THE PINEAPPLE THIEF – RELEASE WHERE WE STOOD – THE CONCERT FILM ON 29TH SEPTEMBER THROUGH KSCOPE

THE SPECTACULAR FINAL PERFORMANCE OF THEIR YOUR WILDERNESS TOUR FEATURING GAVIN HARRISON ON DRUMS

Bringing to close an unforgettable 14-date European Winter tour of their 2016 summer hit album Your WildernessThe Pineapple Thief, led by post-progressive mastermind Bruce Soord and reinforced by Gavin Harrison (King Crimson) on drums with Darran Charles (Godsticks) on guitar, gave the sold-out Islington Assembly Hall in London a truly awe-inspiring gig on 11th February 2017. Where We Stood showcases a powerful performance from both band regulars and guests on new tracks from Your Wilderness, including “In Exile“, “No Man’s Land” and “The Final Thing On My Mind“, and of the classics from previous albums, “Nothing At Best“, “Show A Little Love” and “Simple As That“.

Bruce Soord says about the show and release “It was our last show of the tour and our biggest headline show ever. We had 15 cameras, a massive jib, but more importantly – a sell-out crowd!  The pressure was indeed on, but it’s safe to say that the stars aligned for us that night and it turned out to be one of the most memorable performances of our career so far.

We’ve thrown everything but the kitchen sink at this special edition blu-ray.  It has the full show; documentary footage and interviews; and 2 different 5.1 surround mixes (one natural, one discrete) – all in high resolution 24/96 stereo.  It also has our last album ‘Your Wilderness’ in stereo and surround, plus the special ‘8 Years Later’ album in stereo with a brand-new surround mix too.  All of that plus 5 acoustic tracks (also stereo and surround) and loads of bonus videos. This is without doubt the definitive ‘Your Wilderness’ release.” 

Where We Stood will be released on the following

Deluxe 12” 4 disc hardbook featuring:

·       48-page hardback book includes additional photography from the gig and back stage by PROG magazine’s Kevin Nixon

·       2 x audio CDs containing the live concert recordings with a bonus live recording 

·       1 x DVD and 1 x Blu-Ray disc featuring:  the concert film with two 24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound mixes (one natural, one discrete) and 24/96 hi-res stereo audio; the original Your Wilderness album in both 24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound and 24/96 hi-res stereo audio; the previously exclusive and sold out 8 Years Later bonus material 24/96 hi-res stereo audio plus a previously unreleased 24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound mix; an acoustic 5-track bonus album in 24/96 hi-res stereo audio and 24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround; a Where We Stood documentary film a making-of video for the single “In Exile”; Soord’s acoustic studio performance of “Tear You Up”; and the official videos for “In Exile” and “No Man’s Land”. 

2 Disc CD & DVD Mediabook

·       20 page booklet

  • CD Where We Stood 14 original album tracks 

·       DVD-V Where We Stood the concert film with two 24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound mixes (one natural, one discrete) and 24/96 hi-res stereo audio; the original Your Wilderness album in both 24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound and 24/96 hi-res stereo audio; the previously exclusive and sold out 8 Years Later bonus material in both 24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound and 24/96 hi-res stereo audio; an acoustic 5-track bonus album in 24/96 hi-res stereo audio; a Where We Stood documentary film a making-of video for the single “In Exile”; Soord’s acoustic studio performance of “Tear You Up”; and the official videos for “In Exile” and “No Man’s Land”.

 

Blu-Ray featuring:

·       The concert film featuring:  the concert film with two 24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound mixes (one natural, one discrete) and 24/96 hi-res stereo audio; the original Your Wilderness album in both 24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound and 24/96 hi-res stereo audio; the previously exclusive and sold out 8 Years Later bonus material 24/96 hi-res stereo audio plus a previously unreleased 24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround sound mix; an acoustic 5-track bonus album in 24/96 hi-res stereo audio and 24/96 DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround; a Where We Stood documentary film a making-of video for the single “In Exile”; Soord’s acoustic studio performance of “Tear You Up”; and the official videos for “In Exile” and “No Man’s Land”.

Double gatefold 180g heavy weight LP featuring:

·       live recordings from the performance as a double LP pressed on to 180g heavyweight audiophile vinyl presented in a gatefold packaging 

 
The Pineapple Thief will be returning to the live arena for further Your Wilderness shows in September 2017 – dates below

Soord continues “Watching the show back, it’s reminded us of how much we’re looking forward to getting back on stage again in September for Part 2 of the ‘Your Wilderness’ tour.  If it turns out to be half as much fun as the last one then we simply cannot wait!

