Porcupine Tree’s Steven Wilson Soars Without Voice at Heroic NYC Show

A few minutes before the start of his March 5th show at New York’s Beacon Theatre, the British progressive-rock artist Steven Wilson — founding singer-songwriter-guitarist of the band Porcupine Tree; remixer of choice for reissues of classic albums by King Crimson, Yes and XTC; and a prolific artist under his own name for the past decade — made an announcement, read by a crew associate over the PA: For the first time in more than 20 years of touring, Wilson, 48, had lost his voice due to illness.

Wilson also said in his note that the show would go on. This was progressive rock, so there would be extended instrumental passages. But Wilson was handing most of his lead vocals to his harmony singer and duet partner Ninet Tayeb, who appears on Wilson’s latest records — 2015’s Hand. Cannot. Erase. and the new 4 1/2 (both KScope) — and had 40 minutes backstage to learn all of his parts as well.

When Wilson finally took the stage to begin the first half of the program — a complete, live rendition of Hand. Cannot. Erase. — he promised the audience a “unique evening.” That he barely got the words out, in a scraping-the-pavement whisper, was proof enough of Wilson’s handicap. But he was better than his word: Wilson’s headlining solo debut at the Beacon was a cheerfully heroic lesson in fighting spirit (he was forced to cancel his next show in Chicago) and his truly progressive ideals in rock composition, group improvisation and emotionally authentic storytelling. Wilson is a star in a fiercely partisan, niche genre; but even without a voice, he proved here that he deserves much broader renown.
#PorcupineTree #StevenWilson #ProgRock #HandCannotErase #BeaconTheater #NYC http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/porcupine-trees-steven-wilson-soars-without-voice-at-heroic-nyc-show-20160307#ixzz42KGkS0XV Unable to sing, prog torchbearer pulled off stirring Beacon Theatre show with help from harmony singer Ninet Tayeb

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