Marillion Weekend @ Casino de Paris

Posted on April 13, 2025 by Diana

I headed off to the airport excitedly while still in a work call that I started on my computer and closed on my phone. After a busy day, and many busy weeks, or even months, it was time to head off to another Marillion Weekend. It is somehow unavoidable to pull out of this once you get into it, and the Weekends (Conventions), seem unavoidable events. And I don’t see any reason why one would want to avoid them anyway.

I’ve eagerly followed the announcement for host cities last Autumn, registered in the social media groups so I could better keep up with updates, and started planning ways to buy tickets, as usually Weekends sell out quite fast. So the day to head off to Paris arrived. With two such events behind them already for this year, Marillion were now heading off to the third. And I was going to be there. It’s the second time when most weekends are scaled down to only tow gigs per event. Compared to the previous times when the band was playing Friday-Sunday, starting 2023, the only event that lasts more is the one in Port Zélande. So we all have to settle for only two evenings in a row, which never seems enough. On the other hand, probably a three day event wouldn’t feel enough either.

Friday evening had Conal Kelly as opening act. I wish I could say that I paid attention to their gig, but I was so excited to be there that I just listened to them on fast-forward. When the time came, which was 20:15, the Marillion gig begun. And in the cheers of the audience gathered at Casino de Paris, The Invisible Man started. For the first time live for some of us, though I am sure not many, as Marillion fans have the habit of following the band around, we saw Mr. h in front of us without his trademark raven hair, but with natural grizzled hair. That was a nice change. But soon after he sung the first verses it was like there was no change at all. The first evening was the “album” evening, and we knew we were going to listen to Marbles. One after the other, the songs took life in front of us, and for our ears. Together with a show of lights and h’s theatricals. Marbles came out in 2004, and one of the singles on it, You’re Gone, was played on the radio even in Romania. Having heard it & recognising h’s voice in a supermarket in Bucharest, the song stuck as one of my favourites. The album itself has quite a few gems on it, with my favourites being Fantastic Place and Neverland, but Ocean Cloud as well. For You’re Gone, the members of The Web France gave us all glow sticks at the venue entrance, and asked us to flutter them high at a certain verse of the song. Which we all did. Sorry, no pics of the moments, I was busy singing and dancing and going along with the moment.

The encore of the first evening was made out of Sugar Mice, which was sung almost entirely by the audience, and King. And that’s how the first show of the Weekend ended, a bit too soon and a bit too fast than what we would have liked and expected, sometimes around 10 pm. But it was ok, we remained hopeful and excited for the second evening.

Saturday came. After a day of going around the city in the warm April Sun, it was time to head over to see the opening act, appreciated French group Lazuli. The French audience was super excited to see them. Not my cup of tea, but nevertheless an act that won the crowd’s cheers. But it was time to see Marillion again, for something that we all knew was going to be an awesome second evening. They took us on a ride through their older songs, from the opening Slàinte Mhath, from the 1987 album Clutching at Straws, continuing with Season’s End Uninvited Guest and all the way to newer songs like The Crow and The Nightingale from 2022’s AHBID. It was the first time for me to hear Script for A Jester’s Tear sung live by h, and he did an unbelievably amazing job with it. Got a bit blown away but how good it sounded. But that was just the tip of the iceberg, because just a few songs later we were delighted by The Space, which got some of us to cheer and stand and cheer some more. And good things just kept coming. One after the other we found ourselves listening to The Great Escape. Wearing my Brave t-shirt, I was waiting and hoping that they would play this song. And while it’s one of the songs that ends up in standing ovations, I was overwhelmed by the silence in which we were all waiting for the song’s last part (Falling from the Moon) to begin. For those few seconds when the song calms down, getting lost in a soft piano part, the audience was so quiet, you could have heard a pin drop. But we were quiet only enough to erupt as soon as the song was over and cheer frantically.