September 2017

6th – DE Dresden, Alter Schlachtof

7th – PL Warsaw, Progesja Music Zone

8th – PL Krakow, Kwadrat Music Club

9th – Czech Republic Brno – Melodka

10th – DE Munich, Backstage Halle

11th – CH Zurich, Dynamo

12th – DE Stuttgart, Universum

13th – DE Cologne, Luxor

14th –  NL Zoetermeer, De Boerderij

16th – UK London, ULU

17th – UK Bristol, Bierkeller

(Godsticks in support)

What the press said about Your Wilderness:

“Prepare to fall in love.” Kerrang! (UK)

‘An outstanding and astonishingly refreshing release’ 10/10 Powerplay Magazine (UK)

‘Amplifier busting riffage’  – Prog Magazine

“…technically close to perfection but also emotionally intoxicating.” 8/10 – MBEAT (DE)
“…reveals this band’s skill in balancing individually accessible tracks with a larger emotive concept. The Pineapple Thief is a band to watch out for” PopMatters (USA)
“you will fall in love with what you are hearing, a decisive piece of artistic wonderment.”  9/10 Wall of Sound (AUS)

‘…Soord stole our heart again… IO Pages (NL)

‘…really beautiful album…’ LustForLife (NL) 

The Pineapple Thief online:

Website: www.thepineapplethief.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepineapplethief

Twitter: www.twitter.com/pineapplethief

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thepineapplethief

Spotify: https://play.spotify.com/artist/4lrBMUSk8PiNnCEZfsmPAk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE6401DB011BD837E

Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/the-pineapple-thief/id278648772

NEW TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED FOR THE PINEAPPLE THIEF, FEATURING GAVIN HARRISON

The Pineapple Thief have announced the second leg of their European tour in support of the critically-acclaimed album Your Wilderness. The new dates will see the band venture into Poland and Switzerland along with shows in Germany, Czech Republic, The Netherlands and UK. See a full list below.

The band will again be joined by virtuoso Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson) on drums and Darran Charles (Godsticks) on guitar. As anyone who witnessed the shows earlier this year will attest, the new five-piece line-up has allowed Bruce, Steve and Jon to expand upon their signature sound, enabling the band to truly shine on stage.

For a glimpse of what to expect, fans can watch clips of the band’s sparkling performance at London’s Islington Assembly Hall here:

Tour dates

Wednesday, 6 September 2017 – Dresden, Alter Schlachtof

Thursday, 7 September 2017 – Warsaw, Progesja Music Zone

Friday, 8 September 2017 – Krakow, Kwadrat Music Club

Saturday, 9 September 2017 – Czech Republic Brno – Melodka

Sunday, 10 September 2017 – Munich, Backstage Halle

Monday, 11 September 2017 – Zurich, Dynamo

Tuesday, 12 September 2017 – Stuttgart, Universum

Wednesday, 13 September 2017 – Cologne, Luxor

Thursday, 14 September 2017 – Zoetermeer, De Boerderij

Saturday, 16 September 2017 – London, ULU

Sunday, 17 September 2017 – Bristol, Bierkeller

For more information and ticket details – http://pineapplethief.com/tour

Following a triumphant first leg, with several sold out shows, The Pineapple Thief has emerged as one of the most exciting live progressive rock acts on the circuit and a force to be reckoned with. Prog Magazine described the show as “a dynamic, dramatic experience” while Manchester Rocks commented that it’s “The Pineapple Thief, like you’ve never heard them before”.

“We can’t wait to get back on the road again!” explains band leader Bruce Soord. “Personally, I am really excited that people will have another opportunity to see and hear this fantastic line-up. Darran and Gavin have brought a whole new dimension to this band.”

The band will be performing Your Wilderness plus a string of re-imagined favourites from their back catalogue. These will be the last tour dates this year, and the final opportunity for fans to witness this line-up performing Your Wilderness in its entirety. Special guest support is from Kscope label mates Godsticks, who will be performing brand new material from their upcoming fourth album.

