I got to my seats about 10 minutes to 8. A quick bathroom break was met with the always welcoming scent of marijuana in the air. It really was overwhelming, going in there and the smell just hit you. The same smell would linger through the air of the arena throughout the entire show. Roger came on at about 20 after 8 to a very enthusiastic crowd. (the crowd kept the enthusiasm throughout the entire show.)
In The Flesh: Of course was a great way to open the show and got everyone pumped up. Roger also sounded great here and throughout the entire night.
Mother: Another good performance, and as always Katie Kissoon giving great vocals on the chorus.
Set the Controls: This is where most of the smokers lit up a joint, very trippy atmosphere with the visuals on the screen and great solo by Snowy.
Shine on: Yes it was a shorter version, but the band played it very well and the images of Syd on the screen made for a very moving experience. An emotional song and one of the highlights of the show.
Have a Cigar: Okay I will adress the lip synching here, and all of the hoopla and big deal surrounding it. Being there live, if there was lip synching, it wasn’t noticable live in either of the songs. The band was very tight and Dave Kiliminster did an excellent job on the solo. A great song that got everyone dancing.
Wish You Were Here: Love Roger’s version on this tour. When the second guitar came in Roger began to talk, some of which I couldn’t hear. From what I did hear I believe he not only dedicated it to Syd but to the people who lost their lives on 9-11 and the war and to their families. Again I couldn’t hear exactly what he said but it def. had something to do with that. This recieved a nice pop from the crowd.
Southampton Dock: One of my fav. from The Final Cut and it was nice hearing it live, not too much of a reaction from the audience to it but you def. heard cheers and approval from what seemed to be the fans of The Final Cut.
Fletcher Memorial Home: Same as above, another one of my favorites and I loved the images on the screen during the song. This was a great section of the concert IMO.
Perfect Sense: At this point the obvious casual fans went to the concessions and or bathroom probably because they didnt recognize the song. I stayed put because this is a great song and I wouldn’t miss PP Arnold sing. In part II the crowd really got going and the explosion was cool. Roger really knows how to get the crowd to respond.
Leaving Beiruit: I was really anticipating this song for the crowd reaction and because I personally like it. Roger told his story about being taken in by the arab family when his car broke down and then went on with the song. The crowd seemed to be mostly pleased with the song. There was a loud reaction after the song which was mixed, I did hear some boos but the cheering was louder and drowned out whatever boos I heard. I thought it was a great performanced and the song was nicely tweaked it seems from the European leg of the tour.
After this the pig flew around the arena with all of the messages written on it, this was a great addition to the show and a cool visual enhancement.
Sheep: The pig flew around during the song, and of course this was one of the highlights of the show. Absolutley stunning live and got the crowd rocking. The crowd applauded after the song and applauded even louder after Roger announced there will be a 15 minute intermission and then they would come back and do Darkside of the Moon.
After the intermission the band came back on stage and Roger introduced Nick Mason to a monsterous reaction. Then of course the familiar hearbeats began and it seemed the sound was enhanced even more from the first set during darkside.
Breathe: Kilminster and Carin did a good job with harmonies on Breathe and it sounded very well. Oh and also of course more joints being lit up.
On The Run: This was actually quite an intense part of the concert. The music just swarmed around you and it was so loud I could actually feel the place vibrating and shaking beneath me. I also couldnt keep my eyes off of the screen which held some very trippy visuals. Once this ended everyone knew what was next.
Time: Nick did a very good job on the intro, and Kilminsters solo was excellent. This was another highlight for me and it all sounded great. Transition from time to breathe reprise was awesome.
Great Gig in the Sky: Well folks this was an awe inspiring performance by Carol Kenyan. The crowd absolutely loved every second of it, she grabbed the crowd with her vocals and didnt let us go until the final note. At the end she got a well deserved roar from the crowd.
Money: Loved the sound of the cash registers going all around the arena, knew that would be cool 🙂 Kilminsters vocals and guitar playing were exceptionally well here and the band had everyone dancing in this song.
Us and Them: Well this was done well by John Carin. Carin is such an important piece to not only these shows and past Roger Shows but to Gilmour shows as well and I believe he has become a great part of the live Pink Floyd sound. Lights got really bright during the chorus but I got used to it, and hell I didnt care about getting blinded I was having a great time.
Any Colour You Like: It was a treat to here this live, I always loved this portion of the album. Everyone digged it, and of course it set up the next song.
Brain Damage: Was it already here? I couldn’t believe it, time literally flew during this set (no pun intended) Another great performance with good vocals by Roger, everyone of course sang along.
Eclipse: Well here it was the very climatic finish to darkside of the moon, no better conclusion to an album IMO. Just like that it was over. Darkside went so quick and every moment of it was awesome.
Crowd was loud, and an awesome sight was everyone having their lighters and cell phone lights on in the dark as they were waiting for the band to come back on. It was very loud. Band returned for the encore.
