In 2005 Sir Bob Geldof organized LIVE 8, an event similar to, but apparently not a Mark 2 of 1985’s LIVE AID.
For Pink Floyd fans in particular this was a monumental occasion, as it saw for the first time in 24 years, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Richard Wright AND Roger Waters perform on stage together.
No doubt Sir Bob Geldof would have mounted an enormously strong and impassioned case as to the amount of funds which would be raised by the four’s appearance, but having found out several months earlier what had happened the last time they were actually together, I had no interest in this performance.
And it could only have been a “performance”.
Many Floyd fans would know that the lyrics to Louder Than Words, the final song on The Endless River, came from this event.
Polly Samson had observed Gilmour, Mason, Waters and Wright sitting around backstage, not saying a word to each other. I’m not surprised. They were probably still smarting over what had occurred aboard Astoria.
And at the very least they would have been desperate to avoid another conversation which would lead them down the same track, and to the same outcome.
Imagine that. Pink Floyd is introduced, to the rapturous applause of millions, but the band fail to appear because they’ve had another dust-up and gone home!
I have never watched their set and have no intention of ever doing so.
My apologies to those who expected a detailed review.