Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Marillion
Label: EMI Records
Released: 2002
Running time: 70:24
Rating: 4.5/5
»Anorak in the UK: Live« is a live album by ‘Britain’s best-kept musical secret’, recorded on the tour supporting their then-current studio album »Anoraknophobia« (2001). It was their third official live release, and the second with singer Steve ‘H’ Hogarth in the lineup after »Made Again« (1996). The album came out in two different versions. The regular one, which you could pick up in half the shops and which came out on EMI, was a single disc, while the diehards could order the expanded double version through the official Marillion website. The cover, just like on »Anoraknophobia«, features a bunch of ‘Barrys’, the band’s answer to the popular Kenny character from the controversial American animated series South Park.
»Anorak in the UK: Live« collects live performances from the band’s shows in Manchester, Wolverhampton and London. All three gigs took place back to back toward the end of May 2001. Unsurprisingly, »Anoraknophobia« got priority in the selection, since Marillion played more than half of the songs from that seriously good record on this tour. Funnily enough, songs from »Anoraknophobia« rarely make it into their live repertoire these days, while for roughly five years after the album’s original release they played them at almost every opportunity. Either way, »Anorak in the UK: Live«, especially in its double version, is a wonderful live document that catches a band in cracking form, visibly enjoying playing the new songs live while a pretty loud crowd urged them on.
The goofy but energetic »Separated Out«, a tongue-in-cheek dedication to all the loyal fans, was surely a slightly odd choice for an opener, while the excellent »Quartz« comes off far more interesting, with Marillion taking a little time to stretch out and improvise. The charismatic Hogarth keeps the atmosphere mighty with his bravura singing the whole way through, while guitarist Steve Rothery and keyboardist Mark Kelly, as usual, are the main guarantors of subtlety in the individual arrangements. The complex, playful rhythmic partnership between bassist Pete Trewavas and drummer Ian Mosley treats itself to a few witty improvisational whims here and there, but never strays from the shape of the songs. The production, which they put together with longtime collaborator Dave Meegan, is superb, and most of the performances sound fully on par with the studio versions.
The melodic rock ballad »Map of the World« lifts the upbeat mood even higher, and then, for a fitting contrast, they play the dramatic and melancholy closer »Out of This World«, dedicated to the ill-fated water speed record chaser Donald Campbell. The cheerful atmosphere comes back with the punchy rocker »Between You And Me«, which counts among their, let’s say, more ‘commercial’ efforts of the past decade. It’s mainly there to crank up the temperature in the hall. The classic »The Great Escape«, one of the highlights of this recording, successfully conjures up memories of their wonderful concept masterpiece »Brave« (1994), while with a bravura performance of »King«, dedicated to all fallen ‘stars’, they go back to »Afraid of Sunlight« (1995), likewise one of their finest achievements.
The experimental carousel ride »If My Heart Were a Ball It Would Roll Uphill« convincingly catches the band members on the wings of an unbridled art rock adventure and gives everyone a chance for some longer solo detours. The biggest surprise of the whole recording is a very good version of the standard »Waiting to Happen«, which comes from the somewhat unjustly forgotten (at the time) album »Holidays In Eden« (1991). The recording wraps up in a thoroughly fine and intimate way, with a performance of the beautiful ballad »Easter«, which takes them back the furthest, to H’s first album with Marillion, »Seasons End« (1989). This version of »Easter« is only on the single-disc version of »Anorak in the UK: Live« and not on the double. Still, there’s no reason to accuse the band of forcing their most devoted fans to buy the single edition as well, since this version of »Easter« came out as a bonus on other official and semi-official live collections.
The double version of »Anorak in the UK: Live«, available only by ordering through the official Marillion website, contains performances of songs from the three albums that came out before »Anoraknophobia«, namely »This Strange Engine« (1997), Radiation« (1998) and »Marillion.com« (1999). Standards from those three albums are sorely missed on the single-disc edition, so it’s a joy that the ‘expanded’ version includes strong performances of some often ‘forgotten’ standards like »Man of a Thousand Faces«, »Rich«, »Go!« and »The Answering Machine«. On top of that, the double edition also has the »Brave« standard »Mad«, while the songs from »Anoraknophobia« are rounded out by »This Is the 21st Century« and »When I Meet God«. That means the ballad »The Fruit of the Wild Rose« is the only »Anoraknophobia« song that’s ‘missing’ from the double edition.
»Anorak in the UK: Live« is a vivid, high-energy document of what Marillion looked like on stage at the start of the 21st century. Anyone who loves »Anoraknophobia« will get their money’s worth from this live recording, since every standard from that studio effort sounds great live, while plenty of people, especially on the single-disc edition, may miss quite a few longtime favorites they’ll be hunting for in vain with a ‘magnifying glass’. Despite a solid 70 minutes of running time, the single-disc version of »Anorak in the UK: Live« is over far too quickly, so, even without the superb version of »Easter«, longtime fans are strongly advised to order the double version, which has twice as much music as the ‘regular’ edition.
Line-up
Steve Hogarth – vocals
Steve Rothery – guitar
Pete Trewavas – bass guitar
Mark Kell – keyboards
Ian Mosley – drums
Production
Dave Meegan
Track list
1. Intro / Separated Out
2. Quartz
3. Map of the World
4. Out of This World
5. Between You and Me
6. The Great Escape
7. King
8. If My Heart Were a Ball it Would Roll Uphill
9. Waiting To Happen
10. Easter
