STEVEN WILSON - Live in Brisbane
Total Immersion.
Monday 17th November 2025
Written by Jake Folmer
Photographs provided by Steven Wilson from his show in Berlin. Photographer Hajo Mueller
Arriving 15 minutes late, I walked into STEVEN WILSON already deep in an intergalactic synth odyssey. No notes, no phone. Just total immersion. And honestly? That’s how this show should be experienced.
I was greeted by an atmospheric synth-led instrumental section accompanied by intergalactic visuals: planets, dwarf planets, meteors, sweeping cosmic formations. WILSON, barefoot and enigmatic, was manning both a synth table and keyboard alongside his prolific synth player. My friend, Bruno, interpreted the sequence as a reminder of our insignificance and simultaneous connection to the universe. It was low-fi, slow-burn, and utterly absorbing. Two instrumental pieces glided by before a quick drinks break, like breathing space before structural collapse.
Image: STEVEN WILSON
Image: STEVEN WILSON
After the break, the show launched into more traditional prog-rock territory. Still deeply emotional, but now with more drive. A haunting film clip played behind the band, featuring the infamous Mexican "Island of the Dolls", underscoring themes of discomfort and introspection.
WILSON playfully asked the audience how many were there “by accident”, warning them that he’s “not a compact songwriter, more of a novelist—someone who makes feature films, not TV episodes.” That sentiment came to life during the extended performance of Dislocated Days, where the band were given free rein to explore sonic edges. Wilson and his bassist humorously tried to throw the drummer off time, but his composure remained flawless.
The synth/keyboard solos drew multiple standing ovations from the largely silver-haired audience. Given OPETH were reportedly in town (with Mikael Åkerfeldt joining on some previous shows), I half-expected him to make an appearance in a prog-metal crossover moment, but alas, that’s a dream reserved for Thursday. WILSON humbly admitted he surrounds himself with musicians more talented than himself before “heading to the bathroom”, leaving the band to perform an unexpected jazz fusion jam—about making tea of all things—apparently popular in this British-influenced corner of Australia compared to the US.
He then returned to close out the night... until the inevitable encore.
Image: STEVEN WILSON
Image: STEVEN WILSON
The crowd’s roaring refusal to leave brought Wilson back for an acoustic rendition of Lazarus, met with emotional silence and warmth. He quipped it’s “one of my hits—if I even have any.” This softer moment resonated surprisingly deeply with both metalheads and audience members from India, highlighting the universal reach of his writing. He then delivered Ancestral, before closing with The Raven That Refused to Sing, a profoundly moving piece about a man who believes a raven sings with the voice of his sister, who died in childhood. A devastating yet beautiful finale.
STEVEN WILSON’s The Overview Tour was a sprawling, cinematic progressive experience blending the experimental spirit of early Yes, the ambient melancholy of 80s Pink Floyd and the technical precision of 90s Rush. Delivered in a formal theatre setting with immersive 360° sound and filmic visuals, the performance shifted effortlessly between introspective humour, flashes of metal intensity, and stretches of jazz fusion. Deeply crafted, intellectually playful, and relentlessly immersive. Even across three hours.
Image: STEVEN WILSON