Your Wilderness is the 11th studio album from The Pineapple Thief. For the first time, the band brought in several special guest performers: Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree) contributed drums throughout the album, John Helliwell (Supertramp) some beautiful clarinet parts, and Geoffrey Richardson (Caravan) provided a string quartet. They were also joined by a 4-piece choir and to cap it all off, Darran Charles (Godsticks) added some jaw dropping guitar playing.

One of the most exciting bands to come out of the UK progressive rock scene in recent times, The Pineapple Thief was formed in 1999 by founder and chief songwriter Bruce Soord. The band has steadily evolved and refined its sound with the bass playing of Jon Sykes and the production and keyboards of Steve Kitch vital ingredients of the unmistakable TPT sound.

The Pineapple Thief online:

Website: www.thepineapplethief.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepineapplethief

Twitter: www.twitter.com/pineapplethief

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thepineapplethief

Spotify: https://play.spotify.com/artist/4lrBMUSk8PiNnCEZfsmPAk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE6401DB011BD837E

Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/the-pineapple-thief/id278648772

THE PINEAPPLE THIEF – ANNOUNCE HEADLINE YOUR WILDERNESS TOUR FEATURING GAVIN HARRISON

Your_Wilderness_cover

The Pineapple Thief have announced a string of European dates for early 2017 in support of their highly acclaimed new album, ‘Your Wilderness’. The band will be joined by virtuoso Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, King Crimson) on drums.  

 “We always said that we couldn’t imagine touring the material live without Gavin on stage’, explains band leader Bruce Soord, ”We’re so excited that we have made it happen. It’s a real once in a lifetime event.” 

20.01 Patronaat, Haarlem NL
21.01 Uden, De Pul NL
22.01 Zwolle, Hedon NL
24.01 Aschaffenburg, Colos Saal DE
25.01 Oberhausen, Eisenlager DE
26.01 Berlin, Frannz club DE
27.01 Prague, Futurum Music Bar CZ
28.01 Dresden, Tante Ju DE
29.01 Hamburg, Knust DE
31.01 Maastricht, Muziekgieterij NL
01.02 Paris, Le Divan Du Monde FR
09.02 Glasgow, ABC2 UK
10.02 Manchester, Sound Control UK
11.02 London, Islington Assembly Hall UK

For more information and ticket details – http://pineapplethief.com/tour

The band will be performing Your Wilderness plus a string of re-imagined favourites from their back catalogue, and with an expanded 5-piece line-up including Darran Charles on additional guitar duties, this will be a live show not to be missed.  Special guest support is from Kscope label mates Godsticks.

Your Wilderness, their 11th studio album, showcases the band performing without any inhibitions providing a springboard for the ongoing creative growth of The Pineapple Thief. 

For the first time, The Pineapple Thief brought in several special guest performers: Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree) contributed drums throughout the album, John Helliwell (Supertramp) some beautiful clarinet parts, and Geoffrey Richardson (Caravan) provided a string quartet. They were also joined by a 4-piece choir and to cap it all off, Darran Charles (Godsticks) added some jaw dropping guitar playing. 

Seen as one of the most vital rock bands the UK has produced over the last two decades, The Pineapple Thief was formed in 1999 by founder and chief songwriter Bruce Soord. The band has steadily evolved and refined its sound with the bass playing of Jon Sykes and the production and keyboards of Steve Kitch vital ingredients to the unmistakable TPT sound.

Your Wilderness has been released by Kscope on CD / LP / Digital and as a Deluxe hardback book 2 CD+DVD set: www.kscopemusic.com/store

WATCH THE VIDEO FOR “IN EXILE ” HERE

The Pineapple Thief – In Exile (from Your Wilderness) – YouTube

The Pineapple Thief – In Exile (from Your Wilderness) on Vimeo

WATCH AN  ACOUSTIC VERSION OF “TEAR YOU UP ” RECORDED AT SOORD STUDIOS HERE:

https://youtu.be/l-1awi26pBs

https://vimeo.com/181043820

The Pineapple Thief online:

Website: www.thepineapplethief.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepineapplethief

Twitter: www.twitter.com/pineapplethief

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thepineapplethief

Spotify: https://play.spotify.com/artist/4lrBMUSk8PiNnCEZfsmPAk

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE6401DB011BD837E

Apple Music: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/the-pineapple-thief/id278648772

Review – Your Wilderness – The Pineapple Thief – By Kevin Thompson

Your_Wilderness_cover

About fifteen years ago I was rooting through a ‘bargain’ box of CD’s and came across one called ‘Jet Set Radio’, by Vulgar Unicorn, intrigued by the name and attracted by the price it found a place in my growing collection.

