Same goes for the support-act on Sunday, John Young (Fish`s current keyboardplayer). Very skilled, good songs, but all synth/drumcomputer-based. Time for some Fish.

So… A lot of new stuff. AND…lots of stories and jokes and good laughs.

Because that`s Fish. Besides the brilliant music there`s always the other thing to enjoy at a Fish-gig: his presence. A few stories and remarks I can remember:

They`ve killed my brothers! (sheep, bweeeh!) It`s a fuckin` conspiracy. We Scotch`s love animals, I mean really love!!! But now there`s Dolly, that genetically manipulated sheep, and it seems she can talk. Now, it`s only a matter of time before she teaches it to all the other sheep, and when all these sheep start to talk….. then we`re fucked!!!!

Between songs he `clears` his troat and nose by spitting and blowing it on the stagefloor. Then he looks at the crowd and says: What the fuck is your problem?!
I get to do this six weeks a year OK, so back off!
B.t.w., you all probably use a handkerchief, right? Well, think about it. These things need to be washed.
And when they`re washed the snot comes out concentrated as a snotball. Then it goes to the river and sea and a fish swallows it. And THEN you eat that fish again! Think about it.

On the second night (Tilburg) he was very open about his career. About how after the song `Kayleigh` (from the album `Misplaced Childhood`) went big and Marillion became big and everything had to be bigger than live.

After that the fun was gone. People who dumped on Marillion when they made Fugazi but all screamed how much they loved Marillion now! Atleast nowadays he enjoys his `work` again.
Making his own records and goes out 6 weeks a year and plays suitable crowds and nice venues (so not like Ahoy in Rotterdam which is a shitty place; far too big and sounds like shit!)
He`s right.
I saw Marillion twice in Ahoy and it sounded like shit. It wasn`t until `99 when they visited the Oosterpoort until it actually sounded good. It`s the choice between playing one mega-gig (very unpersonal) or 4 smaller gigs (very personal)

It`s impossible to remind all his stories but trust me, the crowd had a great time! Which night was better? Definitely the Groningen-gig. The Tilburg gig was their first one and you could hear the difference. Second, the Oosterpoort is one of those rare places that was actually build for music (half circle, wall covers with acoustic material) so the sound is always great in there!
To quote Fish: "fuckin` Brilliant!"
3D (new)
Dance Fellini (new)
Brother 52
Tiki 4 (new)
Our Smile (new)
Long Cold Day (new)
The Perception Of Johnny Punter
The Pilgrims Address (new)
The Clock Turns Sideways (new)
Lucky
Credo
Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors
The Company



Ronald Wahle

(Review & Pics: Frank Alders)