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All Pink Floyd!


Ike
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And from noticing the the praise here for WYWH I have to ask a question, does anyone else get the feeling that the band was basically on autpolit for the whole recording? In DSOTM you've got what would've amounted to be months and months of work, creativity and changing ideas, but for WYWH you get the sense that they're practically falling asleep at their instruments (I think Gilmour once commented that it should've been called Wish WE were here.). I just find it so flat, like they couldn't be bothered coming up with new ideas and decided "The album's still too short...let's just drag Shine On for another 10 minutes". I hear that Sheep and Dogs were originally going to be on this album, and IMO it would've given WYWH the kick that I felt was sorely lacking.

 

But that's me :shrug:

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No way. and it's weird hearing Gilmour say that, since he says a lot that is was the best work that Floyd ever did as a band, and I certainly agree with him - it showed off the best of what each member was capable of, it was their most emotional album (as a collective) and I dunno. . .I actually find more life in it that Dark Side of the Moon. With that album they were trying to break boundries, with WYWH, they were making a dedication.

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Dogs and Sheep didn't "fit" and by now Roger had become set on the idea that every album had to be a concept album. If Animals (minus pigs on a wing) was added to WYWH it would be perfect as a record.

 

Oh and cut about 10 mintues off of Shine On if you're not going to do anything.

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I'll agree that WYWH is lacking in terms of the length of the album, but the quality more than makes up for its lack of quantity. I enjoy all the music, especially the title-track and Shine On You Crazy Diamond. Despite the latter song's length I don't feel its drawn out whatsoever, in fact I love jamming to the instrumentals. The themes prevalent in this album are definitely ones I can relate to and overall the music just speaks to me, I wished there was a modern band today that can stack up to the Floyd.

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Dogs and Sheep didn't "fit" and by now Roger had become set on the idea that every album had to be a concept album. If Animals (minus pigs on a wing) was added to WYWH it would be perfect as a record.

Maybe not lyrically, but in musically I think they would've fit perfectly (just make the words more WYWH-esque) and would've made WYWH much better. Sheep in particular would've added a much needed shot of adrenaline to an otherwise sleepy album. Is it true that Gilmour fought for those songs to be included?

 

I see where you're all coming from, and don't get me wrong, I still regard WYWH as the best ever album to listen to when lying flat on your back or sitting in front of a warm fire with a glass of whiskey in your hand. But I still don't see how it can be compared to DSOTM or the Wall as a technical achievement and in terms of creativity. Must be something I'm missing :shrug:

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  • 5 months later...

That's awesome. Hope you have a good time.

 

I've only recently got all of the Floyd's albums and am gradually listening to them. So far I adore The Wall and Dark Side of the Moon and Pipers at the Gate. I had Echoes and loved it but eventually decided they're one of those bands you really should listen to alot of their albums individually.

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Sorry to bump a very old thread from the pits, but I thought it was the best place for me to tell everyone

 

I'M SEEING ROGER WATERS TONIGHT!!! :D :D :D

 

Hey, me too! Can't f**king wait either, from everything I've read and seen, it looks like it's gonna be a real great show. . .it'd wanna be for how much the tickets were. ;)

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Awesome, we might very well cross paths and not realise it :)

 

I got my tickets as an early birthday present from my folks. I'd say they were about 200 bucks as they're in the front section from the floor. God bless my mum & dad :thumbsup:

 

EDIT: Found an interesting interview with Waters

where he mentions that he would reunite for a tour "in a heartbeat", and that Gilmour is the one resisting. Amazing how the roles have reversed over these years.
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Just got home. The show was ******* AWESOME! The old goat's still got some fire left in him. I was about 20 rows back off the floor, directly to Roger's right, so got a great view of everything. What struck me about the crowd was the diversity. People of all ages and types. Old hippies, old rockers, pub-crawlers, uni students, goths/Tool fans as well as a number of families with small children (I saw a 10 year-old with a Wall T'shirt on). I was sitting with a group of people 20-25 years older than myself, yet I seemed to know more than they did about Roger/Floyd. Hell, they were around for that, I wasn't. One guy even asked me "Which album was this from?" when Shine on... came on, and I was like "Are you ******* kidding me???" Unfortunately I got the feeling from the crowd that it was very much a group brought up by Floyd on the radio, meaning DSOTM, Another brick... and the singles from WYWH. I was pretty disappointed with the crowd to be honest.

 

The setlist was as follows:

 

1. In the Flesh?

A brilliant opening. Really got the crowd into it. A Waters trademark.

 

2. Mother

A nice, by-the books rendition of this classic to get the crowd settled in after the fireworks had died down.

 

3. Set the controls for the heart of the sun

I've never really cared much for this song *dodged broken bottle* but after this version I'm inclined to change my PoV. Very intense, and ol Roger got a bit heavy metal with it too before the end.

 

4. Shine on...

A bit rushed, but I guess being at this point in the setlist you can't have the full opening (guess that's the compromise Waters made to retain his beloved In the Flesh? to open). I admit I teared up a little when Syd's image came up on the big screen. I was annoyed that the crowd didn't acknowledge him.

 

5. Have a Cigar

I couldn't believe they played this. I love this freaking song, yet again I seemed to be the only one who knew what it was (or at least the words to it). But everyone got into it, and I saw more than one person get their groove on while listening. Always one of my faves to sing along to, quite simply a cool song.

