Big Big Train share 18-minute live version of Beneath The Masts

Big Big Train live — (Image credit: English Electric Recordings)

Big Big Train have shared a new 18-minute live version of Beneath The Masts ahead of the release of their upcoming live album, Are We Nearly There Yet?.

The track originally featured on the band's 2024 album, The Likes Of Us, the first to feature lead singer Alberto Bravin as well as keyboardist Oskar Holldorff from Norwegian proggers Dim Gray.

Are We Nearly There Yet? will be released via the band’s own label, English Electric Recordings, on 2CD and 3LP housed in a gatefold sleeve, via Bandcamp high-resolution download and streaming, on September 19.

"Why are we releasing an 18-minute song as a single? Because we can!” laughs Bravin. “We always felt that Beneath The Masts was one of the strongest tracks on our last studio album The Likes Of Us and were delighted to discover that audiences regarded it as one of the highlights of the shows we played in autumn last year and in spring this year. So we couldn’t resist the opportunity to release it as the second single from Are We Nearly There Yet?“

“We’ve now played Beneath The Masts live almost 30 times,” guitarist Rikard Sjöblom adds. “I could play it another 30 times in the near future and not get bored – I believe it’s one of Big Big Train’s strongest longer songs, right up there with East Coast Racer. Like East Coast Racer, it’s also developed further as we’ve played it live and now contains an additional instrumental section influenced by one of the 1970s ultimate prog classics.”

The 3LP version of the album will be available as limited edition 180 gram transparent violet vinyl (exclusive to Burning Shed and The Bandwagon USA) and 180 gram black vinyl. Pre-orders will be accompanied by a signed Are We Nearly There Yet? art card.

Big Big Train will perform a special one-off warm-up show at the 1865 in Southampton on Sunday March 1, prior to their co-headlining appearance on Cruise To The Edge from March 4 to 9.

Pre-order Are We Nearly There Yet?.

Beneath The Masts (Live) - YouTube

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Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.

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