On the second evening we were spoiled with a longer setlist and three encores. The first one hit hard with The New Kings. Released on F.E.A.R. in 2016, the song is so real and so current that it’s scary. I often find myself listening to it. It saves you from watching the news. Man of a Thousand Faces was a highlight, but nothing could prepare me for the final part of the show. H was joined on stage by accordionist Charles Kieny, and after having played La Marseillaise, with vocals from the audience, the band joined them and they ended the show with Made Again, the ending track of Brave (the album, not the movie).

There is probably something I’d like to say about each song, from both evenings, but that would turn this post into an endless praise. The show was flawless! The band was amazing. As a group but also each individual member, they were all there, doing the same thing that we all pay to see them doing: playing music, singing stories. Somehow they always manage to get our money and of course, our full attention. Is there anything left to say? Well, I’d say: careful when purchasing tickets at Casino de Paris, some seats, even though advertised as regular category, have quite restricted view, making the stage visible only in photos taken while half standing and leaning forward. Uncomfortable for the viewer and disturbing back row neighbours. If you are lucky enough, you can find empty seats to move to, or stand in a spot by the stairs from where the stage is visible in its entirety. Harder for sold out shows like this one, but some of us got lucky to find these spots. The audience was mostly made of cool people and a few who saw the show through their phones or forgot that they were at a rock concert and thought they were at the opera. There was no Phantom there so no, no opera, just an amazing band with cool people in front of them, breathing in every sound. And that’s what matters, so I am going to stick to this really, really close for a while. I am sure I am not the only one.

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Happy 2025!

Posted on January 1, 2025 by Diana

While never a fan of the New Year celebrations, which now I find are perfect to be spent in pyjamas watching movies with cats sleeping in your lap, I do remember a time when I enjoyed the fuss around a good family dinner and a decent TV programme. Or a fun night out with friends. Or seeing fireworks with the eyes of a younger version of myself. I do, however, like to look back at the year that’s been and hope for the best for the one to come.

2024 has been, as many years before it, intense. It feels like only yesterday I was in Rome, though that was last February. Seeing London again was amazing, as well as meeting friends in Copenhagen or enjoying the Mediterranean sun in Barcelona. And like always, the concerts that I’ve attended hold a dear spot in my 2024 memories. And so do all the moments I spent at home with family and friends. The end of the year has been truly exhausting and I was seriously looking forward to a longer time off. In fact it’s been so draining that it kept me from stopping by here to write about a series of concerts that I attended, like finally seeing In Flames live, or, after almost 20 years, another Cradle of Filth live gig. If there is one thing that 2024 taught me, that is the fact that I need to take it easy. But overall, I do have a smile on my face when I think back at seeing Mr. h play with RanestRane on the stage of Auditorium Parco della Musica, or at the SRB gigs at Razzmatazz in Barcelona. Attending a sold out Ville Valo gig in Stockholm was another highlight, given that I’ve been a huge fan of his music, with HIM and as a solo artist, ever since I was a kid.

As for 2025, the year so far seems to be shadowed by turmoil on so many sides. What we can all try to do, me included, is to make the best out of it. Until then, I will skip the resolutions, as they don’t add any value to the new year, and simply wish us all peace, love, health and happiness. Happy New Year!

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Lines on a (too) Short Trip to Barcelona

Posted on October 7, 2024 by Diana
Parc de la Ciutadella

Sitting here at my desk, listening to Heroes del Silencio – Senderos De Traiciòn, an album I’ve been stuck on since my return from Barcelona, I cannot help but recall every single moment of that trip. From flying above the clouds and the landing over the sea, parallel to the Spanish coast line, the endless blue beyond the mountains, to the beach. But the strongest memory of all, is that crossing on Carrer de la Marina where you see Sagrada Familia in the distance when looking right. Just before you stop for a morning coffee at Couleur Café, on your way to Parc de la Ciutadella. Where once seated on a bench, you end up being asked by an elderly local if he can sit next to you. Even though you tell him in broken Spanish that you are not a Spanish speaker, he just smiles and says that it doesn’t matter, we can understand each-other anyway. He sits, reads his newspaper while you drink your coffee and eat your muffin, and when he’s done, he gets up, turns towards you and says goodbye, smiling. You get up, you start walking, and you turn Senderos De Traiciòn into the soundtrack of the journey.

