"To The Bone" - 5th Steven Wilson Album, 8/18

Hi it’s I’m the link above maybe a few pages ago where he talks about Gavin Harrison playing on a couple of To The Bone songs but the ones he drummed on didn’t make the cut. He also spoke about it during the show I attended saying it was odd that people were sitting at one of his shows but he would let us know when to stand (during Permanating). Like mirror image said, we’re paying to see him play, if he wants to pay me to stand them by all means I will stand!

By the way, I saw Dream Theater last year on their Images and Words and beyond tour and I had to stand throughout the whole thing (I was in row 7 and the first 6 were standing from the beginning) and it definitely affected my enjoyment of the show. SW should understand his audience is mainly 40+ men who may not want to stand for a whole show. Then again he did seem happy to see young girls at his show so maybe the next album will be all dance.

 

I saw him at the Keswick Theater this Spring(first time I ever saw SW), and having had 4 Low Back Surgeries in the past 5 years(3 of them to try and relieve pain from Damaged L-4 & L-5 Nerves caused by another doctor when he did my original Herniated Disc Surgery). I got 2 seats on the end, so I could stand if needed to during the concert without blocking anyone's view, but on the same hand I would not want to stand for a 2-3 Hours Concert straight through, so that is why I was asking. Thanks for the information.

 

I missed him saying this at the Keswick Concert, but I did catch his stock statement on his story(he has been giving at most Tour Stops apparently) about Older Men in their Pink Floyd and RUSH T-Shirts sitting on their Arses, during 'Permanating' and finally up and dancing by the end of that song. Would be awesome to have SW do a FUNK Album in the future though.

 

Insisting that he will not play any seated shows in the future?. Sounds like he has lost the run of himself or hopefully taking the mick. Let's hope it's the latter

 

Well that's the end of Steven live for me then.Sydney in November will be my last SW concert for me if he is serious about this.
I went to a standing SWshow on the Hand Cannot Erase tour because I was desperate to see that tour.3 hours plus standing up and his music is not the jumping around and dancing type.All I could think of was how much better it would be if I could sit and watch/listen for some of it and not be preoccupied with surviving a physical marathon.

 

Good for him, he is not the one trying to see the concert standing behind someone else taller by foot!

 

Agreed. I am sure it is frustrating to see fans sitting there during songs or parts where they ought to be on their feet, but that way is the way it goes sometimes. I am almost 45 now and like having seats so I can pick my spots for when I will stand. I do not go to shows anymore without seats. It's not worth it to be uncomfortable for 2/3 of the show and then have my back ache for days.

 

I picked the show I went to this tour based on having a reserved seat - didn't want to stand in a line to get a good spot, didn't want to stand for a whole show. Sure, getting up for a few songs is cool and part of getting into a show, but I won't go to show anymore where it's more trouble and aggravation than it's worth to me. If SW wants standing only, I'll stay home and wait for the blu-ray. Also, since he ain't going to play in this town I'd also have to travel...Phoenix (this tour) or Denver are the options usually....having to do a 6 hour drive and pay hotel makes it me be even more selective about going to a show.

 

Indeed. I enjoy music more when I’m sitting down. Just saying.

 

He said the same thing at both Chicago shows. He draws energy from the audience and would rather have them standing. There will always be seats in the balcony.

 

I get it. Like I said before, I like to pick my spots. I did not see SW on this year's tour (he didn't come to my hometown or anywhere close on the weekend), but if I had, songs like Permanating, People Who Eat Darkness and Arriving Somewhere But Not Here (once it picks up) would be songs that would have me on my feet. Contrarily, I would definitely stay seated for songs like Pariah and Song of I.

 

I’d rather see Wilson when he’s promoting an album I actually like.

 

*smacks Mirror Image*

 

In some venue, I usually sit at the bar for the whole night having a perfect view to the stage.

 

I saw him at the Moore Theatre in Seattle in 2015 for the HCE tour and I was happy it was a seated venue. I didn't buy a ticket right away for the Seattle show this time precisely because it was a standing venue. I finally bought a ticket, but begrudgingly.
I'm on my feet all day for work, so I'm physically able to stand for three hours for a concert but I'd prefer to sit down. People much younger than me were even sitting down on the floor for short periods to ease their fatigue, so age demographics don't even need to come into play. Considering SW's steadily increasing popularity, the "shower curtain and the postage stamp" (as SW himself described it) felt more like a step down venue-wise.
I haven't researched if there is a suitable seated Seattle area venue that's bigger than the Moore Theatre but smaller than the sports stadiums.

 

I do hope he reconsiders his stance on this particular issue as it makes more sense to accommodate people willing to pay the money to see him in concert rather then not getting any money at all. I can withstand long periods of standing as well since I do this at my job, but, at the same time, I would rather sit at a musical event or, at least, have that option available.

 

I was at that show with a friend, both of us late 20s. Neither of us particularly likes standing in crowds, so we parked it audience left of the FOH engineer, where it wasn't as crowded and we could lean on railings. It also meant we got the rear channel(s) at appreciable volume, which was cool. But I would have preferred a venue with better sightlines and, perhaps, places to sit. We both enjoyed the show, of course, but the experience definitely could have been better.

 

That's quite the extreme. If it's a standing show do you really think that no one would go?

 

Already an option in some venue. General admission for standing crowd and a bit more expensive for seated folks.

 

I've seen Wilson twice, once with Porcupine Tree and once without, standing both times. The issue about seats, as someone else already pointed out, is not so much being able to sit - though that's a factor - as being able to have a designated spot. If everyone had a designated standing spot then I wouldn't mind so much. At the Sydney show I was up against the side wall, the view of the stage was OK but there was nothing to hold onto such as a handrail. Also you can take half an hour to find yourself a good position, then you have to go to the dunny and when you return it's the same procedure all over again.

Perhaps Steven thinks he's on his feet for 3 hours so why can't we be? The difference is that he's got the freedom of the stage to move back and forth. Standing still for long periods is much harder.

Anyway, the pattern with Steven's shows seems to be that half of the show is devoted to the current latest album, and I'm not a big fan of To the Bone, so I would probably be giving this tour a miss even if he played in Perth - which he never does, he seems under the impression that this country only has a right hand side.

If only we could convince him to do an outdoor concert in a venue such as King's Park, as Brian Wilson did. Those are the best for comfort. Spread out your blanket on the grass, lie back, sit or stand as you feel inclined.

 

It's the opposite when he plays The Vic in Chicago. The balcony is GA as well. I usually make a b-line for it while most rush the stage. I've yet to not sit in the 1st row of the balcony for a show at The Vic (and it's only a 10-minute walk from my place!).

 

I'm really a big Steven Wilson fan. I attended six shows on five solo-tours plus Porcupine Tree on their last tour.
On the hce and 41/2 tours i was fast enough to get first row tickets. This time it wasn't possible to get first row tickets. A friend of mine has a ticket-shop and he told me that the promoter holds them back for vips or "friends". So it wasn't surprising to see bored people with earplugs right in front of me during the concert.
Maybe Steven saw them and made the decision not to play seated shows anymore.

 

He did notice them and commented on this during his recent shows.

 

Earplugs are essential for anyone who attends a lot of concerts. You never know when you're going to need them. The volume level was not a problem with either Porcupine Tree or Steven Wilson in the two shows that I attended, but it sure was with PT's support band! Ironically, the band was called Sleep Parade.