13th Star still shining brightly
Fish made his name in prog rock band Marillion, who had a string of big selling singles and albums in the 80s. Since leaving in 1988 Fish has forged a successful solo career and developed a cult fan base but when doctors discovered a cyst on his vocal chords at the end of a tour in 2008, it looked like it might be the end of the road. Two operations and an 'all clear' later finds Fish making the first steps back on the road with an acoustic club tour, alongside long time collaborators Frank Usher and Foss Paterson.
Due to the weather we get there a little late but we needn't have worried as Fish plays for over two and a half hours tonight. The revamped Band On The Wall venue is perfect for this stripped down, acoustic set, large enough to get a good crowd in and yet retaining enough intimacy to make it feel like you're in touch with the band even at the back of the room. That Fish has a dedicated following is in no doubt tonight and the crowd are fantastic throughout, infact I'd go so far as to say that I never seen a more respectful and appreciative crowd before; they hang on his every word (and of those there are plenty!), observe the quiet moments of songs impeccably and obey every direction that Fish delivers with a wave of his hand.
The set list mixes Marillion songs alongside those from his solo career and they really suit the acoustic format, the keyboards and acoustic guitar making for simple but effective arrangements. Between each song Fish interacts with the crowd and the band, telling often amusing stories of life on the road or his recent health troubles. He comes over as sincere and as respectful of his audience as they are of him and it really adds to the atmosphere, which is very relaxed and friendly. His voice seems as strong as it ever was, although he needn't have sung at all as the crowd join in with pretty much every word as they lap up old favourites like 'Jigsaw', 'Incommunicado', 'Fugazi' and 'Sugar Mice'.
If you were to level any criticism it's that the delivery is very much on one level because of the format and if you don't know the songs, after two hours it can start to sound rather familiar. Even then however you can't help but enjoy the performance and the intimate atmosphere. The general consensus seems to be that this is one of the best gigs the crowd has seen in ages and for any long time Fish/Marillion fans it probably doesn't get much better.