My first stop after checking-in was Barceloneta: walking in the evening on the sea front, people watching, talking to strangers. I ended up wandering up and down in the area quite a lot during my stay there. I even booked the hotel close to it, on purpose. The warmth and the salty air made it feel like Autumn was far away, like it was still the middle of Summer. Street musicians were displaying their talents on the sidewalks, bands were preparing for filling the evening with music at the restaurants close to the seafront, and people danced. The esplanade was getting ready to welcome its nightlife guests.

Catedral de Barcelona

I filled my second day with a stop at Museu Picasso de Barcelona, getting to see his less popular works and learning about his transition to Cubism, his life and his contribution to the city. I visited Barri Gòtic (Barrio Gótico) and allowed myself to get lost on its narrow streets. Some of them were deserted. I would have loved visiting the neighbourhood during my goth years, when I was fascinated by everything about this subculture, from its music, history to especially its architecture. A delicious meal in Mercat de la Boqueria was all I needed after more than half a day of walking around. The market is very animated: so many dishes to chose from, so many flavours and scents. Too many tourists. And as always, I ended up walking around the streets, sometimes in circles, sometimes getting a bit lost, up to the point where my feet gave up on me and my stomach made it clear that it needs proper food. It was already evening by then, so I ended up having dinner in Restaurante Sancho, a bit on the outside of the super-touristic areas, surrounded by what seemed to be only locals enjoying their dinner and drinks. The lady at the bar was amused when I asked for a very cold drink. She was very nice. By the time I finished my dinner and started walking back to the hotel it was already dark.

Playa de la Barceloneta

As I said a few rows above, I did a lot of walking around Barceloneta. While aware of the fact that I was in a fascinating city, with so many things to see, I spent almost a whole day recharging my batteries on the beach, in the sun: barefoot, trying the water, washing off sand by the beach showers, and doing more people watching. And trying to take in enough sunshine to last me for the long and dark Swedish Winter.

Sagrada Familia

Of course, the main event of the trip was the SRB concert that I already wrote about here. But between queueing for the concert and riding the adrenaline rush of the event, more walking around happened. Visiting Gaudi’s houses, strolling down the big avenues, taking a break in Plaça de Sant Felip Neri, shopping for paella spices and saffron, and ending up eating a whole pack of jamón while walking down towards Sagrada Familia. Which is beautiful from every side. And in general trying to avoid very crowded places. But the more popular the attraction, the bigger the crowds. Yet, for such a popular destination, there were streets and squares that were not suffocated by tourists, enough hidden sides where you could catch a glimpse of the local life and blend in.

But after the last note of the concert was heard and the clapping and cheers vanished into the silence of the night, after bags were packed and the alarm was set for an early morning departure, it was time to head over to the airport and leave behind the lively city, the friendly people, the beach, the sunshine and the sea. Yet not before making a promise that one day you would return so you can see those places all over again, and discover others that you haven’t had time to see this time around. And maybe attend another concert.

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SRB @ Razzmatazz, Barcelona

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Diana

I don’t need a better reason for a trip than attending a concert. Put it in a place I want to visit and there I am once more, on my way to the airport. This time around it was Barcelona and Steve Rothery Band. If you read this and you get surprised by the fact that I didn’t write Marillion, well, please find out that Steve Rothery is their guitar player, and he has his own project: SRB. If you are familiar with this detail, carry on. I’ve seen this formula live for the very first time about a year ago, and with a great deal of nostalgia for that concert, I decided to fly to Barcelona and enjoy some old Marillion tracks (Fish-era – Google it). But I didn’t get to enjoy only that. What came our way went beyond anyone’s expectations. Or hit right on target.

After a few days of soaking up the sun and walking (ehem… getting lost) on the streets of Barcelona, it was time to go to the 1st night of the event. Yes, there were two. Queued early enough to get a good spot close to the front, and when the time came the man walked on stage with part of his band: Leon Parr, Yatim Halim, Dave Foster and Riccardo Romano. Good sign to know that they were going to start with an instrumental piece. And also warm welcome on stage from us all. The gig kicked in with Morpheus and Old Man of the Sea. Such good way to immerse in the evening.

