December 13, 1984. In a packed Hammersmith Odeon, awaiting their heroes, Marillion fans are growing increasingly impatient with support act Cardiacs, a bunch of outliers led by the charismatic Tim Smith. Wearing terrible make-up and customised bandsmen uniforms, neither they nor their deliriously unclassifiable music is going down well with the Marillion hard-core, who’ve begun to hurl insults – and objects.
Cardiacs are used to hostility, having been on the road with the neo-prog giants since early November, but tonight is particularly vicious. Marillion frontman Fish, appalled at what he’s seeing, feels compelled to intervene. He marches onto the stage and reprimands his own followers with: “If you don’t like it, fuck off to the bar and let them get on with their set!”
