Concert Review: Steven Wilson
Venue: Majestic Theater in Dallas, TX – Oct. 11th, 2025
Review: Daniel Levy
Photos: Alex Agranovsky – Nesher Photography
Steven Wilson’s current world tour feels like the right moment at the right time. After years of evolving through records like THE FUTURE BITES and The Harmony Codex, this is his first real chance to bring much of that material to the stage to accompany his brand new album, The Overview. The Dallas stop, final show of the U.S. leg, was the kind of night that makes you realize how perfectly his music fits a space like the Majestic Theatre: ornate, intimate, and designed for sound. Sitting dead center, you could hear everything with incredible clarity. Two and a half hours flew by, and not a single detail felt misplaced.
The night opened quietly, with a single spotlight on Wilson singing a cappella before ‘Objects Outlive Us’ began to unfold. Those first forty minutes, dedicated to The Overview, were mesmerizing. The production, the sound design, the interplay between light and image, it all locked together with surgical precision. The videos for ‘Objects’ and the title track weren’t just visuals, they were part of the story: vast, cosmic imagery that seemed to breathe with the music’s pulse. All perfectly in sync, including visuals, sound effects, the light show and Steven’s excellent band. It was immersive without being overblown, and from the first note, it was clear we were watching something crafted with intent. Randy McStine’s guitar tone during the solos here deserves its own sentence: warm, expressive, perfectly balanced and perfectly executed. Seeing The Overview live gave me a whole newfound appreciation for the album. It’s something you feel as much as you hear.
After a short intermission, they came back and kept the visuals on the huge video wall for ‘KING GHOST’ which works even better in a live setting. But then, the show transitioned into a different kind of energy, less cinematic, more band-driven as the crowd comes alive for ‘Home Invasion/Regret #9’. The screen went dark so the band could take over completely in that hypnotic intro. Nick Beggs played both bass and chapman stick, a visual and musical feat that had everyone grinning. Adam Holzman’s classic synth solo was as wild as ever, and Randy followed it with another perfectly shaped solo that earned a full standing ovation for both of them. It’s the kind of performance that sums up what this lineup can do when they’re united.
Wilson kept things conversational throughout the night, mixing humor and self-awareness. When he mentioned it was the last U.S. show, it felt sincere how much they were enjoying their time onstage. A few fans I spoke with, some who’d seen multiple shows, said this one had the band at their loosest and most connected, and it definitely felt that way. A few songs from The Harmony Codex, starting with the ballad ‘What Life Brings’, which was one of the most emotional moments of the night, carried by beautiful vocal harmonies and an understated guitar solo from Wilson himself. ‘Staircase’ brought a darker groove and its Chapman Stick section was a real highlight.
‘Impossible Tightrope’ was one of the songs I was most excited to ser. It’s a twelve-minute mostly instrumental journey that moves between jazz fusion and ambient soundscapes, and live it becomes something outright insane. There’s a section where water droplets on screen synced with the rhythm, and the effect was mesmerizing. It’s important for us to shout out Crystal Dynamics, the team behind many of the tour’s videos, and the credit is well deserved. This kind of marriage between audio and visual is one of the many aspects that make this show so special.
Before that, though, came ‘Dislocated Day’ , the Porcupine Tree classic, played with both precision and playfulness. The bass and drum intro hit hard, and the back-and-forth guitar lines between Wilson and McStine built into a jam that felt both nostalgic and new. The ending jam turned into a small game between the band members, seeing how quietly they could play before crashing back in at full volume. It was clever, funny, and musically tight.
‘Pariah’ followed with Ninet Tayeb appearing on the video wall, her performance beautifully on time with the live band. Steven introduces his all-star band as each member had their own little moment of humor, and it was clear how comfortable they’ve become as a unit. ‘Harmony Korine’ returned as a setlist staple, paired with its eerie film sequence, and Vermillioncore’ brought something entirely different. A good opportunity to see something from an often forgotten, but excellent EP – groovy, heavy, with flashes of acid jazz, backed by trippy visuals that warped the stage into movement.
For the encore, Wilson came back out and said he doesn’t really have hits, but he’d play songs that would give the night a satisfying conclusion. ‘Ancestral’ was the perfect first choice, a sprawling epic that goes so many different places. Craig Blundell was phenomenal here, reinventing the drum parts with intensity and precision. The extended instrumental section turned the song into pure chaos (in the best of ways).
And finally, ‘The Raven That Refused to Sing ‘. As the familiar animation began to play along with those haunting piano chords, you could feel the room collectively holding its breath. Wilson’s voice was fragile but steady, and the song carried the same weight it always has. It remains the perfect closer: quietly devastating and endlessly beautiful.
Looking back, what stood out most wasn’t just the production or the setlist, but how alive the music felt. Wilson has that rare ability to reinvent himself without losing what makes his sound recognizable. Whether it’s prog, electronica, pop, or jazz, he moves between them effortlessly, and this band moves right with him. McStine, Beggs, Holzman, and Blundell each had their own space to shine, but what made it special was how much they bounced back with each other.
Walking out of the Majestic Theatre that night, I couldn’t stop thinking about how perfect the audio production was. Maybe a given, considering Steven’s resumé, but every note sat exactly where it should. It might have been the best-sounding concert I’ve ever attended. And if this tour still has a stop near you, don’t think twice. Go. It’s Steven Wilson at his most complete.
SETLIST:
Set One
Objects Outlive Us
The Overview
Set Two
KING GHOST
Home Invasion/Regret #9
What Life Brings
Staircase
Dislocated Day
Pariah
Impossible Tightrope
Harmony Korine
Vermillioncore
Encore:
Ancestral
The Raven That Refused to Sing