Things got really, really loud when Martin Jakubski walked on stage, and as everyone expected and knew, Misplaced Childhood started. Now there was a bit of drama around the set-up of the two gigs, as organisers initially announced that the whole Misplaced Childhood would be played on night 1, and Clutching at Straws on night 2. A while after the announcement came out and people started buying tickets, there was a correction that mentioned that the setlists would be split: side A of each of the albums for the first evening, while sides B would be heard on the second night, and some Fugazzi, Script for a Jester’s Tear and h songs. And somehow this got some people really upset, mostly because they wouldn’t be hearing the entirety of Misplaced Childhood on the first night. Anyways, going back to the moment, after Heart of Lothian we were spoiled with some h songs. I’ve never heard any of these songs sung by anyone else than Mr. h himself, so it was strange to hear them in this set-up. One thing’s for sure: Mr. h makes singing Afraid Of Sunlight sound like a walk in the park. Hearing and seeing Martin Jakubski sing it made me realise what a vocal piece that song is. Martin slayed it. And that’s how we slowly slid towards Clutching at Straws that left us hanging after White Russian. The encore meant I got to hear a song that was on my wish-list for the evenings: Cinderella Search, and the first show ended with Forgotten Sons.

For the second night, an early time in the queue meant a place even closer to the stage. Now Razzmatazz 1 holds close to 2000 people and it has decent visibility. But if one can get a spot in the 3rd row, why not? There were two tall guys in front of me who tried their best to be really really close to the separating fence, breathing down the necks of those in the 1st row. Due to their height and attitude, nobody got in between me an them, so I had plenty of space in front, next to the guy who stood by my shoulder and benefited from the same conditions.

Counting out h Natural gigs, I’ve only been this close to the stage at a K’s Choice concert some many years ago. Being in that location is a totally different experience than what I am used to which usually is side stage, middle of the venue. And this changes the perception of the music. While in itself, the music is the essence and the reason why so many of us are there, it is a totally different experience when you are this close (note to self: buy a front row ticket to Marillion at least once). To clearly see Steve’s fingers sliding down the guitar strings, to observe if he and Dave play in sync or to realise, based on the movement of their hands, which sounds come from which guitar. It is incredible to see so clearly how Ricardo’s fingers move so flawlessly on his keyboards, or to notice the inner comms between the band members, how they gaze at each other counting tempos, showing non-verbal appreciation for a bass line, the reassuring they give each-other, and to catch glimpses of all the inner jokes and spice.

But going back to the second concert, we were once again delighted by Morpheus and, this time, Summer’s End, as well as by a short anecdote Steve told us while his guitar was at the doctor’s (re-stringing). And probably just to tease us by not jumping directly into the rest of Misplaced Childhood, Script for a Jester’s Tear was the first track where Martin, introduced this time as William Shatner’s younger brother, entered the stage. The Trekkie in me was happy. And that was about the time when my sense of observation got lost and I got engulfed by the euphoria of the moment. One after the other song, I found myself singing and dancing (more like swaying a bounce) but to my defense, it’s close to impossible to stand still and keep your mouth shut on Childhood’s End? and White Feather.

The h era songs were The King of Sunset Town, Cover My Eyes – which got us all singing and clapping under the guidance of Martin and Riccardo – and Hooks in You – which is a total banger. And then we jumped directly into Incommunicado which is also a banger but this one has blazing keyboards. I like Clutching at Straws and I enjoyed hearing it live again. Funny enough, I had The Last Straw/Happy Ending on repeat a few months ago so it was very cool to sing along to it. The evening ended with Incubus and Fugazzi.