Then there was a time I collected my children for an all too rare visit from their Mum’s in Yeovil, a place full of history but devastated by modernity. As I wound up a hill toward their dingy council estate, I passed a theatre on the side of which a poster advertised a band, The Pineapple Thief (TPT). Again intrigued by the name I sought out what information I could and acquired ‘137’ and ‘Variations on a Dream’, and to this day they have remained my favourite two CDs of this band’s output; until this day…..

I still marvel how I came across this band and the fact I never realised the link between Vulgar Unicorn and TPT until a number of years later whilst browsing the sleeve notes to find the name Bruce Soord appeared on both. Now an established and sought after producer, dabbling in Wisdom of Crowds (with Katatonia’s Jonas Renkse) and with a solo album under his belt that appears to have rejuvenated his musical intent he returns with the 11th studio offering under the TPT monicker, ‘Your Wilderness’.

Fresh from watching their stunning performance at Be Prog My Friend festival in Spain, as headliners on the Friday evening, (report available here on Progradar), I had mixed emotions about reviewing this. I have always really liked this band and rate them alongside Porcupine Tree (PT), though I have never agreed with the comparisons in music style that some seem to find.

That said, whilst brilliantly produced and lovingly packaged, I had felt the last couple of albums, despite credible reviews, had an air of frustration and the feeling of treading water. I had feared that as have others, their ascendency and Bruce’s rising popularity in the industry may turn them into mediocrity and (the only comparison I will draw) that they may fade and disappear like PT. You stupid boy, Thompson!

Band 2

The cover picture could be interpreted as being in a wilderness and facing a difficult summit to climb, but I should have more faith……

A drum beat introduction leads in to Bruce’s distinct vocals as he berates being In Exile and the one line repeated chorus of “Don’t be afraid to miss me” ensures from the offset this album is not going to go amiss.  As the music swells and the guitar riffs in identifiable TPT style dig in to your mind the song ends with notes from stalwart Steve Kitch‘s keyboards ricocheting into a distant canyon at the beginning of this musical pilgrimage.

Beautiful acoustic strumming and the inimitable airy vocals from Bruce take up the journey into No Man’s Land,  and are joined by Steve’s piano for the ride. Slight pause for effect then the percussive rolls of guest drummer Gavin Harrison, (I know, Porcupine Tree, but still no comparisons) kick in redefining the sound, with Bruce’s cries floating over the top as further guest Darran Charles’ (Godsticks) guitars burst in with spine tingling energy and the bass playing of third man in the core trio, Jon Sykes, more than ably drives the engine of this vehicle through the canyon of music.

It has to be said that not having a permanent drummer at the moment does not detract. In fact, whilst bringing their own individual skills to the table, all the guest artists knit neatly into the TPT signature sound, adding a refreshing impetus.

Acoustic chords and a burst of electric guitar shoot out and Bruce advises he cannot Tear You Up, before the guitar flashes a short burst again and leaves way to the piano and vocals before crashing in with a heavy riff adding more energy to the drive and it definitely begins to feel like all these currents run to you, as it ends abruptly on those words.

The rhythms and riffs weave in and out returning at intervals on this album, linking tracks and  connecting to the whole pathway of the album.

Band 3 - Rob Monk

A gentler electronic sound with rhythm loops, like the breeze stirring desert sands along a dried up river, drifting across That Shore that once teemed with life. As the layered harmonizing echoes round a moonlit sky and you pull in for a rest, contemplating the aural massage of notes soothing your brow as you watch the sunrise.

As the orb rises in the sky, light guitar chords spread across the track and the bass heats up,  Bruce encourages it’s time to make your move. You had best get under-way and Take Your Shot at the listening journey ahead as you are carried on another racing track, kicking dust in the face of non believers as you hurtle down the gravel road in search of musical pastures ahead and your tail-lights disappear into the early morning haze.

A feeling of calm guides you on acoustic guitar, keys and dreamy soundscapes as you wind down the car window and a cool breeze of clarinet from John Helliwell (Supertramp) gently ruffles the balmy air. You are all alone no one around in this wide expanse and you must Fend For Yourself  if you wish to discover what lies ahead. Calmly you make your way fingers drumming on the wheel to the gentle rhythm of the engine and a feeling of contentment with Bruce’s vocals imparting the details of where you are heading, to the woodwind.

