For some strange reason, this O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire gig is the first time that I have finally been able to get to see Big Big Train live. Don’t ask why. I always seem to have either been out at another gig or been away on holiday when they toured. So, I must admit to finally being very relieved to tick them off my bucket list.
Big Big Train
O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire – 17 October 2026
Words: Adrian Stonley
Photography: Robert Sutton
Of course, the big question, or perhaps the Big Big question, has to be was it worth the wait, and did they live up to expectations? I am pleased to say that the answer is a resounding affirmative to both.
With the show split into two sets, this was going to be an evening for Big Big Train purists and enthusiasts.
The first set consisted of an hour of older tunes and deeper cuts from their seminal and majestic back catalogue. The second set was a complete playthrough of their latest opus, Woodcut, in its entirety.
Interestingly, reading the tour programme, the band had commented that if this tour was a success, then they may consider playing other albums in their entirety. Whether that was a gauntlet thrown down or what it is, it is clear to say that on this experience they had better start working back through some of that less-played older material because tonight was a complete, albeit unsurprising, success.
Opening with a back tape playing The Book Of Ingenious Devices, the band quietly entered the stage and slid perfectly into Salisbury Giant from 2016’s Folklore album.
Playing an hour of earlier material made for an interesting time. The band have so much high-quality material to choose from, and with their pieces generally being lengthier than the average pop or rock tune, it always meant that someone’s favourite would get left out.
Yet, despite that, the quality of the material on offer tonight was such that it became irrelevant, and the entire audience was completely immersed in the pieces played. London Plane and Swan Hunter were both raucously received, and the rarely played Kingmaker rolled the year’s right back.
It became rapidly obvious that tonight was rapidly turning into an experience that was very special indeed. This was not just a run-of-the-mill prog concert. There was magic in the air, and everyone lucky enough to be in the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire tonight was becoming interwoven into it.
As the minutes ticked by, the audience became more and more immersed in the music. Tonight was a case of sitting back and letting the music wash over you. The stage was very much stripped back with limited lighting and backdrops. Tonight was about letting the music do the talking, and tonight it was shouting.
Lost Rivers Of London was a deeper cut from the Folklore album which provided a pleasant surprise, before the band left the stage to drummer Nick D’Virgilio and trumpeter supreme, Paul Mitchell, for a piece entitled Drumpet. Initially starting out as the obligatory drum solo, it expanded into a short piece in its own right as Paul played out a stirring and resounding trumpet solo over the top.
Yet the tour de force was still to come as the band returned to the stage for an outstanding 15 minutes of East Coast Racer. This is a piece that rattles through the emotions as it majestically soars, then gently dives, pulling at the heartstrings.
It is no surprise that there is an immense explosion of sound from the eagerly waiting audience at the close. It could be the end of a successful show at this point, but there was still the second half to follow.
The questions are how would that be received? How would it unfold? We know that concept albums always divide people’s views, although let us not pretend that prog musicians already have this element of the genre down to a fine art, and Big Big Train are no different.
The second half is less a concert and more of an emotional experience. The songs flow together as the story gently unfolds. There is an animated backdrop that visually tells the tale, supporting the music and the creativity herein.
Trying to evaluate and review each song is like taking a chapter from a book and looking at it on its own as opposed to considering the book as a whole. Subsequently, I shall not.
What can be considered, however, is the second set as an entirety. The music, typically of Big Big Train, is complex. It is thought-provoking. At times quite unforgiving, yet at others it surrounds and enwraps you like a sumptuous aural comfort blanket.
As the storyline unfolds, of a disillusioned woodcutter trying to make sense of his life and work, elements and the fabric of the tale become interwoven with the tunes played. Tonight, to ensure that the audience gets the best experience, the ultimate concentration is required.
It is also reassuring to note that the audience have taken on board the request not to use their phones during the show, and subsequently the experience is far more generous than trying to peer through arms held high, exhibiting their Nokias, iPhones, and Samsungs.
The visuals match the music perfectly. The band are in their element, and the audience is awaiting every note and chord with bated breath. The pieces and musicality are precise. Let’s not pretend otherwise. Big Big Train are musical magicians and weave their magic magnificently.
The music is structured and layered, yet it is possible to appreciate the songs for what they are alone, as well as through the formation of the tale that unfolds. There is something here for everyone. The audience is silent. You can hear a pin drop.
By the end of the evening, the theatre is writhing with emotion. The audience has experienced the highs and lows of the woodcutter as though they are personally entwined. Everyone is brought into the experience. There is nowhere to hide, and as the final notes drift away and the audience take to their feet in deafening applause, it is akin to the release of major emotional relief. Although that is meant in a positive manner as opposed to a negative.
This was quite simply a show like no other. For the fans here tonight, it was an experience they will take with them for many years to come. One that will be embedded in their memories for eternity.
For those not lucky enough to have seen this tour, tonight was the last night of the tour, the show was filmed for a future DVD release, meaning we can all relive the magic once more.
