BIG BIG TRAIN

Journey Of The Passengers BIGBIGTRAIN.COM

A fans’ eye view of the acclaimed British proggers’ rise.

Bands rarely turn video cameras on their fans for more than a brief shot of a sweaty moshpit or an excitable post-show reaction – perhaps because the music industry is reluctant to tear the focus away from the impossibly glamorous figures that populate the stage. But Big Big Train have never really been ones to big themselves up unduly, and this 130-minute film focuses chiefly on the ‘Passengers’, the followers that have coalesced around the group over recent years.

Here BBT devotees are interviewed about their love for the band either side of rehearsal clips and live snippets. The film seems keen to give each of them their time on screen, which reinforces the feeling that Journey Of The Passengers is the band’s gift to them, but it does mean that the music only plays a relatively minor role in this film. Live songs, including Make Some Noise, Winkie and The Permanent Way look and sound great (a masked David Longdon performing Wassail a particular highlight) to the point where it’s a little frustrating that they frequently switch back for more talking head interviews with fans rather than show whole tracks being performed. For committed Passengers, it’s a rewarding journey. For more casual observers, an enjoyable but stop-start affair.