Looping guitar chords fuel the drums as you make your way and Bruce urges you not to forget The Final Thing on Your Mind as the heat of the the music swells carrying you on, with orchestral lines guiding you down the straight track. The keyboards plot the course on the penultimate longest track, regret in Bruce’s  restrained vocals at a broken relationship gone cold. Hurrying strings set the pace, the guitar solo points you toward your destination and the ticking of your engine sees this out.

As early evening approaches acoustic guitar shows you a coast coming into view, the familiar lights of a city flickering on as the sun drops away, almost there and Bruce reminds us of  Where We Stood at the start, a warm but fading memory. The echoing guitar and final piano refrain guides us smoothly home.

You can stand in the musical desert, you can blink at the sun and not want to go anywhere, or wish you were back where it all started. On this album, for me, the band seem to have regained focus and direction, overtaking their recent output and whilst I look back to the grand canyons they have journeyed before, I am more than happy to take a ride with them and see what lies ahead. Join us if you wish, there’s plenty of room and the ride is sweet.

All bands pics – credit Rob Monk.

Released 12th August 2016 (19th August in France).

Buy ‘Your Wilderness’ from Burning Shed

 

BE PROG MY FRIEND! Festival 2016 – by Kevin Thompson

KF_Amorphis_PosterA1.eps

We’re English and we should be used to it, but let’s face it, there has been too much rain lately. An excuse, that’s what we needed. And then a poster appeared online for Be Prog, My Friend!, in Spain and the band list was just too tempting. Sun and great music has to be good and so Mrs T and I took the plunge, raided our piggy banks and booked gig tickets, flights and a hotel. Neither of us speaks Spanish, so armed with our little phrasebook we took off for warmer climes. This is not the story of our excellent weekend , but just the periods of the two days covering the festival, so I won’t be mentioning the delicious food, the wonderful Museum of Modern Art, or the exquisitely beautiful Sagrada Familia and the impressive Camp Nou. Nor will I mention the impressive buildings, statues, waterfalls or fountains at all.

We decided to recce the whereabouts of the the festival venue the day before, which turned out to be a very pleasant 30-40 minute walk from our hotel. This is not the first BPMF, though new to us and was to be held in the Poble Espanyol, an architectural museum in Barcelona, just a few meters away from the Fountains of Montjuïc.

The Poble Espanyol was built in 1929 for the Barcelona International Exhibition as the pavilion dedicated to art and was conceived as a real “village” in the heart of a city. The aim was to give an idea of what might be an “ideal model” of an Iberian village that would bring together all the characteristics of all peninsular villages. It was built in thirteen months and, curiously, had an expiry date, as it was supposed to last the same time as the Universal Exhibition: six months. However, thanks to its success, the Poble Espanyol still stands to this day, and some of the buildings have outlived the original ones to become one of the few monuments built for an International Exhibition that can still be visited.

The Festival is held in the central courtyard and is a beautiful setting with olive and palm tree lined  stone balustrade terraces, balconies draped with colourful plants and parakeets flying overhead. A far cry from soggy Glastonbury.

All your needs are catered for with ample eateries, bars and facilities and we never had to queue more than a couple of minutes for anything. It is the best organised festival we have been to and clean, as most people placed used food and drink containers in the bins provided when discarded, a few drunk ‘tourists’ being the exception and they were berated in to tidying up. There were even lockers available should you wish to offload items/garments and return to them during the day/night. Security was good and polite along with excellent service without hiked prices. The merchandise was plenty and I did indulge a little, again nothing was overpriced. So…….

DAY 1: Friday – 1700:

kEV 1

We arrived in good time and joined the line, people were friendly and my all over print PALLAS t-shirt drew quite a few admiring glances, there was quite a bit of t-shirt posing with everyone checking out each others. I got chatting to a guy in a Ltd edition Sanctuary 2 t-shirt and discovered he was a local and a big fan of Rob Reed. Entry to the Friday night was free if you had tickets for the Saturday, bargain!

We were soon through, into the festival and as we were some of the first, took the chance to get our bearings and map out the facilities, grabbing tokens for the food and drinks for both nights to save time and buying our merch. It was lovely and warm with a gentle, pleasant breeze circulating and the sun sat neatly at the edge of the courtyard roofs offering welcome shade. We found seating on some of the stone steps giving a great view, though standing and moving around at intervals was required to prevent ‘numb bums’.

