"Home Invasion: In Concert At The Royal Albert Hall" is the title of the latest live recording by Steven Wilson. The allusion to his album "Hand. Cannot. Erase" makes it clear that he is not primarily interested in documenting the tour cycle of the current album "To The Bone". Rather, the active musician shows where he stands artistically in 2018. Also Bollywood dancers play a role here..
eclipsed: During the "To The Bone" tour you were three times at the Royal Albert Hall (RAH). Why did you choose the last show for the DVD?
Steven Wilson: Filming concerts is very expensive, so we only recorded the last one. We also filmed the soundcheck and the rehearsals. This resulted in many of the close-ups, because the actual show took place behind a transparent screen, which complicated close-ups. The finished film is a mixture of recordings from the concert and those we made during the day without an audience.
eclipsed: You have performed several times in the RAH before. What is your relationship to this legendary location?
Wilson: The RAH is the most famous concert hall in England. When you step on stage, you become aware of their rich history. It has a special ambience and intimacy despite its size. I like its specific sound, it was designed for classical music. I've played there six or seven times now, it's almost my home. Hopefully you will notice in the film how comfortable and relaxed I felt.
eclipsed: As a highlight Bollywood dancers came on stage during "Permanating". This is rather unusual in prog, but dancers are standard at pop concerts. Should Proggers in general take more of pop artists to make their shows more contemporary?
Wilson: I don't see myself as a progger and have no interest in being associated with prog or any other genre. So I don't think much about what might be right for me. I want to create my own musical vocabulary and universe, like my inspirers David Bowie, Kate Bush, Prince, Frank Zappa. "Permanating" is a cheerful, catchy song to which I had imagined dance, especially Bollywood dance. The audience liked that. Everyone in the room had a smile on their face, and that is what matters.
