Fish announces 'A Fish In The Lemon Tree' stream
It captures Fish's only show of 2020
Last updated 1st Dec 2020
Fish’s only concert of 2020 recorded at Aberdeen Lemon Tree on Friday 13th March will be available to stream for free later this week.
Launching on Soundcloud and YouTube on Friday 4th December, the 'A Fish In The Lemon Tree' stream will feature audio from the gig in Aberdeen that served as the opening date of his Weltschmerz UK tour.
Unfortunately, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the rest of the tour didn’t happen, and Aberdeen was ultimately the only date of the planned trek.
Fish originally rescheduled the remaining 12 gigs for February 2021, however due to the ongoing uncertain situation with Covid-19, the shows were cancelled last month to enable fans to get a refund.
Alongside the free stream of the 'A Fish In The Lemon Tree' concert, a JustGiving donation page has been set up HERE to raise money for Fish’s band and crew members, aiming to relieve their financial struggles caused by the global pandemic crisis.
The setlist in Aberdeen featured songs from Fish’s critically lauded final studio album ‘Weltschmerz’ together with material from his debut solo album ‘Vigil In A Wilderness of Mirrors’ to mark its 30th anniversary.
Two Marillion tracks from their 1983 debut album ‘Script for a Jester's Tear’ featured in set – the album title track and ‘He Knows You Know’.
Commenting on the 'A Fish In The Lemon Tree' stream and the fundraiser for his band and crew, Fish said: "On Friday March 13th I performed my one and only show this year at The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen,” explains Fish. “Two days later my musicians and crew were disbanded and soon after in lockdown in their respective homes across the UK and beyond. None of us has set foot on a stage since and are unlikely to do so again for quite a while.
“Losing all our concert touring in 2020 has been both a huge emotional and financial hit for everyone concerned however I was lucky that, although I didn't qualify for government support, my wife and I had the record company mail order business to get us through the year. My musicians and crew haven't been as fortunate and most of them being self employed qualified for only basic support, others getting nothing at all.
“The show on March 13th at the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen was essentially a warm up gig for a tour that was booked with around 50 shows throughout the year and across Europe. We wouldn't normally record these shows but luckily it was captured by my sound engineer Steve Kent and with a touch of studio magic from Steve Vantsis, my bass player, Weltschmerz album co-writer and co-producer, we've managed to get together an hour and 30 minutes of the only show performed in 2020. It's a very special memory and means a lot to us all.
“I decided that I didn't want to release it as an official live album but to use it in a very different way. This Lemon Tree gig is available to stream free of charge on Soundcloud and YouTube and all I ask is that if you're moved enough by the show that you make a small donation.
“I personally am taking nothing from anything raised here and funds will be dispersed directly to associated band and crew members who have been struggling financially this year with little or no work outside the live music industry. Should funds raised exceed expectations then I will pass the remainder on to a similar charity that is supporting the live music industry."
The ‘A Fish In A Lemon Tree’ setlist is as follows:
Family Business
Vigil In A Wilderness Of Mirrors
Rose Of Damascus
He Knows You Know
Weltschmerz
This Party’s Over
Cliché
View From The Hill
A Gentleman’s Excuse Me
Script For A Jester’s Tear
The Company