Kev 4

Up first were local band, Exassens, (www.exxasens.com), formed in 2011, I’d describe them as an instrumental rock band, or post-rock, but with hints of progressive and space rock. A mix of different sounds, where guitars with long echoes, blend with synths and a powerful rhythmic base, displaying many influences such as Pink Floyd and The Cure, through to instrumental bands like Explosions in the Sky or Mogwai. The solar system backdrop videos adding to the atmosphere and they warmed the late afternoon crowd up nicely. Whilst mostly instrumental, Bruce Soord did make a surprise appearance to duet on vocals for one track raising a cheer from those watching.

Kev 2

As the venue began to fill we were joined by a bunch of Spanish lads and a lady (girlfriend) who explained they had grown up together in Barcelona and then gone their separate ways. The festival is their excuse to meet and catch up every year. They spoke fairly good English and we joked about our phrase book Spanish. They seemed to value our opinions on the bands and made for a very pleasant company throughout the evening. Konnie wasn’t complaining as the lads kept topping up her drinks!

Up next were Obsidian Kingdom, (www.obsidiankingdom.com) another local band with a hard-to-classify heavy sound with plenty of contrast, making use of multiple sound resources. Unfortunately the sombre and cryptic quality of the band’s lyrics and music coupled with muddied sound, brought the atmosphere down somewhat. I don’t have any live shots unfortunately as we had been led to believe no cameras were allowed (not true) and the heavy use of smoke in the early evening sun blurred my phone photos. Listening to them online now they sound better than on the day.

Plastic glasses refilled we were ready for the much anticipated Russian band, I Am The Morning and they didn’t disappoint. The captivating, angelic vocals of a barefoot Marjana Semkina as she floated round the stage, with the beautiful keys of classically trained piano maestro Gleb Kolyadin drifting around the square. They enchanted all and were ably assisted with strings and backing band. Flowers were thrown on stage and they won our hearts, someone even shouted out ‘Marry Me Marjana!”. They captivated everyone watching with a quite magical performance and deserve a wider audience.

Kev 3

By now the sun was beginning to set behind the buildings and the lamps in the square came on adding to the ambience as we discussed the music so far and waited for the next act.

Kev 5

On to the stage bounced the surprise of the festival for us, with much enthusiastic applause from our Spanish friends who had advised us ‘this band is brilliant, yes’. I had seen the current album cover but not heard any of the music from Icelandic band Agent Fresco (www.agentfresco.is) and what an awesome show. Think a male version of Bjork with a band coming from a Rage Against The Machine/At the Drive In angle and you’re some-way to describing them. The mechanics and rhythmic patterns unpredictably stutter, yet seamlessly stitch together into stunning compositions veering from blazing alt-guitar rock to piano ballads and stadium-size anthems, often in the same song, to decisive euphoric effect. All this with lead singer Arnór Dan Arnarson defying doctors orders after leaving hospital only 48 hours earlier, having been treated for pneumonia and told he had to rest. They left us breathless and wanting more and we hope Arnór is soon fully recovered and we get the opportunity to see them again.

Kev 6

The night had drawn in and we settled down ready for the head-liners, the excitement was palpable and voices rose as the anticipation grew. The stage planning and crews had made smooth transitions between the different acts, removing and replacing equipment with practised ease showing very little delay, keeping close to schedule but allowing time for ample refreshments.

Kev 7

Enter head-liners of the night The Pineapple Thief to resounding applause, as they burst into a repertoire, which plundered their catalogue as far back as Variations on a Dream including a ‘shortened’ version of one of my favourites, ‘Remember Us’ with some great guitar soloing. An apt track as the crowd were not going to forget this performance for a long while. Konnie remarked how much they have grown in the ‘live’ environment, the last time we saw them was in a very small, intimate venue and tonight they looked so comfortable on the large stage, every bit the stadium head-liners.

Kev 8

A polished, rocking performance, holding the crowd in the metaphorical palm of their hand and our newly found Spanish friends couldn’t agree more. Great sound quality and lighting added to the performance and even though they played a couple of encore tunes we would of all happily stayed longer.

