Mick Pointer Band is the very one celebrating Script For A Jester's Tear. Marillion's debut album when Mick Pointer was drummer in that band. This group of friends pays hommage to that classic album, but to me is more than just a cover band. First there is the original drummer, second Marillion never plays the album in full and third the members are all going strong in other favorite Neo-prog bands like Pendragon, Arena, Landmarq and Credo. This outfit came together 15 years ago, to celebrate 25 years of Script. Over the years they played de Boerderij 5 or 6 times I believe and this was the third time I attended. One year I sadly missed for undutch reasons. I did not want to drive due to sudden heavy snowfall and when waiting for a tram to de boerderij I found it never came either. That year it was the best version ever, as they had a support in Dec Burke. I love all his work and never saw him live. One day I will and Darwin's Radio are recording a new alum. So yesterday I did go again and after my comment while playing and ranking Fish earlier this week, Alex reacted he felt like joining. So we could talk some (slighly heavier) music before and after yet another impressive evening of Mick Pointer's Band.
Before writing some words on the show, let me share some thoughts on Script and it's meaning for me. Script For a Jester's Tear is the most important album in my live. Why? because it is among my favorites anyway and it opened for me the doors to the world of progressive rock. For all other styles I would love I cannot pinpoint one album as starting point. It was a sort ofa natural development from young me hearing Hans playing Queen and Quo, to Meat Loaf and Cheap Trick. Than it started with Whitesnake, Van Halen, UFO, Thin Lizzy, Uriah Heep, Scorpions in the late seventes. NWOBHM was a natural follow-up with I guess Saxon's Strong Arm as my first purchase. Later Thrash, US metal, Progmetal and decades later extreme metal all sort of followed automatically without one starting point.
Script was for me definitely the first progrock album I bought and before that I only knew of Pink Floyd. I was reading Kerrang at the times and Marillion would appear often. They were compared with Genesis and I was confused. Genesis to me were that pop-band with hits like Abacab, so why would a band in that style appear in Kerrang. Only a few years later I would discover 70's Genesis. So when 13 March 1983 Script was released I went to Supertracks in town at the time and asked to play the album on headphones. Well I was sold after one side, bought the album and the Market Square Heroes EP immediately thereafter. To make matters even better in June 1983 Marillion came to open Parkpop (yes Magchiel the Marrilion named show) They played most of Script that day, plus Assassing and Charting the Single.I was fan for life and still follow Marillion. Next week Marillion come to Holland for another infamous Marillion Weekend. I attended two in Minehead and several in Holland, but stopped going nowadays. This mainly because during my last weekend (2019 in LIsbon) they dared to play only one song from the Fish years. This while to most including me, the Fish years are golden.
So now I get to the show and I can be short. From So Here I Am Once More until Ma-ma-ma-Margaret we know what to expect still loving every minute of it. Like me, 95% of the audience knows every word and every note from start to finish. We just come to celebrate one of the most beautiful albums ever written, plus the EP that came before it. So yes that does include Grendel, a song that Marillion never will play as long as H dictates over there. Brian Cummins does a great Fish and his delivery is a joy. Even with an apparent cold he did hit most notes. The only slihghtly less performance was when shooting with his microphone stand during Forgotten Sons. Original Fish did this more expressive on the rhythm of the drums. Nick Barrett is after Steve Rothery my favorite guitarist in prog rock, so he delivers a fine show and every time when Chelsea Monday passes you'll be amazed by the wonderful solo gracing that song. Script indeed is an album with no filler on it. Finally how can you tell teh differnce between a Mick Pointer Band show and a Marillion show nowadays during Market Square Heroes? During MPB people do get that after the phrase Are You Following Me? you shout yeah a sloud as you can. Thsi unlike the silent Marillion crowd waiting for teh next H crooning song. Loved the set, the show and thus the evening. This was supposed to be their last performance ever, but musicians and quitting is as reliable as a Dutch sport TV presenter in front of a young female colllague. So come back for the 45 year anniversary and I will be back again as well.
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