The Extraordinarily Unexciting Lives Of Bubala, Mumi & Max: Our Long Weekend Under The Porcupine Tree

Boston: October 5, 2006

Well, I guess we've somewhat recovered from our adventures under the Porcupine Tree, but like my friend Moonlo0p said to me, one show makes her feel like she was hit by a truck. Imagine what four shows in a row in four different cities makes you feel like. I feel like we should have gone to the West coast shows. That's what I feel like. Last year, we did six shows in seven days. Oh, you just wait Bubala. Next time...

So, now that I've unpacked my adjectives, it's time to tell the tale. We headed north to Boston on 10/5/06 for the first show. Our first stop after checking into the hotel was at an in-store appearance at Newbury Comics where we ran into our Boston area peeps. (I mean Porcs!) We even ran into a couple of locals we that see at Blowoff from time to time who were traveling and decided to see PT up North. The in-store had enough room for 30 folks or so and about 200 showed up. I made it into the crowded place and heard the band play and took a few pics. Later, I chatted with Steven Wilson and guitarist John Wesley who both remembered us from past shows and tours.

The band enjoys playing up in this area at the Berklee Performance Center because it's right near the Berklee College Of Music and there are a lot of folks around that area that really like Prog Rock and Porcupine Tree. I think it's cool because everyone walks around with their guitars on their backs. The Berklee show went well enough. We had VIP front row tickets for this one. The band were a bit jet-lagged having just flew in from the UK and Steven had developed a slight cough. Still, they put on one hell of a great show for the sold out Berklee gig.

New York City: October 6, 2006

The next day, we got up and headed down the road to New York City. We made it there by around 3pm, and we were in line for the show by 4pm. We ran into even more Porcs who were saving us a place in line. This was a general admission show at the Nokia Theatre. I have to be right up front at every P-Tree show. It's a tradition. I've seen PT 23 times and there were only 2 times that I was not in the front row. So, we ordered Chinese food from a restaurant across the street and sat down in line in Times Square and had dinner while waiting for the doors to open. As soon as they did, I ran down to the front of the stage as fast as I could and that's where I remained for the rest of the night.

PT only played six shows on this tour here in the U.S. to promote their new DVD, Arriving Somewhere. It's available now. (I think.) The DVD was filmed in Chicago and Bubala and I were there right in the front row for that show too. We are all over the DVD. So, you should buy it so you can look for us.

The band was also using this tour to introduce brand new material that they are about to start recording. So, the first hour of the show was all new songs, and they are really great. One of them is about 17 minutes long. I'm sure it is going to be a huge hit single. The New York City show was rocking. The jet lag was gone and the Tree were starting to ignite on stage.

We saw a few of the band members after the show and chatted with them and took a few pics. We also ran into a couple from Quebec City that we met last year in Chicago.

The next day, we spent some time shopping and went to Central Park and walked around, before heading South to Philadelphia.

Philadelphia: October 7, 2006

We got to the Keswick Theatre and were greeted by even more Porcs in the parking lot. A very hardcore PT audience has developed around here. As always, Studio M was at the Philly shows to take great pics. There was a gathering of fans at a local tavern, so we had dinner there.

We had V.I.P. front row tickets for this sold out show as well, which meant that we both got a limited edition numbered and autographed copy of the new DVD. There were 2000 of these limited DVD's pressed. I hear that the band got #1 through #50. I got 51 and 57 and a few numbers in the 200's. (Yes, I have 5 copies of the DVD.)

The opening act for the four east coast shows was the debut of ProjeKCt 6, a band featuring Adrian Belew and Robert Fripp from King Crimson. They played very modern improvisational kind of music that changed and evolved each night. It was challenging to listen to, but I'm a big fan so it just made for a great double bill, in my opinion.

We ran into more Porcs that we had previously met at the Chicago shows. They were from Kentucky and were doing the Philly and Virginia shows.

The atmosphere was very hardcore, and the band spent extra time mingling with the crowd after the show. The band can be very accessible for questions, autographs, and pictures. Because of this, it makes them even more special. And their fans are really cool as well. Most of them are either musicians or are very into music, and they are usually pretty intelligent too.

D.C. Or Falls Church: October 8, 2006

PT has played at the 9:30 Club the last three times that they have been in town. This year, they decided to play a different venue over in Northern Virginia called The State Theater. It is a nice place and the sold out show was just charged up with energy as both bands played great sets.

I ran into my DC Porcs and one of them even gave me a bootleg of a previous show from this tour. So, I can go home and listen to the new Porcupine Tree album before it gets recorded and released. Now that is what I call NEW MUSIC.

Yes, I was right up front again for this show. Richard, the keyboardist for the band asked me afterward if my neck could still hold up my head. You see, I am a bobble head and I am spiritually possessed while under the Porcupine Tree to bang my head against it's trunk. Steven quite likes it because he comes over and plays his guitar in front of me just inches from my face.

After the show, I said my goodbyes to the band and Bubala and I got to play photographer for some of the DC Porcs. Sigh! Another PT tour is over, and I am sad.

Oh yeah, just in case you think that Bubala is getting the better of me with all the roller coasters this summer and then this Cyndi Lauper concert, you just wait until next year Bubala! First, Steven Wilson comes back in February with Blackfield and then again in the spring with Porcupine Tree. And, as if that's not enough, Rush should be back on the road and Marillion may come back to the U.S. too.

You just wait Bubala. I let you have it easy this year, but next year we go bi-coastal for our adventures under the Porcupine Tree.

The Fall season’s line of Porcupine Tree fashion apparel:

The "Arriving Somewhere" black T-Shirt and knit cap.