Best of 2007 part II
I’ve already listed my best albums of the year. But in a year in which I’ve gone to 31 gigs (more than double last year), they deserve a ‘best of’ as well.
This list is in chronological order because it’s going to be too hard to rank them in order
- Marillion, The Forum, London. I’ve seen Marillion quite a few times in the past three or four years, but this one, one of two filmed for the DVD “Somewhere in London” was the best I’ve seen them for two decades. I think you have to go back to The Garden Party at Milton Keynes Bowl in 1986 for a Marillion gig as memorable. The band were on top form, and the atmosphere absolutely electric. Jaded London audiences my foot.
- Mostly Autumn, The Met Theatre, Bury. I’ve seen this band a grand total of nine times in 2007. There have been several memorable one; that raw emotional one at Cardiff, the triumphal Christmas show at The Astoria, and their blazing set on the Sunday night of the fan convention in Bournemouth. But the best of all was the final night of the spring tour in Bury, a flawless but emotional performance and an incredible atmosphere.
- The Reasoning, The Borderline, London. For me, The Reasoning are the new band of 2007. In January I travelled down to Swansea to see their very first live appearance, a somewhat tentative and hesitant show that nevertheless got better as the evening wore on. By September they’d transformed into quite different band, the perfect combination of energy, emotion and tightness. This is probably the last time we’ll see them playing venues this small in the capital; I’m sure they’re bound for much bigger things in the coming year.
- Fish, Academy 2, Manchester. If Marillion turned in their best live performance for two decades, the same might also be true of their former frontman. Postponed from the original date two weeks earlier because of a bout of vital larnygitis, the rescheduled show saw the big Scotsman in fine voice, belting out a setlist made up from a mix of his new album, his solo back catalogue, and the classic “Clutching at Straws” which stands up remarkably well after 20 years.
- Rush, MEN Arena, Manchester. They may be old, but the Canadian trio demonstrated without any shadow of a doubt they can still cut it live, and have the stamina for a flawless three hour show. This tour they skipped ther 70s prog epics in favour of their more streamlined early 80s work, which have stood the test of time well. And their new album, from which they played a lot, stands up well live.
- Twelfth Night, The Albany, Deptford. Led Zeppellin? For me, the reunion of the year was that of 80s neo-proggers I remember from some of my earliest gigs in Reading in the early 80s. The result was far better than either band or audience had expected; 10 minute prog epics like “We Are Sane” turning into singalongs with the audience louder than the PA.
