Gigtastic

Marillion really excelled themselves last night at The Forum. Barney is now a total convert (haha in your face). A few things I really love about my favourite band, in no particular order, are as follows:

• H (the lead singer) is always effortlessly note perfect
• Steve Rothery (guitarist) doesn't use his guitar solos to be flashy and show off, they are always simple, pure and played exactly the same every single time
• I also love the way he bows majestically at the crowd when we go wild afterwards
• Ian Moseley (drummer) always looks calm to the point of slightly distracted, despite drumming like a demon
• They often throw up little surprises at their gigs - last night Between You and Me was accompanied by a whole host of giant balloons filled with confetti which we bounced around for ages till they all burst and, in a shock move, they also played Sugar Mice. SUGAR MICE I ask you*
• Last night Mark Kelly's keyboard buggered up just before he did a big solo, so he just pointed at it, shrugged and laughed before running down to complete the solo on H's keyboard at the front
• They have enormous stamina - last night they played for 1 1/2 hours and then came back on for nearly another HOUR of encores. What modern popular beat combo would do that?
• When I see them live - and I've probably seen them around 20-odd times now - I feel such a profound and pure joy that I can't imagine being found in any other walk of life. I love them - not in a stalkery 'I think that they're my best friends' kind of a way, just in a 'they are so good at what they do, they clearly love doing it and we love them for it' kind of way
• We shall find out today if their new single Thank You Whoever You Are has made it into the top ten - fingers crossed please...
  

Boys: I salute you. Long may you continue. And can you come to Canada next year?

*I realise this will mean nothing to non-Marillion fans. But Sugar Mice was a single back in 1987, during the previous incarnation of the band when Fish was the lead singer. If you say 'isn't Fish still in the band?' I'll scream.