Post by quizzkid on May 19, 2008 8:47:59 GMT
I remember having a discussion about Roger Waters' songwriting talents on the official site with some of the old guard many moons ago and last night after two failed attempts, despite having tickets, to see any of his solo shows since the brilliant Radio KAOS some 20 years or so ago, I finally got to see his show again.
I saw him at Live8 a couple of years ago, but that was only three songs, last night was the full monty.
It was also my first visit to the O2, nice venue, but some how a very sterile place, maybe not the place for a rock gig I thought as I joined the new wave rock gig attendee......
Anyway more rant later more review now.
The show was split into three distinct parts with an intermission.
Behind the set was a huge screen projecting an old radio with a model WW2 plane perched on top, a bottle of Johnnie Walker, a glass tumbler, a few bottles of pills and a full ashtray.
As the start of the gig approached, the radio seemed to start playing , a hand appeared twiddled the dial and a variety of songs boomed out over the PA, the hand intermittently appeared from screen left to top up the glass, take a cigarette, or to lift the bottle of pills.
the band appeared onto a darkened stage, the hand appeared and with a twist of the giant tuning knob on the radio, static.... and then the Water's boomed out "Eins, Zwei, Drei" as the PA hit full volume and the band kicked in with In the flesh....the spolight picked out the supposed miscreants in the audience as the hammers marched behind on the screen, anyone who's seen The Wall live will know the threatening atmosphere that this song brings with it.
Again, anyone who's seen a Floyd show will know that inter-song chat isn't part of the spectacle, but the back projection was, as always, superb. with several new pieces of film that I haven't seen before.
The rest of Part 1 was a mix of bits and pieces from the Floyd years, with more than a simple nod to Barrett, and some more Waters domionated Floyd pieces with a few solo bits thrown in.
For anyone who might be interested the set list was:
there was an intermission of about 15 mins, during which time the little dot on the screen grew bigger [where have I seen that before] to develop into the moon, a smaller red dot appeared to the left, and as the band appeared back on stage to kick off the whole of Dark Side of the Moon, the dot rapidly turned into a satelllite, which thanks to the HD images on the screen looked as if it was going to burst out of the backdrop and zoom across the audience.
The band played through DSOTM with no breaks.
Part 3 was the encore with a quick trip through The Wall.
Great gig in the O2....The whole presentation was something special, making up for the lack of on-stage presence by the musicians but the overall package was pretty remarkable with the most astounding PA system and sound dispersal I have ever heard at a venue.
As always the derigibles were there, the pig, now sporting grafitti and more than a few political slogans [you always get a few political rants from RW, his sentiments might be right but it's sometimes difficult reconciling his socialist leaings with his champagne lifestyle - but then at least he speaks his mind and believes what he says] and the giant astronaut space walking his way from the back of the venue to the stage.
The most impressive feature outside the music though was when the laser's kicked in and formed the outline of a giant pyramid [not a prism as it should require] in the roof of the venue and from out of it appeared a brilliant white beam of light on one side and a very distinctive, clear and large spectrum on the other. replicating the DSOTM cover. It was pretty impresive; No Spinal Tap Stonehenge for Roger Waters.
Great gig, only marred by a couple of things:
The prgramme, which is pretty good in itself overall, actually lists out the set list [which is good for us old people reviewing it afterwards] but does take away from the anticipation of what might have been played [other than DSOTM];
The seating in the venue - This was my first visit to the O2, we had pretty good seats to the side/front in the first tier, but my advice to you if you have never been and are booking tickets for a gig do not go for the upper tier, short of looking like you would need oxygen to scale to the top, it must be crap watching a show with the permanent threat of a nosebleed...high and steep are not the words for it, bloody hell and sheer are closer.
Finally, following on from Jen's comments elesewhere about enjoying gigs, compared to Jen I'm old...I'm also a bit of a miserable git at times, and I actually don't mind people enjoying their shows, although my days of standing in the aisles and boogieing on down [or whatever the term is used by you youngsters these days] is long gone [I'll probably opt for the ovaltine mug], I really cannot understand why people persist on trying to have a telephone conversation when a full scale rockshow is underway. Not only are they annoying me and everyone else around them, how the hell do they hear anything at the other end of the line? And also why, oh why, do people have to continuallly get up to go to the bog. the guy in front of me was so drunk he left the gig about five or six times to go to the loo.....missing half the show [which was a thankful mercy really] and please note he was younger than me, so maybe it's he who needs the incontinence pants, and not us oldies who still have full bladder control.....
If you like Floyd stuff or simply a bit of a spectacular show, go catch RW if he is on at a venue near you, I'm biased but I do think it's worth it.
I saw him at Live8 a couple of years ago, but that was only three songs, last night was the full monty.