Now, there are very little words that can be used to give justice to a live gig. The enthusiasm of the moment fades as soon as the adrenaline rush disappears. In the end you are left with a bitter-sweet memory that last a lifetime. And a desire to do it again, in another place, or maybe the same one, surrounded by the same type of people, chanting, clapping, singing, smiling. Looking at the artists on the stage, hearing their music, singing their lyrics and dancing to their tunes. In this situation Marillion tunes brought together in front of us by a guitar magician under the embodiment of Steve Rothery and the people he gathered around for this project. Leon is to me the invisible man, sitting behind his drum kit, I know he is there but I get to see him only when he walks on and off the stage. Yatim is focused, facing his band mates and in tune. He seems to be the quiet one. Dave is simply amazing, disappearing from the stage when a second guitar is not needed for a track, I often found myself looking for him and confused by this absence and the emptiness he left behind. His smile and good mood are contagious, he’s a spot of colour even when he’s wearing black and even more with a pink/purple shirt and orange shoes. Riccardo Romano is a presence in itself. Both a performing artist and a fan, playing his keyboards and singing along with a burning passion that overtakes the whole audience. That man’s heart and soul are all about the music. And those dance moves. Martin has a remarkable voice. Playing in his own Marillion tribute band – StillMarillion, the Fish-era songs are his forte. His singing is intense and he easily connects with the audience. He brings to our ears something that many old-school Marillion fans want to hear, and sometimes even some newbies like me, or like that kid in the front, barely in his teenage years, singing his heart out on Childhood’s End?.

And I am sure that during the concert I heard, saw, noticed, felt and lived many things that I would have liked to put in words, but they’ll just have to remain in that venue in Barcelona.

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Keane x 2, Back Pain and Happiness Is the Road

Posted on July 7, 2024 by Diana

I’ve attended a few concerts since the last time I stopped by to share some thoughts around here. The biggest one was Taylor Swift which I would go see again. The biggest surprise was Keane. Once in London and once in Stockholm. Other things have happened in the meantime too but let’s take them one by one.

Keane in London. Well, London first, Keane a bit after. Phantom of the Opera x 2 as well, because seeing it once felt insufficient. London, still one of my favourite cities for things to do, places to see and just breathing in the extraordinary vibe of it. It so happened that a thing to do this time was to attend a Keane gig at the O2 Arena (my old tennis house). Though I was surprised by how many songs from them I actually know, impressed by their live performance, the audience, and seeing a live gig in such an amazing arena, I can’t say that this was the highlight of my trip to London. I would say that the highlight is hard to chose between going to a West End play, visiting the Science Museum (the geek in me was so, so happy), the concert, catching up with friends or Buns from Home. The whole trip was a high, in the end. However, a month later, Keane played in Gröna Lund in Stockholm. It was a rainy day and it literally poured until two hours before the show. Then the Sun came out and, even though it was cold, there I was seeing Keane again. And I enjoyed them so much that now they’re my month’s favourite artist (most listened to) on Spotify, dethroning Marillion (though I presume this won’t last long – read the last part of this post’s title). The guys were so happy it stopped raining and people actually showed up at their gig, and they interacted with the (somehow still) Swedish audience to the point where everyone was dancing and singing. Not a lot of artists can get that out of Swedish crowds. And they gladly shared with us the memory of their first gig abroad: opening for The Ark (very good Swedish band, favourites of mine) in Malmö.

As much as a surprise Keane were, I was kept away from other concerts either by the bad weather, or by a dreadful back pain that I get to treat with strong meds, rehab and medical massage. And though I don’t want to talk about it, because it is annoying, the good thing that came out of it was lying on a yoga mat in the middle of the living room, with the cat by my side, and the TV on, randomly playing Marillion songs on YouTube. And that’s how I got my new Marillion fix: Happiness Is the Road. Cause that’s how Marillion and me work. But when you can barely move, see or hear because of the pain that goes through the roof, when just simple rehab exercises take all the effort and the courage in the World, listening to this song’s live version on YouTube was soothing. And that’s how Marillion will surely shift back to the top of the list of my most played artists on Spotify.

And now, of course, I’ve started missing both London and live gigs. Both will have to wait for a while, as now I am on an intense rehab & chill program and enjoying the Swedish Summer and filling up with vitamin D for the long Winter ahead. But long story short, a surprisingly good live gig in a fabulous city or a wonderful song randomly hooked on a rainy evening are just some of the little things that make me smile.

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