A Live Performance by The Pineapple Thief: Highlights from San Francisco, CA

Singer-Songwriter Bruce Soord of

The Pineapple Thief

It’s an odd experience to see a band live when you only recognize a few songs. This often happens with newer acts. However, seeing The Pineapple Thief at The Independent, a cozy, limited seating club in San Francisco on December 9th, 2024, was even more unusual for me. Many in the audience knew every song, while I was familiar with tracks from their latest LP, It Leads To This, and EP, Last To Run. The other peculiar thing was the audience. More specifically, the age range. This is a band that attracts seniors, Gen X, Millennial folk, but also 20 somethings. While the gender breakdown leaned heavily male, there were more women in attendance than Rush shows in the ’80s, and, to my surprise, a small, but energetic group of South Asian young males who knew every songs. I mean, every goddamn nuance of singer-songwriter Bruce Soord’s vocal phrasing. I know. I was standing next to them the whole night.

For those who don’t know, The Pineapple Thief started as a solo project that Soord started in the late ’90s. Thinking the songs he was going to record were part of a one-off album, he noted in a 2015 Facebook post the following:

So, there it is. I didn’t even have to summarize or link to an interview. Soord lays it out: One album deal. Needing a name. Seeing a film with his girlfriend. Drinking crap wine. And saying, “That’ll do.” Nothing too deep, but The Pineapple Thief’s music, crafted by a band that’s weathered lineup changes over the years, resonates with those who appreciate a proggy edge. If you’re a fan of Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson, or the night’s opener, Randy McStine, The Pineapple Thief’s sound will likely appeal to you.

Soord’s voice is intriguing—powerful yet tender, contrasting the heavier moments of their songs. While some of their earlier work have a soundalike quality, the songs on It Leads To This showcases a more melodic side, hinting at a potential for radio-friendly material. That’s not to say The Pineapple Thief have suddenly become pop stars; rather, they’ve embraced more conventional song structures with catchy hooks, both instrumental and vocal. A prime example is the evening’s opener, “The Frost.” This banger, the lead single from It Leads To This, rocks hard while maintaining a meditative quality that translated seamlessly to the live performance.

The band performed all eight tracks from It Leads To This and one from the Last To Run EP (“All Because Of Me”), delivering about 44 minutes of fresh material. The rest of the set featured older songs, often stretching into extended jams where Soord and touring guitarist Beren Matthews traded experimental, yet always melodic, licks and riffs that thrilled the crowd. Bassist Jon Sykes provided backing vocals and some seriously intense (and loud) bass grooves, complemented by drummer Gavin Harrison’s busy yet restrained playing. Harrison excels at filling the space between beats with creative cymbal work, ghost notes, and dynamic fills that span the drum kit. Impressively, despite his constant activity, Harrison never seems to break a sweat on stage.

Overall, the band was in top form. As the penultimate stop on their North American tour, any early tour jitters had clearly been ironed out. The result was a finely tuned group of accomplished musicians who delivered a powerful, precise, and at times, passionate performance.

The crowd was enthusiastic, the band appreciative of the love they were receiving, but underneath it all was a sense that these five fellows are just regular folk who, while not superstars, are playing to faithful audience who get this music. While I am not yet part of that tribe, I appreciated the kind of devotion The Pineapple Thief’s music can evoke.