It was also my first visit to the O2, nice venue, but some how a very sterile place, maybe not the place for a rock gig I thought as I joined the new wave rock gig attendee......
Anyway more rant later more review now.
The show was split into three distinct parts with an intermission.
Behind the set was a huge screen projecting an old radio with a model WW2 plane perched on top, a bottle of Johnnie Walker, a glass tumbler, a few bottles of pills and a full ashtray.
As the start of the gig approached, the radio seemed to start playing , a hand appeared twiddled the dial and a variety of songs boomed out over the PA, the hand intermittently appeared from screen left to top up the glass, take a cigarette, or to lift the bottle of pills.
the band appeared onto a darkened stage, the hand appeared and with a twist of the giant tuning knob on the radio, static.... and then the Water's boomed out "Eins, Zwei, Drei" as the PA hit full volume and the band kicked in with In the flesh....the spolight picked out the supposed miscreants in the audience as the hammers marched behind on the screen, anyone who's seen The Wall live will know the threatening atmosphere that this song brings with it.
Again, anyone who's seen a Floyd show will know that inter-song chat isn't part of the spectacle, but the back projection was, as always, superb. with several new pieces of film that I haven't seen before.
The rest of Part 1 was a mix of bits and pieces from the Floyd years, with more than a simple nod to Barrett, and some more Waters domionated Floyd pieces with a few solo bits thrown in.
For anyone who might be interested the set list was:
- In the flesh;
Mother;
Set the controls for the heart of the sun;
Shine on you crazy diamond;
Have a cigar;
Wish you were here;
Southampton Dock;
The Fletcher Memoral Home;
Perfect sense part 1 and 2;
Leaving Beirut
Sheep.......
there was an intermission of about 15 mins, during which time the little dot on the screen grew bigger [where have I seen that before] to develop into the moon, a smaller red dot appeared to the left, and as the band appeared back on stage to kick off the whole of Dark Side of the Moon, the dot rapidly turned into a satelllite, which thanks to the HD images on the screen looked as if it was going to burst out of the backdrop and zoom across the audience.
The band played through DSOTM with no breaks.
Part 3 was the encore with a quick trip through The Wall.
- The Happiest days of our lives;
Another Brick in the wall Part 2;
Vera/Bring the boys back home;
Comfortably Numb.
Great gig in the O2....The whole presentation was something special, making up for the lack of on-stage presence by the musicians but the overall package was pretty remarkable with the most astounding PA system and sound dispersal I have ever heard at a venue.
As always the derigibles were there, the pig, now sporting grafitti and more than a few political slogans [you always get a few political rants from RW, his sentiments might be right but it's sometimes difficult reconciling his socialist leaings with his champagne lifestyle - but then at least he speaks his mind and believes what he says] and the giant astronaut space walking his way from the back of the venue to the stage.
The most impressive feature outside the music though was when the laser's kicked in and formed the outline of a giant pyramid [not a prism as it should require] in the roof of the venue and from out of it appeared a brilliant white beam of light on one side and a very distinctive, clear and large spectrum on the other. replicating the DSOTM cover. It was pretty impresive; No Spinal Tap Stonehenge for Roger Waters.
Great gig, only marred by a couple of things:
The prgramme, which is pretty good in itself overall, actually lists out the set list [which is good for us old people reviewing it afterwards] but does take away from the anticipation of what might have been played [other than DSOTM];
The seating in the venue - This was my first visit to the O2, we had pretty good seats to the side/front in the first tier, but my advice to you if you have never been and are booking tickets for a gig do not go for the upper tier, short of looking like you would need oxygen to scale to the top, it must be crap watching a show with the permanent threat of a nosebleed...high and steep are not the words for it, bloody hell and sheer are closer.
Finally, following on from Jen's comments elesewhere about enjoying gigs, compared to Jen I'm old...I'm also a bit of a miserable git at times, and I actually don't mind people enjoying their shows, although my days of standing in the aisles and boogieing on down [or whatever the term is used by you youngsters these days] is long gone [I'll probably opt for the ovaltine mug], I really cannot understand why people persist on trying to have a telephone conversation when a full scale rockshow is underway. Not only are they annoying me and everyone else around them, how the hell do they hear anything at the other end of the line? And also why, oh why, do people have to continuallly get up to go to the bog. the guy in front of me was so drunk he left the gig about five or six times to go to the loo.....missing half the show [which was a thankful mercy really] and please note he was younger than me, so maybe it's he who needs the incontinence pants, and not us oldies who still have full bladder control.....
If you like Floyd stuff or simply a bit of a spectacular show, go catch RW if he is on at a venue near you, I'm biased but I do think it's worth it.