Post by Frameous on Nov 4, 2010 15:50:09 GMT -5
Roger Waters: The Wall Live
The show was amazing, the best concert I have ever seen. It opened with the wall partially constructed on either side of the stage, so the projections could be seen. Most of it was new, updated stuff, not just older clips from the movie and the animation that came before that. The updates were very well done, and honored the spirit of the album's themes. Lots of images of religion, war, fallen soldiers, and the pop culture mindset that dulls the everyday person's senses to those horrors.
At the conclusion of In The Flesh, a large WWII plane swooped down over the audience and crashed stage left, toppling some bricks. During Another Brink in the Wall II, the school master puppet dropped down in the darkness, and when revealed, he danced around like a ghost, pointing his finger and waving his pointing stick. A local choir of kids came out and sang the chorus, then attacked the schoolmaster, who revolted in retreat. Those were some lucky kids. Then during Mother, the huge Mother puppet sat on the opposite side of the stage, leering down at Roger. He played footage of him singing the song at one of the original performance from 1980, and sang along and played acoustic guitar with the video in total sync. This may have been one of my favorite moments, as it is the closest I will ever come to seeing the real Floyd in their heyday.
Goodbye Blue Sky featured animation of war planes opening their bay doors and dropping dollar signs, sickle and hammers, Islamic star and crescents, the star of David, and finally Christian crosses. It was a well balanced anti organized government/religion statement. Young Lust was accompanied by some projections of modern day groupies and some topless dancing. A little more racy than I was expecting, but hey, I liked it. They played a medley of the whole first half (one I was familiar with as I have the 'Is There Anybody Out There' live recording from 80-81), this was used so the stage hands could fill in all but one gap of the wall. Through the final gap, Roger sang Good Bye Cruel World, then closed it up to thunderous applause and cheers. Intermission featured fan submitted photos and bios of fallen loved ones in all major wars.
The second half had Roger and the band playing behind the wall and through various gaps. The early highlight of this was a platform opening up, featuring Roger sitting in his chair, in front of his TV, beautifully singing Nobody Home. Then came Comfortably Numb, where he sang outside the wall, while Robbie Wyckoff sang David's parts (very competently I might add). From then on the band came outside the wall for The Show Must Go On, In The Flesh? Run Like Hell, and Waiting For The Worms. They were all decked out in the fascist garb, with Roger in his trench coat and armband. I got chills during Waiting For The Worms when the marching hammers blazed across the wall canvas, big as life. During Run Like Hell, the pig hovered above the audience, decorated with Wall-esque graffiti. Then came The Trial, featuring remastered and blown up footage straight from the film, which looked amazing. It of course ended with the wall crashing down as the audience chanted 'Tear down the wall!'. Then the whole band sang Outside The Wall, and Roger gave each member a curtain call. It was especially touching when he did so for his 'little boy Harry', his son who is playing keyboards on this tour. Then Roger himself said his thank yous and pointed at the audience stage left, middle, and right for final applause. We were seated stage left, the last section he got to. I am sure it was just a shtick, since we were the last, but when he got to us, he said 'Usually this is the loudest section right here' and we screamed our lungs out. I had the biggest smile plastered on my face (and pretty much through the whole show). I discovered later I had cheered myself hoarse, something I have never done at any other concert.
In summary, he is one hell of a performer, who at age 67, still has it. He was dancing around stage during the theatrics, and plucking away on his bass as he stamped his feet to the music. He gave it his all, and enjoyed every second of it. I can only hope this will reinvigorate him, and he will yearn to do some more touring.
The show was amazing, the best concert I have ever seen. It opened with the wall partially constructed on either side of the stage, so the projections could be seen. Most of it was new, updated stuff, not just older clips from the movie and the animation that came before that. The updates were very well done, and honored the spirit of the album's themes. Lots of images of religion, war, fallen soldiers, and the pop culture mindset that dulls the everyday person's senses to those horrors.
At the conclusion of In The Flesh, a large WWII plane swooped down over the audience and crashed stage left, toppling some bricks. During Another Brink in the Wall II, the school master puppet dropped down in the darkness, and when revealed, he danced around like a ghost, pointing his finger and waving his pointing stick. A local choir of kids came out and sang the chorus, then attacked the schoolmaster, who revolted in retreat. Those were some lucky kids. Then during Mother, the huge Mother puppet sat on the opposite side of the stage, leering down at Roger. He played footage of him singing the song at one of the original performance from 1980, and sang along and played acoustic guitar with the video in total sync. This may have been one of my favorite moments, as it is the closest I will ever come to seeing the real Floyd in their heyday.
Goodbye Blue Sky featured animation of war planes opening their bay doors and dropping dollar signs, sickle and hammers, Islamic star and crescents, the star of David, and finally Christian crosses. It was a well balanced anti organized government/religion statement. Young Lust was accompanied by some projections of modern day groupies and some topless dancing. A little more racy than I was expecting, but hey, I liked it. They played a medley of the whole first half (one I was familiar with as I have the 'Is There Anybody Out There' live recording from 80-81), this was used so the stage hands could fill in all but one gap of the wall. Through the final gap, Roger sang Good Bye Cruel World, then closed it up to thunderous applause and cheers. Intermission featured fan submitted photos and bios of fallen loved ones in all major wars.
The second half had Roger and the band playing behind the wall and through various gaps. The early highlight of this was a platform opening up, featuring Roger sitting in his chair, in front of his TV, beautifully singing Nobody Home. Then came Comfortably Numb, where he sang outside the wall, while Robbie Wyckoff sang David's parts (very competently I might add). From then on the band came outside the wall for The Show Must Go On, In The Flesh? Run Like Hell, and Waiting For The Worms. They were all decked out in the fascist garb, with Roger in his trench coat and armband. I got chills during Waiting For The Worms when the marching hammers blazed across the wall canvas, big as life. During Run Like Hell, the pig hovered above the audience, decorated with Wall-esque graffiti. Then came The Trial, featuring remastered and blown up footage straight from the film, which looked amazing. It of course ended with the wall crashing down as the audience chanted 'Tear down the wall!'. Then the whole band sang Outside The Wall, and Roger gave each member a curtain call. It was especially touching when he did so for his 'little boy Harry', his son who is playing keyboards on this tour. Then Roger himself said his thank yous and pointed at the audience stage left, middle, and right for final applause. We were seated stage left, the last section he got to. I am sure it was just a shtick, since we were the last, but when he got to us, he said 'Usually this is the loudest section right here' and we screamed our lungs out. I had the biggest smile plastered on my face (and pretty much through the whole show). I discovered later I had cheered myself hoarse, something I have never done at any other concert.
In summary, he is one hell of a performer, who at age 67, still has it. He was dancing around stage during the theatrics, and plucking away on his bass as he stamped his feet to the music. He gave it his all, and enjoyed every second of it. I can only hope this will reinvigorate him, and he will yearn to do some more touring.