Happiest Days/Another Brick: Crowd loved it and sang along. Great version, and even though overplayed and cliche at Pink Floyd/Roger Waters shows it was nice hearing it and singing along.
Vera: Crowd actually sang along here too, and Roger was in good form singing it.
BTBBH: A very relevant song now with relevant footage on the screen. There were some nice explosions and pyro during the song too.
Comfortably Numb: Hard to hear over the crowd, but it was a decent version and I think John Carin sang the chorus although Kilminster might have sang in there too. Solos were good, of course not close to Gilmour good, but good none the less and sent us home happy.
Closing Thoughts: An excellent experience and a far out show. With all the little nit picking I have been hearing on the forums about lip synching, production, set list, ect (pretty much everything someone had a complaint about it seemed) it all didnt matter to me. If you go to one of these shows and don’t have a good time then you dont have a pulse. It was a very entertaining show and from what I saw everyone there was having an excellent time. So all those nay sayers and what not that would rather criticize and not go to the show, you are missing out because this was one great show. You can keep your negativity and complaints, as for me, I would go again tomorrow night if I could. Oh and to answer security questions about cameras, I didnt bring one myself but the security didnt seem too tight they were just worried about checking bags and such. They didn’t even search me, so I could have brought anything in my pocket and got away with it.
Review thanks to Raul Duke
Pictures thanks to Kristen from BHA
I will not review song by song as that was done previously, I will just add a few comments on the show.
I have seen every tour since Roger began his solo career, and he has come a long way as far as his demeanor on stage. In 1984 he seemed bitter and angry, not smiling much on stage, and I witnessed him cursing out the audience in New Jersey on the Pros And Cons Tour.
In 2006, he seems much more content, more in contact with the audience, and more compassionate, for lack of a better term. Smiling often, plenty of interaction with the packed crowd, he had us all locked into the vibe, and the vibe was powerful, emotional, and at times quite overwhelming.
The sound was top notch, probably the best sound of any of his previous solo outings. High compliments the the boys at the mixing consoles… great job. A show such as this must be a daunting task with all the sequencers, sound effects, and a twelve member ensemble onstage!
Roger has put together a band of excellent players. Although I am not a big fan of Graham Broads playing, he did do a fine job interpreting the songs. He also backed Mr. Mason during the “Dark Side” set, who brandished a beatiful array of custom DW drums adorned with a Dark Side Of The Moon theme painted on the drum shells. His high point, of course, was the intro to “Time”, executing the Roto-Tom solo with finesse.
I have to mention Mr. Kilminster, who handled David Gilmour’s guitar leads excellently. Some of his performances were literally note for note. His vocal ability is worth mentioning also.
Andy Fairweather- Low kept a curiously low profile, staying back in the shadows mostly, but of course handling his guitar duties like the pro he is. He backed Roger a few times on bass, so the host could roam the stage and get up close and personal with those seated in the closer sections.
Snowy White did a fine job, complimenting the other two guitarists very well.
Although Roger did lip- sync, otherwise his voice was in strong form.
All in all an excellent performance by the entire band.
One point I need to mention. Before “Wish You Were Here”, Roger spoke– “I watched as they recited the names of the victims of 9/11 yesterday, and I was very moved by it. I would like to dedicate this song to all the families who lost loved ones on that day”. A very moving segment of the show, indeed. I doubt there was one person attending that did not experience spine chills. I, for one, did shed a tear.
I will be attending tonite’s show as well, and Friday night at Jones Beach Ampitheater. Let’s hope the sky is filled with a nice big moon for that one….
Review thanks to Casey Carney
Pigs – Two Different Ones. An inside & outside pig for Roger’s New York MSG shows. Pics thanks to Bill Evans
A great evening in NYC as I take in my second show of Rog’s current trek across America. I attended opening night in Holmdel and had a wonderful time, despite the vibe from the audience (see the PNC review I submitted for details on that).
I take the train in from Jersey and met a friend of mine at an Irish pub near the Garden. During dinner the proprietor of this establishment came over to ask us if we were going to the “big concert” in town that night, and what kind of music it was. She didn’t know Rog, but knew who Pink Floyd were. Amusing conversation between the three of us as my friend and I try to describe Pink Floyd’s music (which is truly beyond description) to this very kind lady.
We head over to the Garden. We managed to procure club suite seats for this evening. Our box is towards the back of the arena, and we have a nicely-centered view of the stage. With no security anywhere (including the lax security at the entrance), we could have easily smuggled in audio and/or video equipment. We were kicking ourselves all night, and still are today.
The opening video hits around 8:05 – 8:10. I do really like this intro. The changing of the station when Abba’s Dancing Queen comes on the radio got a loud cheer from the audience. Rog walks out about 8:20, struts about the stage for a few, and then…EIN! ZWIE! DRIE! And here we go. As he launches in to ITF, someone begins launching bunches of glowsticks from the back of the arena. I have no idea who was responsible for it (if it was Rog or a fan), but they kept coming well into STCFTHOTS. ITF, Mother, STCFTHOTS all go wonderfully.
