The Damage - Download single - available from 11 October 2004
Marbles On The Road - Live DVD - UK Release 18 October 2004
Marillion are known for the relationship that they maintain with their fans through their website (www.marillion.com). Continuing this love affair with the internet, a live version of 'The Damage', recorded at The Astoria on July 11, will be available from www.marillion.com from Oct 11th. With the download chart now being recognised by the music industry this looks likely to give Marillion their 3rd chart hit of 2004. The single will be available for just 99 pence.
Filmed on 10th and 11th July at the Astoria in London, the 'Marbles On The Road' DVD captures the band in fine form at the end of the first leg of their Marbles World Tour. As well as the majority of their latest album Marbles ("Marbles is a wonderful thing" - Classic Rock), fans are treated to stunning versions of former favourites including Cover My Eyes and, perhaps more surprisingly, The Uninvited Guest. The extras include behind the scenes footage of the Marbles EPK and promo videos for Marbles' 2 hit singles 'You're Gone' and 'Don't Hurt Yourself'.
This is the first new Marillion film-piece to be released commercially since 1990. Specifically recorded for a DVD release the concert sound is mixed by Michael Hunter in both 5.1 surround sound and 2-channel stereo. The DVD Extras and additional material is provided as stereo-only. The DVD is presented in 16:9 format, is available in both PAL and NTSC formats, and is multi-region.
Track listing (Total running time: 134 minutes):
The Invisible Man
Marbles I
You're Gone
Angelina
Marbles II
Don't Hurt Yourself
Fantastic Place
Marbles III
The Damage
Marbles IV
Neverland
Bridge
Living With the Big Lie
The Party
Between You and Me
The Uninvited Guest
Cover My Eyes PLUS DVD EXTRAS
Marbles EPK
You're Gone (Promo Video)
Don't Hurt Yourself (Promo Video)
Marbles On The Road
Bernard Law, Rock Society, January/February 2004
Releasing their first commercially available film since 1990, this DVD captures Marillion at London 's Astoria on two nights in July this year, specifically the 'Marbles' album. As you'd expect it is very atmospheric stuff, and both the band and the fans seemed to revel in it. Some of the more arcane moments of the album appear to make more sense for the viewing, and it is all very impressive. There are also some intriguing performances of older material, including 'Cover My Eyes' and 'The Uninvited Guest'. There are the usual sorts of bonus material too. All the members of the band have their opportunity to shine, and sine they do, but the busy Mark Kelly seems particularly impressive. An excellent release
Marbles On The Road
Guitar Techniques, April 2005 (4 out of 5 Stars)
Taken from Marillion's concert at the London Astoria last July, this mainly concentrates on the new material from their Marbles album. Curious subject matter perhaps, but it offers the usual musicality and mood changes at which the band excels. The band are all on top form here and guitarist Steve Rothery puts in a fine performance, particularly on Don't Hurt Yourself, Fantastic Place, and Cover My Eyes. The sound quality is absolutely superb, although at times there is just not enough stage lighting to make this a visual delight. A little editing would improve the pace too, but it's all here, and honest, and that's worth a lot. All in all, a very good show.
Rolling With It
Philip Wilding, Classic Rock, October 2004 (London Astoria)
Having hit something of a purple patch with latest album 'Marbles', Marillion barely put a foot wrong live, and show why they deserve to be inhabiting a more elevated pedestal.
"I admit we liked being in the charts," Steve Hogarth says with a grin. He offers this as a verbal nod to the Top 10 success of Marillion's single "You're Gone', and as a precursor to its follow up, 'Don't Hurt Yourself'; he suggests selling something in order to buy it. And judging by the uproarious, good-natured response he gets in return, half the audience will have set up a car-boot sale double-quick the next day.
Marillion encourage that kind of thing. These are the fans, remember, who are happy to help the band finance albums. They attend conventions at holiday camps they thought they'd left behind when they moved out of the family home. They turn up and sell out the Astoria on a seriously hot night and don't mutter, complain or wilt through the entire two-and-a-half-hour show.
Marillion have rewarded their fans well, however, 'Marbles' (available as a single or double CD – they are Marillion, after all) is a wonderful thing. Recorded over the best part of three years, it has borne fruit like no other Marillion album I can think of. Impassioned and light of touch, dashed then determined, 'Marbles' is gusto and regret, the maddening dark and the first hopeful ray of light.
