Fish: Road to the Isles 2025 – The Farewell Tour
Corn Exchange, Cambridge
1st March 2025
by Geoff Bailie
In the world of rock and metal, it’s rare for musicians to announce their retirement—and actually a follow through! With various Beatles and Stones still touring in their 80s, there’s no set age at which one shouldcall it quits. Fish, one of the most iconic prog frontmen of all time, has been remarkably open about his plans: farewell tours for Misplaced Childhood and Clutching at Straws (his final two albums with Marillion), the recording and release of a final solo album (Weltschmerz, 2020), a tour featuring both that record and his first solo album (Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors), and finally, a farewell tour. And then—lockdown happened. So, what was originally a multi-year plan has taken roughly a decade to execute. But the end is nigh and, as Fish himself put it: “I’m Derek, and for two more weeks, I’m Fish.”
Cambridge Corn Exchange was sold out for this show, and the enthusiastic crowd (some a bit too vocal!) gave the evening the feel of a celebratory send-off rather than a somber farewell. At 66, Fish proved he still possesses the magnetic stage presence that defines great frontmen—like Jagger, Mercury, and Bowie—effortlessly drawing the entire venue into his performance. With a wave of his hand, he had the audience clapping, singing, and fully engaged.
As the opening strains of Rossini’s La Gazza Ladra faded, the first song of the night was fittingly the first song from his first solo album. Vigil’s opening lines—“Listen to me, just hear me out, if I could have your attention”—were as powerful now as in 1990. And for the next two and a half hours, he had our attention. To his right stood Mickey Simmonds, co-writer of that track and a key player in Fish’s early solo years, making a welcome return. Credo and Big Wedge followed in rapid succession, with the audience fully embracing the energy from the start. Interaction is a crucial part of Fish’s shows, and he took time to introduce songs, banter, and even exchange words with a few particularly chatty fans.
A deeper cut, Long Cold Day from Fellini Days, was delivered with such conviction that even a newcomer wouldn’t have guessed it was a lesser-known track. The night’s setlist spanned Fish’s entire solo career, showcasing his longtime collaborators: Simmonds on keys, Robin Boult on guitar (a frequent returnee since the early solo tours), Steve Vantsis on bass (a mainstay since Raingods with Zippos), Elisabeth Troy Antwi (who contributed to Raingods and Feast of Consequences), and Gavin Griffiths, who has been behind the kit since 2007.
The show continued with two more from Vigil—the emotive Family Business and Cliché, featuring a stunning guitar solo from Boult and two tracks from Internal Exile: the high-energy Shadowplay and a brilliant duet with Elisabeth Troy Antwi on Just Good Friends. Fish also performed the title tracks from his last two studio albums, Feast of Consequences and Weltschmerz. Notably, the audience responded to newer and older material with equal enthusiasm, a testament to the strength of his songwriting. Fish and the band fed off that energy, giving back as much as they received.
The main set closed with the 20-minute epic Plague of Ghosts from Raingods with Zippos. Fish reflected on how the track took on new meaning for him during the remastering process and his Fish on Fridaybroadcasts. The band delivered a superb rendition, a highlight being the Chocolate Frogs section, which Fish sang almost unaccompanied and with remarkable power. As the band left the stage one by one during the closing Make It Happen refrain, the audience kept the melody going until they returned to the stage to finish the song.
That vocal prowess was on display again with a stripped-back Gentleman’s Excuse Me, leading into a triumphant singalong finale. The Misplaced Childhood trilogy of Kayleigh, Lavender, and Heart of Lothianfelt, for many, like a return to the moment when “our band” crossed into mainstream success—songs so deeply ingrained in the audience’s memory that they almost sang themselves. Fish had earlier joked that performing the Cambridge-referencing Garden Party would require surgery, but as a consolation, we were treated to Fugazi—a rare gem on this tour and another track that turned into a powerful audience anthem.
By this point, it was anyone’s guess how many more songs we’d get, but the night ended with The Company, the sixth selection from Vigil. It was the perfect choice—encapsulating the unity between artist, musicians, and audience that has defined Fish’s career, while also symbolizing his next chapter.
For me, the setlist was near perfect, and it was a privilege to be swept up in that atmosphere one final time. The band was exceptional, and Fish once again proved his strength as a frontman. When he and Simone retreat to their croft in Scotland, they can do so with immense pride in this farewell tour—a fitting final chapter in an extraordinary career. As the world of prog says goodbye, Fish’s devoted fans will be waving from the shore as his ship sails into the sunset.
Set list:
Intro: The Thieving Magpie (La Gazza Ladra)
Vigil
Credo
Big Wedge
Long Cold Day
Shadowplay
Family Business
Weltschmerz
A Feast of Consequences
Just Good Friends
Cliché
Plague of Ghosts, Part 1: Old Haunts
Plague of Ghosts, Part 2: Digging Deep
Plague of Ghosts, Part 3: Chocolate Frogs
Plague of Ghosts, Part 4: Waving at Stars
Plague of Ghosts, Part 5: Raingods Dancing
Plague of Ghosts, Part 6: Wake-up Call (Make It Happen)
Encore:
A Gentleman’s Excuse Me
Kayleigh
Lavender
Heart of Lothian
Encore 2:
Fugazi
Encore 3:
The Company
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