Theo Travis' last post entry on the Steven Wilson 'The Raven' tour 2013, They'd been on the road with just a short break during late summer since it began in March. The band begin recording a new album in 2014...
Poznan - Zabrze, Poland.
After our two day journey from Finland to Poland via Vilnius we finally arrived at the venue for the Poznan gig. It was a large exhibition hall in an industrial complex otherwise used for things like tractor fairs.
The venue felt like a combination of a massive sports hall and an empty railway station. The day was unremarkable and there was the usual backstage showers, lunch, soundcheck, dinner before the gig. There was a big crowd of maybe 2000 and they were very enthusiastic which was great. Then another overnight drive and I woke up outside the venue in Zabrze. Zabrze is a small town in Poland and from outside the venue I could see two big residential tower blocks, stencilled in big letters ZBR 4 and ZBL 4A. There was a small park outside the venue and in it three or four large and ominous looking hexagonal concrete bunkers with metal grills on them. There was a skateboarding area with ramps pointing at trees (!). The buildings around the park looked austere, grey and forbidding. Furthermore the weather was cold, wet and grim. Altogether it was not a cheery picture. Inside the venue was curious too. The concrete basement had dozens of what looked like school desks with make up mirrors in rows in dark corridors. I discovered later these were for the actors or dancers of the theatre. The theatre itself was attractive but there was a large covered up orchestra pit that we could not set up on because the floor could only withstand a limited weight (though the day following our gig there was to be a circus complete with tigers and elephants!). It was to be a little strange playing on a stage where there was a whole empty floor between us and the audience.
However, the large crowd (about 2000) was great and very enthusiastic. As it was the very last gig of the 79 shows we have done on the whole Raven tour since March 1, Steven said some thank yous and for fun we also extended the song Happy Returns with some extra solos around the band. There was not really a big end of tour party but we did have a bit of a hang and it was cool. The following day we were all flying home so there was some sorting and packing to do.
On the way home, Steven commented that he was really happy how the tour had gone and the response from audiences. He said 2013 has been a great year for him - one of the best. Also I just saw in the British magazine 'Prog' Critics Awards that album 'the Raven that Refused to Sing' has come in at Number 1, and the gig of the year was the Steven Wilson Band at the Royal Albert Hall in October (a gig which I personally loved and felt special), so that is great too. It has been fabulous playing with such a wonderful band and such great musicians and I thank them all - Nick Beggs, Guthrie Govan, Chad Wackermann, Adam Holzman and Steven himself. The crew have been all fantastic too and I thank them all too for their great and hard work.
auf wiedersehen from me....
Theo
Here is the set list for the last gig at Dom Muzyki i Tańca, Zabrze, Poland
Trains (Porcupine Tree song) (Steven Wilson solo on)
Luminol
Postcard
The Holy Drinker
Drive Home
Untitled New Song
(introduced as “Break It and It’s Yours”)
The Watchmaker Video
The Watchmaker
Index
Sectarian
Harmony Korine
Raider II (Shortened first half and ending)
The Raven That Refused to Sing
Encore :
Happy Returns (new song, extended outro)
Radioactive Toy
And here part of the audience, fan Karina Balska shows her view of the group with some good extracts of the show.
The last bow and farewell of 2013
