 They played their first concert at Berkhamsted Civic Centre, Hertfordshire, on 1 March 1980.According to Pointer, it was at this stage that the name was shortened to Marillion.Other sources have that the band name was shortened to Marillion in 1981 to avoid potential copyright conflicts, at the same time as Fish and bassist William 'Diz' Minnitt replaced original bassist/vocalist Doug Irvine following an audition at Leyland Farm Studios in Buckinghamshire on 2 January 1981.