The buildup during STC was really intense, and Ian & Snowy really shine here. No differences from PNC thus far.
As great as SOYCD sounds, I’m not digging the abbreviated version, which we dubbed “SOYCD Parts 1.5 – 4”. A lot is missing, but credit where it’s due, it sounds wonderful and the images of Syd are very emotional. I particularly got chills seeing the shot from the Jugband Blues promotional film.
Have A Cigar sounds great, but lacked some punch.
As WYWH begins, Roger dedicates it to “love ones lost” at 9/11. Beautiful rendition once again, and as the poppies fall on the video screen, I see my favorite part of the show coming up. Which, coincidentally, is the part where half of the audience leaves for a bathroom or beer break. I don’t get it, but as Neil says, don’t let it bring you down.
The Final Cut is such a wonderful record, and I wish he played more of it. The title track deserves to be heard live!! Rog, if you’re reading this, a Filthy Hands–>Fletcher–>Southampton–>TFC–>NNJ block would be amazing! Anyway, SD and Fletcher are just excellent, and for me they were the highlight. Perfect Sense 1 & 2 really seems to win the crowd over. I particularly liked the backdrop video for this one – listening to Marv Albert’s play-by-play and WATCHING the “game” definitely proves effective here.
Roger grabs the mic and voices his appreciation of the Garden and all who have seen him perform there over the years. After a monologue giving the background story, Leaving Beirut is played. The lines about George Bush and the Christian Right definitely received cheers from the crowd, which was even stranger because of the amount of booing after the song. Now I’m wondering – are these people actually booing Rog’s politics, or do they not like the song?? I’d understand the first (though I agree with the message of the song), but not the second, if that is the case. The cheers did get loud enough after the song to overpower the booers. Oh well. The booing stops pretty quickly as Jon Carin plays the opening notes to Sheep. The other highlight of the evening, Sheep literally blows the roof off the Garden. The Pig looks to have the same writing on it that it had at Mansfield. What happened to the inflatable sheep we heard about a few months ago? Rog takes his break. During this time, we hear the sounds of a brook flowing through the speakers, and the image of the moon starts as a small dot and eventually fills the screen.
The lights go out. Rog comes out and introduces his dear friend Nick. They hug to a huge round of applause. Nick gets behind his set and the heartbeat begins. There’s been a lot of reviews for the DSOTM set so I feel like I’ll be repetitive here if I go through it all. Here were my thoughts: first, Nick played extremely well. He played the intro to Time wonderfully and just played overall with great finesse (they didn’t really NEED the other drummer for this set, did they?). For me, this set feels like a 45-minute singalong for the casual fans in attendance. That’s not to trivialize the performance, but a complete performance of another album aside from DSOTM or The Wall would feel welcome and fresh (strictly my opinion). Us & Them was absolutely sublime. Anyone else notice the backdrop for TGGITS looked like the Crystal Voyager film?? A terrific performance, but overall it lacked the intensity and emotion that I thought it would. I enjoyed the first set a lot more.
Rog, Nick and company return for the encores. As I said in the PNC review, THDOOL/ABITW2 was….THDOOL/ABITW2. Vera gave me absolute chills, just as it did at PNC. As did Bring The Boys Back Home, which fortunately lacked the booing I heard after it at PNC (Thank God…what’s wrong with people?!?). Having heard both DG and Rog do Comfortably Numb this year, I have to say…they sounded exactly the same. But it just never gets old. A big thumbs-up for Dave Kilminster, who played extremely well tonight. To compare with the PNC show last week – the performance at MSG was tighter and free of the “glitches” from PNC. The acoustics at PNC were much, much better. In fact, some of the first set last night sounded a bit “muddy” at times. The crowd was about the same, seemed to be made up of at least 50% casual fans. I only hold out hope that, if he tours after releasing one of his upcoming albums, that he really revamps the setlist and surprises us. All the same, do not miss Rog this time around, at any cost.
Review thanks to Norm Verdolina
Set List
FIRST HALF: 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 Memorial Home, Perfect Sense parts 1 and 2, Leaving Beirut, Sheep.
SECOND HALF: Dark Side of the Moon.
ENCORE: The Happiest Days Of Our Lives, Another Brick In The Wall (Pt 2), Vera, Bring the Boys back Home, Comfortably Numb.
Wallpaper! Our graphic artist Bill Evans has come up with this absolutely brilliant wallpaper for Roger’s MSG shows. To really give your computer a great new look, click on the above image, and when you are presented with the larger image, simply right mouse click and ‘Set As Background’
Thanks to Bill Evans
Nick Mason is confirmed to play on Dark Side Of The Moon at this concert.
Roger at MSG in 2000
You can read reviews of those shows and see more cracking pictures HERE | HERE