Kev 9

Buoyed by a great night’s entertainment we said goodnight to our ‘crowd’ and flowed out of the venue and into the streets, strolling toward the city, it was 0130 and everyone was chatting as they walked. We struck up a conversation with a young Frenchman man who now lives in New Zealand. He’d flown over to visit his Mum in France and then down for the festival before heading back to NZ. To say he had enjoyed the first night would be an understatement, amid the numerous enthusiastic expletives he enthused about the evening none stop until we parted company and steered ourselves contentedly toward our Hotel, tomorrow would be a longer day, but who knew what delights awaited us………..

Kev 10

Part 2 of Kevin’s BE PROG, MY FRIEND! experience is coming very soon…..

The Pineapple Thief premiere first track ‘No Man’s Land’ from new album ‘Your Wilderness’ – by Progradar

Pineapple Thief -Your Wilderness

The Pineapple Thief have revealed the first full track, entitled “No Man’s Land”  from their highly anticipated new album – Your Wilderness due for release on the 12th August  (19th August in France) through Kscope .

“This is the first track to share from our new album, Your Wilderness.  It is a tale of two halves.  It’s short but progressive and 100% The Pineapple Thief” Bruce Soord

Your Wilderness, their 11th studio album, showcases the band performing without any inhibitions providing a springboard for the ongoing creative growth of The Pineapple Thief.

For the first time, The Pineapple Thief has brought in several special guest performers. “Since our last album Magnolia, the most eye catching change is obviously having Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree) contribute drums throughout the album” explains Bruce Soord.  “This has not only redefined our sound but also redefined how we approached the songs as a band.  Gavin’s drumming is technically brilliant but also incredibly musical, and it inspired all of us to raise our game.  I’ve also rediscovered my progressive roots in terms of song-writing and arrangement.  Added to that, we were lucky enough to have John Helliwell from Supertramp contribute some beautiful clarinet parts and Geoffrey Richardson (Caravan) provided a string quartet. We were also joined by a lovely 4 piece choir and to cap it all off, my friend Darran Charles (Godsticks) added some jaw dropping guitar playing… You’ve never heard a The Pineapple Thief album like this one!  I am convinced people will love this record as much as we do.”

Your Wilderness was recorded entirely by the band with the exception of the drums, which Gavin Harrison produced & engineered at his own studio. The string quartet which was recorded at Geoffrey’s own studio in Canterbury. The album was mixed and produced by Bruce Soord and Steve Kitch with mastering duties also carried out by Steve. There will be a special lossless 5.1 surround mix available with the special edition mixed by Bruce.

Seen as one of the most vital rock bands the UK has produced over the last two decades, The Pineapple Thief was formed in 1999 by founder and chief songwriter Bruce Soord. The band has steadily evolved and refined its sound with the bass playing of Jon Sykes and the production and keyboards of Steve Kitch now so integral to the sound.  “After so many yearsThe Pineapple Thief has become way bigger than the sum of its parts.” explains Soord.

The Pineapple Thief will be playing Be Prog My Friend Festival in Barcelona, Spain on 1st July and is currently booking a European tour for late 2016 and planning live shows in USA / Canada.

Your Wilderness Album Tracklisting

  1. In Exile (05:40)
  2. No Man’s Land (04:20)
  3. Tear You Up (4:53)
  4. That Shore (04:36)
  5. Take Your Shot (04:34)
  6. Fend For Yourself (03:49)
  7. The Final Thing On My Mind (09:52)
  8. Where We Stood (03:46)

Your Wilderness will be released by Kscope on the following formats:

Deluxe 12” hardback book featuring:

  • 44 page artwork book
  • CD 8 track original album
  • New bonus 8 Years Later CD
  • DVD-AV –  8 original tracks hi resolution stereo & 5.1 audio (24/96 MLP Lossless stereo, 24/96 Lossless 5.1 surround, 24/96 PCM stereo & DTS 96/24 5.1 Digital surround) mixed by Bruce Soord.

CD featuring:

  • 8 original album tracks with a total playing time of 41.07 minutes.
  •  24 page booklet in digisleeve

180g heavy weight LP featuring:

  • 8 original album tracks (with MP3 download code).
  •  8 page booklet

Digital download featuring:

8 original album tracks mastered for iTunes (pre-orders receive “No Man’s Land” as an instant download)

All formats are now available to pre-order:

CD / LP / Deluxe Edition / exclusive bundles: www.kscopemusic.com/store

(all physical format pre-orders through Kscope store will receive signed band postcard)