As a band, they seem to sense this too, opening the show with the single-disc version of the album played in order, from beginning to end. Startling it may be, but there's still time for jokes. Hogarth is especially emboldened, cajoling and occasionally camp. He lays his head on the electric piano at the front of the stage as dramatically as Noel Coward might have done after a fall. He is as theatrical, too, all animated arms and arching eyebrows atop a Cheshire-cat grin.
"Beautiful guitar sound Steve Rothery has," a friend of mine notes, jabbing me with his elbow. "It is Dave Gilmour's guitar sound, though. Then again, I can't remember the last time I heard Dave Gilmour make that sound." (The friend in question once played guitar in a band that almost signed to Suede's label, and is prone to making pronouncements like these. Especially about guitars and the people who play them.) Rothery's playing might reference Pink Floyd, and Marillion – even the brave-new-world Marillion – still play songs a durable 10 minutes in length, but in a world where Muse headline Glastonbury and Radiohead top the American chart none of it seems so out of place. It's arguable that if Marillion had changed their name after Fish left, those would be the kind of worlds they would now inhabit. Rumination over such things is for another time, though.
The set is split into two, giving everyone the chance to draw breath after "Marbles" before they return with the mid-paced 'This Is The 21st Century', which causes the set to dip in the middle somewhat. But it' the closest they come to stalling all evening. The deliciously malicious (and quite unexpected, excuse the pun) 'Uninvited Guest' points and sneers, "Bridge" is a reminder that the concept album isn't such a tawdry notion, and 'Easter" may still be the best song any incarnation of Marillion have ever recorded.
They take gleeful bows, Hogarth persuading an abashed Ian Mosley down from behind his drums to link up with the band before a baying audience. There is still a glittering sheen from perspiration on the walls as the house lights come up.
A Spring in their Step
Ian D. Hall, The Evening Mail, 2 July 2004 (Wolverhampton Civic)
Marillion are one of the most under-rated bands of the past 20 years and they had the crowd at the almost sold out Civic Hall still with anticipation and longing.
During the first hour of the set, which revolved around the current album Marbles, they played the moody and atmospheric Invisible Man, their recent top then single You're Gone and the next release Don't Hurt Yourself. After a short break they wowed the audience by playing selected classics from Anoraknophobia and Seasons End, including the seminal Uninvited Guest.
Singer Steve Hogarth was on top form. He and the rest of the band had a spring in their stop that made them seem15 years younger.
An incredible evening was rounded off with two encores which included Cover My Eyes.
Oh To Be Embraced
by Marillion
Greg Nixon, Lancashire Evening Post, 2 July 2004 (Manchester Academy)
Some people just don't get Marillion and their lives must be an emptier place for it. Marillion isn't a band. It is an addiction and for many, a religion. They come from far and wide to worship at the altar, and tonight's church is the Manchester Academy.
Marillion's music embraces you then engulfs you. Once they get their hooks in you, there is no escape.
And tonight, you get the feeling something special is in the air. The band seemed to have been freed from their shackles by the recent success of a Top 10 single – You're Gone – which received a five minute ovation from the followers that took even the band by surprise.
All the weight of expectation has been lifted from their shoulders and they are out there to enjoy themselves.
It is a celebration of Marillion's battle against the odds – not so much to be accepted as respected.
Critically acclaimed album Marbles provides the first half of the set, singer Steve Hogarth shambling on stage dressed as a mild-mannered clerk underlining the darker menace of The Invisible Man.
Every soul-searching note wrung from Steve Rothery's guitar is received with rapturous appreciation.
Marillion combine their consummate musicianship with an energy and passion sadly lacking in the majority of today's so-called stars. They romp through set part one, lifting the spirits with Don't Hurt Yourself, then bringing the audience down with Fantastic Place, building to the crescendo of Neverland.
Then, it's a brief respite before they return with classic Hogarth-era Marillion.
As the foghorn strains of The Bridge echo across this hall, there is the false hope the band are launching into Brave – perhaps their finest moment to date – but after a brief dalliance with Hollow Men, The Party kicks in to start this little party in ernest.
