By Denis Semchenko
As Neil Young once sang, tonight’s the night – the big music has arrived in town. Along with fellow prog-rock fans, young and old, I walk to The Tivoli with a sense of excitement that only those who have a copy of Arriving Somewhere DVD can truly understand. Only two months ago, I was privy to witnessing Japan’s divine noise makers Mono, whose performance proved to be one of the most singularly powerful live experiences in my entire life, and just before that another crushing live unit –
Steven Wilson’s Swedish collaborators/protégés Opeth – yet this balmy evening also stores a whole array of spine-tingling moments for us.

The diverse crowd is still busy converging at the venue by the time newly-revamped Sleep Parade – who had earlier opened for tonight’s heroes during their inaugural Australian tour two ears ago – plug in and take all and sundry into a wide open sonic space. Oz-progsters to the core, the quartet unveil out one sprawling epic after another; Oxygen’s doomy arpeggio figure gives way to chunky riffing, while on the latest single Every Day and the propulsive drums-led Seconds Away the Melbournians very nearly better Karnivool at their own game. Frequently guitar-switching vocalist Leigh Davies is occasionally submerged in the dense instrumental mix, but nevertheless hits the requisite highs – in all, a strong performance in front of a healthy gathering that gives the band a warm Queensland welcome.
Continue reading Live Review: Porcupine Tree, Sleep Parade @ The Tivoli, 5 Feb 2010 →