Robin 2, Bilston

So, as you all know, it was my birthday last Sunday, and I was woken up from my Saturday night drunken stupor by a phonecall from Pendragon Wilcey saying that as it was my "special day", they'd put me on the guest list for their gig that night at the Robin 2 in Bilston! Result! "Oh, and can you bring me 20 Marlboro Lights?". There's no such thing as a free lunch, is there!

So anyway, quick as a shot, after watching the Monaco Grand Prix (not from my yacht moored in the harbour though) I set off through a torrential downpour and arrived in blazing sunshine, which made Bilston look like a sun-kissed wonderland. Which I'm told it is. I love the way this place is surrounded by carparks, and has a cop-shop over the road in case of problems.

I wandered into the Robin 2 just in time to see the DeeExpus boys do their thing. And a good thing it is, blending just the right amount of heavy with a touch of prog, coming over in parts like Porcupine Tree. Songs such as PTtee only reinforce that view. The band do need to get a bit more confident on stage, as they was not a great deal of movement, but that's the sort of thing that can come with experience, and alcohol. I picked up a copy of their excellent Half Way Home album which I listened to on the way home. Forgive the usual rundown of tracks played, but I was more concerned with getting a few Guinnesses down my neck! I do remember them finishing with Greed in great style, and to a great reaction from the crowd.

During the interval I wandered round the crowd and bumped into prog celebs such as Touchstone Moo, and uber fans like OCD Graeme, Polish Agnieszka and Mark from Cumbria with his charming missus Rachel.

Then it was time for the main event. With literally no fanfare except for wild applause, the Pendragon boys strode onto the stage and took their positions. Peter Gee on the left, Clive Nolan on the right and Scott Higham in the centre. How very political! And, leading them from the front in a one-man coalition, Nick Barrett.

With no further ado, and very little finny-fannying about, they kicked into Indigo from their recent stormer Pure. A great way to open an album and a gig. It was instantly obvious to everyone that the band were on top of their game! Pete (rechristened "The Corner" after his resemblance to U2's The Edge was noted) was flinging his bass around like a child with a stick of candy, while Clive prowled behind his keyboard stack with the menace of a caged tiger. Scott sat imperiously at his drum kit, ready to throw shapes and faces whenever a lens was poked in his direction. And Nick, at the front, transfixing the audience with a scowl, a smile and a stare! Even the stage projection was on it's best form during Indigo, showing a dancing teen - who also happened to be working the merch desk. The song was played to perfection and greeted like a returning hero by the crowd.

Eraserhead was introduced next, as a song against political correctness, which it is. It too fired it's way off the stage, energising the crowd. The excellent Paintbox came next, giving everyone a bit of a breather. Well in the crowd anyway. If I Were The Wind from Not Of This World breezed along next and by the end of it we'd had four songs and nigh on 50 minutes of entertainment! You gotta love Prog Rock!

Then it was back to Pure for the three-part epic Comatose, the band getting more energetic as the song went along and jumping straight into Freak Show featuring another gooning teen on the backdrop! It was good to see a few younger heads in the crowd too, and some of them were doing that "almost headbang" thing that we used to do when we were younger. And had hair.

Clive pumped his keyboards for the start of the Not Of This World trilogy, the heartfelt 17 minute epic transfixing the crowd where they stood, before the Window of Life pairing of Nostradamus and Breaking The Spell took the crowd to THAT space, you know?

The band round their set off with a barnstorming version of It's Only Me, replete with an impromptu "Band of Brothers" chorus line from the OCD members in the crowd. There's probably photos in the web, and something on YouTube. But I don't want to see it...

Anyway, after the best part of two hours, the band left the stage to rapturous applause, cat calls, dog howls and other assorted animal noises. But only for a couple of minutes, as they came back to entertain us with a raucus version of Masters of Illusion and then an emotional 2am to round off the evening with, complete with Nick Barret mooching amongst the crowd, giving photo opportunities aplenty. A fantastic way to end the show, even if the stage was a little higher than he thought, needing a leg up to get back on!

Pendragon are on top of their game right now. The addition of Scott has given them a youthful enema and you can see that they are all enjoying themselves so much more. This is no po-faced prog, the band aren't intent on simply reproducing their albums on stage. Each song is imbued with an energy and a confidence that is increasing with every gig.

The band are out in Europe for a few dates before playing the Glasgow Ferry on Friday 28th May, Newcastle Legends on Saturday 29th and The Musician in Leicester on Sunday 30th. I suggest you get along to one of those if you can!

Pendragon Set-list:
Indigo
Eraserhead
Paintbox
If I Were The Wind
Comatose
Freak Show
Not Of This World
Nostradamus
Breaking The Spell
It's Only Me

Masters Of Illusion
2 am