Live Review: Steven Wilson ‘To The Bone’ Tour 2018

Words & Photos by: Robert Juckett

Steven Wilson is back on road in support of his latest solo album, ‘To the Bone’ and made stops in Philadelphia PA (04/25/18) at the Keswick Theater and in NYC (04/28/18 and 04/29/18) at the PlayStation Theater last week with 3 sold out shows. The ‘To The Bone Tour 2018’ continues onto Chicago and points west before it all wraps up in Phoenix AZ. on 05/14/18 here in the States. After that tour will then head to Mexico and South America and will then end later this year.

‘To the Bone’ is the fifth studio album by Steven Wilson. The album takes a much different approach for its inspiration and is not driven by any concept in the way ‘Hand. Cannot. Erase.’ was written but instead looks to the era of ‘progressive pop’ made popular in the mid-1980’s by the likes of Peter Gabriel (So) and Tears for Fears’ (The Seeds of Love) and so on. After 30 years in the business, there is nothing left Mr. Wilson to prove to the world as we know it for he has done it all and has met all of our expectations as far as fans of Prog rock goes. This is album is meant to introduce itself to a new generation of fans and meet them somewhere in the middle and hopefully draw them over to this side of the line of music while satisfying the most demanding fans. It does both for the most part. ‘To the Bone’ should help bring a whole new audience to Wilson’s world. This album will serve as a great starting point into Wilson’s vast catalog of music (including the history of Porcupine Tree, Blackfield, etc…) if one chooses to start here and work their way back in time.

The live shows were awesome this year at both venues and the audiences were treated to a few extra Porcupine Tree classics than usual on this tour that coincided with the re-releases of ‘In Absentia’ and ‘Deadwing’ on album/vinyl and also taken from the Porcupine Tree’s Deadwing Tour in 2005 was the live release 2CD/Blu-Ray edition ‘Arriving Somewhere’ as well as ‘To the Bone’. Wilson also played ‘Vermillioncore’ off the EP ‘4 1/2’ which blew the roof off place each night. The second show in NYC featured a lot of new songs in the setlist which was alright but meant that several songs from the first night were replaced. Those who went to both shows in NYC got to see all the songs that were performed but those who missed the first night missed out some Porcupine Tree gems. Apart from ‘The Sound of Muzak’ which did make it into the encore in PHL 04/25/18 and NYC 04/28/18 both setlists are the same.

Here is the Setlist from Philadelphia PA 04/25/18

SET 1

NOWHERE NOW*
PARIAH
HOME INVASION
REGRET #9*
THE CREATOR HAS THE MASTER TAPE*
REFUGE
PEOPLE WHO EAT DARKNESS
ANCESTRAL

SET 2

ARRIVING SOMEWHERE BUT NOT HERE*
PERMANATING
SONG OF I
LAZARUS*
DETONATION*
THE SAME ASYLUM AS BEFORE*
HEARTTATTACK IN LAYBY*
VERMILLIONCORE
SLEEP TOGETHER

ENCORE

THE SOUND OF MUZAK
SONG OF UNBORN

*denotes songs not performed 04/29/18
These songs added to setlist at PlayStation Theater NYC

To the Bone
Routine
Hand.Cannot. Erase.
Don’t Hate Me
Happy Returns
Ascendant Here On

(encore)
Blackfield (acoustic)
Postcard (acoustic)
The Sound of Muzak