After an encore of Uninvited Guest and Cover My Eyes, the evening is cruelly cut short by a curfew. A minor setback on a glorious night for Marillion and it's faithful legion.
Magical Marillion
Ashleigh Wallace, Belfast Telegraph, 5 July 2004 (Belfast Empire)
The ghost of Marillion past was well and truly exorcised last night with an intimate gig at Belfast's Empire.
Suited lead singer Steve Hogarth led the band on stage to perform a first half dominated with songs from their new album Marbles. And with a flawless voice, extremely charismatic stage presence and an intimate relationship with the audience, it proved to be an emotional evening for band and fans alike.
Recent top ten single You're Gone went down a treat as did Don't Hurt Yourself – which hits the shelves next week. And with all of the songs from Marbles lasting for a minimum of five minutes, the five-piece showed what masterful musicians they really are.
Some fans at last night's gig demanded Marillion play some Fish classics but there was no room for the former lead singer in 'House of Hogarth'.
After a brief break, the band were back to treat the packed Empire to some of their past hits.
Quartz and Between You and Me, taken from their last album Anoraknophobia, had the audience eating out of their hand.
But it was an encore that proved the high point of the evening. A clearly emotional Hogarth told the chanting crowd, who had been waiting for the climax, that it has been 17 years since Marillion had played Easter – written about Northern Ireland – to the people of Belfast.
"If this doesn't make me cry, then I'm a harder man than I thought" pronounced Hogarth, before launching into the song which had fans old and new alike singing with one voice.
The reaction of the audience of the audience after the final chords of Easter were played seemed to stun the band, who seemed loath to leave the stage.
And leave they did – but after the reception they received it might not be too long before they're back on these shores.
The Barrowlands crowd hadn't grown any younger since Marillion's last visit some five years ago.
Ageing men were in the majority.
With the gig played in two halves, the interminable rock ballads and hits of yore aired later in the night went down a storm with the faithful, but it was the new album Marbles, played in it's entirety, that really shone.
Singer Steve 'H' Hogarth crept on stage like Darth Vader, performing the three opening numbers, including the 15-minute burner The Invisible Man, in his pained madman poet guise.
The new material – mostly intense, stretched out pop songs with almost techno edge here and there – quite different to their abiding image as folky rockers.
Recent top ten single You're Gone sounded excellent. The jazz-tinged Angelina showed the band's musical maturity – surely their greatest asset. Much of the older material seemed overblown in comparison.
With interest from the likes of Radiohead and Paul Oakenfold, the world might be ready to re-evaluate this band. The grey pound may prove triumphant. Marillion seem poised to cash in.
Rock Review
Jay Richardson, The Scotsman, 8 July 2004 (Glasgow Barrowlands)
To Joe Public's surprise, the recent top-ten troubler You're Gone revealed that not only are Marillion decidedly not gone, they're no longer fronted by a man called Fish. Last seen floundering in the terrible Brit comedy Nine Dead Gay Guys, the Piscean one watched long time replacement Steve Hogarth lead the band through the latest album, Marbles, then a trawl through their back catalogue. The Invisible Man set the tone, an epic whale-call of a song morphing into a crashing sonic assault, Hogarth rasping authoritatively. It's unlikely to convert the uninitiated like the baubles of Marbles parts I to IV. But Marillion's fans are a passionate legion and a shimmering You're Gone and forthcoming single Don't Hurt Yourself deserve adulation. Fantastic Place, meanwhile, lost some of its understated elegance live, and the sweeping Neverland could have been pruned to little loss. Angelina, an early morning radio DJ tribute is dreamy and no better than she should be, while an unexpected highlight is the rocking B side The Damage, with Hogarth possessed by the spirit of Brett Anderson and guitarist Steve Rothery just possessed. Post-interval, This is the 21st Century bubbled with Mark Kelly's ambient synths, while Quartz resembled heave Crowded House. The Party was poundingly insistent, but Between You and Me had unfulfilled pretensions to U2 stadium rock. Finally, Hogarth cradling his cricket-bat guitar, the band encored with a thunderously received Uninvited Guest, Cover My Eyes and Easter
14 Jan 
May 
eWeb Newsletter Article 
Racket Club Studio Update / Podcast 
Tour Journal Entry 
