Marillion understands the art of emotional slow-burn better than most bands. More than four decades into their career, they remain masters of turning a concert hall into something approaching a shared state of mind – intimate one moment, overwhelming the next.

As the band arrived at the Barbican in York, fresh from their summer concerts at the amphitheatre in Pompeii, they sounded anything but nostalgic. Yes, their own history is impossible to ignore, but the performance is not a victory lap. It is Marillion looking backwards and forwards simultaneously, proving that longevity only matters when there is still something left to say.

For guitarist Steve Rothery, the York concert was more of a homecoming one; when he lived in Whitby, he used to drive to the city after first passing his driving test. His daughter and son went to university in the city, and the guitarist returned there frequently.

Steve Hogarth remains the emotional centre of the operation, his distinctive voice moving effortlessly between vulnerable intimacy and full-throated drama. Rothery, meanwhile, continues to make the guitar sound less like an instrument and more like another voice in the conversation, filling the room with beautifully judged melodies rather than unnecessary fireworks.

The set is typically adventurous. Opening number Gaza provided an immediate reminder that Marillion have never been afraid to tackle uncomfortable subjects – dedicating the song to Ed Sheeran, who has recently decided to keep political subjects at arm's length, the emotion and conviction in Hogarth's voice when singing the song was genuine and gripping, whilst Seasons End and You're Gone reconnect with the band's more melodic side.

There was also room for the future, with the as-yet-unreleased Ribbons and Lace giving fans an intriguing glimpse of where the next chapter might be heading. The brooding and atmospheric track deals with ageing and getting older, and many in the York audience had seemingly been following the band since they first became successful over forty- three years ago.

Enlightened from their 1999 self-titled album, they explored the transformative impact of love through vivid metaphors of energy, water and electricity, with the energy inside the Barbican powering up the audience, who up to now had been rather subdued.

The lengthy Care opus was not just there to satisfy the purists but to show that, as far as prog rock masters go, Marillion are still at the top of their game. Easter, the track many associate with the band, was a melodic and masterful number that brought to the fore their more commercial side.

Concluding with The Release and Sugar Mice the standing ovation that the band received was justified; Marillion were never fashionable in the first instance. In 2026 the band still carved their own path; tonight in York they reigned supreme.



The tour continues with further dates in the north:
Thursday 17th September - Manchester Bridgwater Hall
Sunday 26th September - Gateshead Glasshouse
Sunday 27th September - Liverpool Philharmonic Hall