March 14, 2005 Club Iota, Arlington, Virginia

This was actually the closest show to our home in Baltimore. It was just about an hour away. So, it was just like a normal day with no major traveling involved. When we got to the club, we noticed that it was located just off of Wilson Boulevard. (Interesting). There were no advance ticket sales for this show. We just paid at the door. So, a large crowd had developed, waiting to pay for tickets and we listened as the band warmed up. We chatted until the club decided to take our money, then it was time to stand up against the tiny stage with it's Christmas lights for stage lights. That should give you an idea of how tiny the Iota Club is. Steven's microphone stand was just inches from me and the guy who stood next to me. Steven came out wearing shoes but he only kept them on long enough to get to the stage, which he had to walk through the crowd to get to. He took the shoes off before he started playing though. He told the crowd (the ones who hadn't already seen a Blackfield show in the last few days) about how the full band was not able to make it as planned. Then, he started playing "Even Less." When he introduced the next song, "Christenings", he made mention that he had made a complete disaster of it when he debuted it in Philadelphia a few days earlier. Apparently, he had told GK who was standing right behind me that he had flubbed the words, but since it was a new song to us, we didn't know. Steven finished out his set and said that Blackfield would be up next.


The band returned a few minutes later and that is when some problems began. If you remember how this tour began in Cambridge with SW breaking a string on the very first song of the first set. Well, on the opening song of the last set of the tour, the same thing happened. They start into Blackfield and everyone is digging it and then, snap! SW's guitar string breaks. Steven makes a yell out and, for a few minutes, we are treading water. "GK, do you have your PRS with you?" Jordan Rudess seized the opportunity for an impromptu keyboard solo (which was dazzling) as we waited while the crew tuned Aviv's white PRS and Andy restrung Steven's black PRS. With all of that done, we were off and into the Blackfield again and the songs continued in the same order as the previous shows until the end of "Pain." Then, Aviv's acoustic guitar broke a string. No big deal. Let's just change the set list while this guitar gets restrung. So, Aviv switched to keyboards for "Epidemic" and "Thank You" until the guitar was restrung and they could continue.


The rest of the show went fairly well with no more major problems and the D.C. area crowd really seemed to enjoy the show. There were some fans there that were fans from way back and there were a bunch of folks who had never seen Steven Wilson before with Porcupine Tree or with Blackfield. There were no cameras allowed at this show. D.C. area shows seem to be more strict about some concert going rules that other cities are more relaxed about. So, that is my concert tip to those of you who travel and see shows in other cities.

After the show, the band came out and hung out with the crowd and signed stuff and chatted. I told Steven that it was my 38th birthday on the 8th of March and it was my present to myself to spend the past week in the Blackfield. He said that he was honored that I thought that it was a worthwhile birthday present. I told him that it was one Birthday that I would remember for a very long time. Wouldn't you?

SET LIST

STEVEN WILSON SET
Even Less
Christenings
How Is Your Life Today?
Lullaby
The Day Before You Came

BLACKFIELD SET
Blackfield
Glow
The Hole In Me
Pain
Epidemic
Thank You
Summer
Miss U
Cloudy Now
Feel So Low
Hello

ENCORE
Pain (again) (With an extended spacey keyboard intro by Jordan Rudess)