This band plays it To The Bone
Steven Wilson is easily one of the most prolific recording artists of the last couple of decades. At the same time he was the main creative force behind Porcupine Tree, he also managed a number of side projects like Blackfield, No-Man, and Storm Corrosion, as well as remixing numerous classics by Yes, King Crimson, XTC, and others. After Porcupine Tree was put on an indefinite hiatus—there is still yet to be any official “end” of the band—Wilson’s solo career has flourished even further, defying genre expectations of the “progressive rock” scene in favor of creating honest artistic expression. His latest work, To The Bone, continues to push forward towards the art of “pop” even further than his last release, while still maintaining a melancholic edge that has been a theme of his work for quite some time. The North American leg of the To The Bone tour is coming to an end and I caught his Los Angeles performance at the historic Wiltern in Korea Town.
The band was in top form this evening despite a rather hasty stage installation due to the production truck being delayed, but if there were any technical issues the audience couldn’t spot them. The visual aspect of the show was, simply put, stunning and utilized a HoloNet projection in front of the band as well as a video wall to the rear. When used simultaneously, the effect was simply breathtaking. Numerous times, I felt myself becoming completely entranced by the combination of audio and visual, most particularly during the performance of “Song of I” in the second set of the evening. 
One of the things I’ve always liked about Wilson as a performer is his ability to relate to his audience without kowtowing to them. He has a great dry wit when speaking to the stage as well as a boldness that isn’t always expected. For example, he is unafraid to point out his perspective that the duty of an artist is “not to cater to the audiences perceived expectations.” I particularly agree with this statement as I’ve always been somewhat annoyed when a band succumbs to the pressure to play all the hits rather than play their favorites. As stated, Wilson’s performances are not like this at all. 
Of course, Wilson is quite the pragmatist, and Porcupine Tree fans such as myself were quite delighted to see performances of “The Creator Has a Mastertape,” “Arriving Somewhere but Not Here,” “Lazarus,” and “Sleep Together” among others. The performance of “Sleep Together” in particular elicits such a visceral feeling and the band just destroys it! As such, I always end up leaving a Wilson show with a sense of euphoria, and this one ended on a very beautiful note with “Song of Unborn” which Wilson prefaced as being hopeful, despite it’s melancholic tone, from the perspective of a father singing a song to his unborn child. The sentiment is important considering just how much a shitstorm the whole world seems to be at the present and I can only hope that such artistic statements can act as weapons of change.
Setlist via setlist.fm
Intro Short Film: Truth
Set 1: To The Bone
Pariah
Home Invasion
Regret #9
The Creator Has a Master Tape (Porcupine Tree)
Refuge
People Who Eat Darkness
Ancestral
Set 2:
Arriving Somewhere but Not Here (Porcupine Tree)
Permanating
Song of I
Lazarus (Porcupine Tree)
Detonation
The Same Asylum as Before
Heartattack in a Layby (Porcupine Tree)
Vermillioncore
Sleep Together (Porcupine Tree)
Encore:
Blackfield (Blackfield)
Postcard
The Sound of Muzak (Porcupine Tree)
Song of Unborn
