Carlos Zaldívar: THE PINEAPPLE THIEF

Finally the day arrived, long awaited for almost five months. The emotion ran through my veins while the skin bristled. The road to the “Paseo de la Reforma” precinct was eternal, but at the same time, so anxious. Yeah!

Founded by Bruce Soord in 1999, in Somerset, England, THE PINEAPPLE THIEF has managed to position itself as one of the best Prog Metal bands worldwide, and barely with just twelve pieces of art.

I barely knew the band, about 7 years ago, I don't remember well. But from the first moment, the first decibel, the first note that my auditory pavilion perceived: I was stunned!

It completely caught me, one hundred percent with perfection in each song. The voice, the lyrics, the instrumentation, the performance, the mastery on stage, and more.

Brutal!

El Lunario. Dec 4th, 2020. MX City.

Listening to this band produces me tremendously inexplicable pleasure, in a way that causes the acceleration of my heartbeat, my pulse and even the speed of my blood flow. They are albums that at very high volume, the body vibrates and the soul begins to take so slowly...

This is the music of THE PINEAPPLE THIEF: Perfect!

What emotional, physical and sentimental state should they be, exist in order to compose and play in this way? It seems as a dilemma, since the answer does not exist or I still can't find it. Not yet.

There are similar bands, but the main distinctive is the same: Perfection.

They are bands that are already in another musical level, have a perfect study of music; and a very high cultural and intellectual level and above all, the humility that characterizes them, all of them.

And well, more surprise and desire to arrive on this recent Wednesday, December 4^th, because the band, now brings in its line – up, the excellent drummer Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree, Blackfield, King Crimson and others) whom I have already seen a couple of times in Mexico City.

So the line – up is perfect: Bruce Soord on vocals and guitar, Jon Sykes on vocals and bass, Steve Kitch on keyboards and the huge Mr. Harrison on drums. And for the legacy of this perfection there are the twelve albums.

Well, the excellent concert at “El Lunario” was spectacular. All the songs were fantastic, from the first to the last one.

The one that makes my soul bristle the most is "No Man’s Land."

Being there was a dream coming true. When the lights went out, immediately that intravenous fluid began to boil, in such a way that everything that my eyes observed was exciting.

They went on stage to perform “Tear You Up” and… to get more excited, to sing, to move the null mane and to feel perfection in every way. The mastery of these superb musicians was incredible.

Then followed “In Exile”, “Alone At Sea”, the majestic “Threatening War”, “Far Below”, my favourite of “No Man's Land”, the lush “That Shore”, “Uncovering Your Tracks”, “Shed A Light”, “3,000 Days”, “Part Zero”, “Shoot First”, “White Mist” and “Nothing At Best”.

Ah, but that was not all, really the band was very grateful to the Mexican public and they showed it.

The encore arrived, to close the concert with "Not Naming Any Names" and the masterpiece of "The Final Thing On My Mind”.

They said goodbye, but still, we insisted that we wanted more songs. And they complied!

An amazing concert.

They returned for a second encore, and now they ended up with "Snowdrops”.

As everything, at some point, ends. And at the edge of eleven o'clock at night, the lights came off; and little by little satisfaction and nostalgia arrived, after two hours of exactness.

And now, it’s time to wait for their return in a medium time. I hope they don't take so long.

Now you know, dear readers: Perfection has a name, and is: THE PINEAPPLE THIEF.

Definitely, this time there is no special song. The album you must listen complete is: WHERE WE STOOD.