Marillion – The Glasshouse, Gateshead, 26 September 2026 live review
Reviewed by Allister Spence
The evening opened with “Haunt the Woods”, whose deft blend of folk, rock and modern prog immediately won over the crowd. Imagine a meeting point between Queen, Muse and Jethro Tull, and you’re close. Their standout moment was ‘Helter Skelter’, a song that showcased the band’s stylistic range, tight musicianship, and the full breadth of Jon Stafford’s vocals.
As the lights dropped, dry ice curled across the stage, drifting through roaming multicoloured light beams. Then “Marillion” emerged:
- Steve Hogarth – vocals, guitar, keyboards
- Steve Rothery – guitars
- Mark Kelly – keyboards
- Ian Mosley – drums
- Pete Trewavas – bass, backing vocals
They began with ‘Gaza’; thoughtful, powerful, and delivered without sermonising. The story was told through music rather than a spoken message, and it landed beautifully.
Despite the length of many songs, the set moved with real momentum. A glorious ‘You’re Gone’ flowed into ‘Fantastic Place’, the first of several dedications, this one to Keith Lewis. Hogarth introduced a new track, ‘Ribbons & Lace’, as being from the next album and jokes it would arrive “sometime between now and the end of time.”
‘Out of This World’ followed, dedicated to Bill Smith, who was in the audience. Hogarth then stepped offstage while the band ran through an instrumental ‘Hotel Hobbies’, while Hogarth returned for a brief flourish at the end.
The middle section of the concert delivered two of the night’s finest moments: ‘Afraid of Sunlight’ and the full ‘Care’ suite, dedicated to photographer Johannah Churchill. Rothery’s guitar work was beautiful throughout, while Kelly’s playing added both musical depth and subtle washes of colour; something he contributed all evening. Hogarth’s vocals felt torn from the soul, especially during ‘Angels on Earth’, part IV of ‘Care’, which pays tribute to our NHS nurses.
Between these came the prescient ‘Seasons End’, written long before climate change became the crisis it is today, and ‘Living in F.E.A.R.’
For ‘The Crow and the Nightingale,’ Hogarth wore a furry black coat and joked that they included the song solely so he could wear it. Trewavas added that Hogarth wasn’t joking. ‘Easter’ followed and captivated the crowd with its vivid and moving portrayal.
The main set closed with three more delights: ‘Wave’, ‘Mad’ and ‘The Great Escape’. The Geordies in the hall, having forgiven Hogarth for his earlier “Hello Sunderland,” dashed any hope Marillion had of slipping away quietly and insisted on more.
They got it.
A rocking ‘The Release’ kept the adrenaline high before ‘Sugar Mice’ brought the night to a close, sung almost entirely by the audience.
This was a thoroughly engaging performance. Band, sound and lighting dovetailed seamlessly. The Glasshouse, with its purpose‑built concert hall, proved the perfect venue: every beat from Mosley, every bass line from Trewavas, every note Kelly played, the ringing clarity of Rothery’s guitars and Hogarth’s soaring vocals filled the room with absolute precision. The lighting and sound teams deserve credit for that, too.
Everyone left happy after two hours and fifteen minutes of musical bliss. This may be a brief tour, but let’s hope the new album arrives sooner than “the end of time” so Marillion can get back on the road again.