try signing up and making your first post "Hi, I'm new here. I'm really a Fish fan and don't like this new H guy much" and see what happens!  :lol:
We just ask newbies what biscuits they like...  

[Mordwin]

Was back in the early days with the big man, but despite moments, I've not really clicked with the H era version, have a best of and Anaraknophobia and that's it... though I really should get Afraid of Sunlight as it has quite a few tracks I do like.

[Pedro]

Marbles is the H-era album that I like most.

[Rook]

I'm Rook, and I'm a Marillion fan...

I'll have to keep an eye out for the video. Brave ranks in my top ten albums of all time. Oddly enough contrary to popular opinion here, I was less than moved by "Afraid of Sunlight", and despite checking in on them from time to time since, haven't connected with the subsequent material as much. I have had a bit of a listen to the new album and like what I hear so far...

I must admit that even if I have fallen off the Marillion train for a while, I have a big soft spot for the lads.

[Trapezium Artist]

Interesting. Sounds like many are in the same situation as me: liked the old 1980s Marillion, but never quite hooked up with the newer version. I too own several h-era albums and don't have any problem at all listening to them when they crop up on shuffle, although I have to say that there were moments during the Port Zelande performance where I found myself thinking "alright, already; enough with the whiny histrionic vocal tone, mate!".

Of course, judging from the crowd there, it's clear that many are fully engaged by them still and love the new stuff: there was an impressive degree of appreciation throughout, plus a lot of obvious fan club cameraderie. So, Marillion do appear to be very important to many prog fans, although I suspect that there's relatively little cross-over between that tribe and ours.

I could ask on their forum; I did register there in fact, albeit solely for the purpose of pimping my photos. But from what you're saying, DS, it might not be wise to start posing questions along the lines of "So, how about that Frost* then, eh?"  8-)

(And you're right, we do seem to have a cool, laidback crew here; I'm even still struggling a little with the slightly more manic and occasionally spiky atmosphere over at the fishtank ...  :? )

[Pedro]

The Fishtank is much like this place was to start with.
Many of the same people too.
The key difference, I think, is the level of involvement of the band. With Jem being so busy and with JM and CB finding their outlet on Twitter, this place doesn't get much direct input from the band.
The Fishtank is frequently visited by Simon and Rob, less so by Jim, Paul and Leon... but then,  the band is on a bit of a break right now.
I find the Fishtank quite hard work to keep up with. There's usually 2 pages of new posts every day and it helps if you know the sense of humour of the poster in a few cases. At least they are not plauged by kitchen salesmen!

[rogerg]

Yes, we used to get whipped if a thread stayed on topic too long...  and got points if the derail was especially creative.  (or just so far out that there was no explanation.)

 8-)

[Pedro]

Never mind that, did you know that the Fish-Tec website is the home of the Fish-Tec whelker, a revolutionary idea in whelk pot design, purpose made, designed and tested for fishermen by fishermen?
//http://www.fish-tec.co.uk/

[Mikey]

Never mind that, did you know that the Fish-Tec website is the home of the Fish-Tec whelker, a revolutionary idea in whelk pot design, purpose made, designed and tested for fishermen by fishermen?
//http://www.fish-tec.co.uk/

Fish-Tec whelker? I'm looking for a new kitchen, any ideas?

[E.S.]

I'm not really in the Marillion camp, honestly. They sound fine and some songs are really nice, but that's it for me I'm afraid.

[E.S.]

Oh, where are my manners? Those photos are great! 15 points and a biscuit for you sir.

[wickedwitch]

loved marbles. I'll be at the Wolves convention.