 

6. Wish you were here

If you've seen the version of this from Pulse, you know what to expect. A very faithful and by-the-books rendition. Again, I teared up a little because there was someone I wanted with me tonight and I thought of her when Roger was playing it.

 

7. Southampton Dock

Again, a very faithful version of this Final Cut song. Acted more as a lead-in for...

 

8. The Fletcher Memorial Home

Again, I've never cared too much for this song previously. But again, Roger convinced me. Experiencing it live, and done with a much more epic feel than the album version, changed this song completely for me. In fact, Roger changed every song that we might all know as mellow or relaxing, into something epic that would shake stadiums.

 

9. Perfect Sense

Wow. This was brilliant. First, the inflatable spaceman flying around the arena, and then a slow buildup to an incredible crescendo that didn't cease "CAN'T YOU SEE? IT ALL MAKES PERFECT SENSE!!!". One of the highlights of the show.

 

10. Leaving Beirut

Waters' newest song, and there were a few watery eyes in the house after this one. What a beautiful song. Moving, and when coupled with the excellent comic-style vision a very emotional experience. Now my favourite Waters solo track.

 

11. Sheep

Another of my all-time favourites. This brought the house down. It's not often that Waters rocks out, but when he does he can tear paint off the walls. The pig again made an appearance with a message to "Bring David Hicks home" The best-played song for the whole show and a great way to end the first set.

 

Dark side of the Moon

Again, you know what to expect here. The songs you all know and love amped up to 11. My favourites were Time and Great gig in the sky. Time was again an epic version of a song we all know already, and Great gig was done perfectly. Definite kudos to the backup singer for playing this great track exactly the way it should be.

 

Encore:Happiest days of our lives/Another brick pt2/Vera/Bring the boys back home/Comfortaby Numb

A great lineup to end the show. First Roger pointing at a member of the crowd and screaming at him to "Stand still laddy!", and of course leading into Another brick the crowd goes into a frenzy (as I said, it was one of THOSE crowds) and for the first time stand as one to call back "HEY! TEACHER! LEAVE US KIDS ALONE!". I was surprised that he used Vera to accompany Bring the boys back home/Comfortably Numb, but I guess he feels its more significant that way. Numb was brilliant as expected and hats off to the guitarists for doing their best to live up to Gilmour's great work. But I found it interesting that they both had to share the load, both playing different parts of "THE solo" to do it justice. Just goes to show how brilliant Gilmour is. Overall, a great end to a great show.

 

There were some things that disappointed me however. Obviously like any rock concert you're always going to have favourite songs that aren't on the playlist. I missed Astronomy Domine, Echoes (although I can understand why he didn't put a 20 minute song into a set already bursting at the seams), One of these days and Run like Hell. Particularly the last two, which are two of my favourites and again offer Waters the chance to really rock out. I would like to have One of these days as the first song in the encore, and Run Like Hell to finish it off. But really, beggars can't be choosers and this setlist was great, offering a wide array of hits from different eras but arranging them in such a way that they build one another. I was disappointed a couple of times that Waters handed vocal duties to offsiders for Money and Us an Them, but perhaps his voice was shot and he needed a break. Who knows.And again, I was disappointed in the crowd, for reasons already mentioned.

 

Overall, a brilliant show and an experience I'll never forget. This man is a genius and I hope he goes on for many years still. Thank you Roger :thumbsup:

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Just to add to what you said Spoon - where I was sitting, pretty much everyone around me was a massive Pink Floyd fan. I thought I'd be the only one singing the lyrics to every song, but I got a nice surprise when everyone else knew the lyrics (even to Perfect Sense).

 

Jon Carin, one of the backup singers I think you're referring to, really was f**king amazing. I didn't mind him singing a majority of the songs in Dark Side since he pretty much is a member of Pink Floyd as well (toured with Floyd in 87 and 94, toured with Roger solo in 99/00, toured with Gilmour solo in 06, and Waters in 06/07). The chick who did Great Gig was also fantastic - i think she was one of the chicks who sang with Floyd at Live 8, not sure.

 

And agreed on the Comfortably Numb solo. . .I was disappointed it was the finale, because it really loses something when it's not played by Gilmour. His guitar solo is the signature aspect of the song, and even though the band pulled off every other song in the night, they just couldn't give that solo justice. Oh well, still loved the hell out of it.

 

Think the reason he doesn't play Echoes live is because Gilmour was playing that on his solo tour, and it's always been a more heavily dominated Wright/Gilmour track. . .but not sure on why he doesn't touch the others. I actually would of like to of seen him play more of his solo material, some extra stuff off Amused to Death! (Three Wishes would be ace live). Or even a bit more off the Final Cut, his live rendition of Fletcher Memorial Home was amazing.

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I must've been in the dip**** part of the crowd then :(

 

Carin was very good. He probably knows these songs just as well as Rick Wright himself. The sax player was solid too, not missing a beat when the time called for it. The backup singers were great, although the accoustics in the building weren't always favourable, and some of the really high notes didn't come out so well. But yes, they did it beautifully.

 

I agree that Comfortably Numb just isn't the same with anyone but Gilmour playing it. Not just because of how good he is but also because it's one of the few great things from Floyd that he can truly claim as his own. Almost as though he was made for it. I have to admit too that there were times I missed his vocals too on songs I have come to know so well. Yes, they're Waters' words, but it's never the same. What it all boils down to is that these two guys need each other for these songs to be as great as they can be. Perhaps we can at least hope Gilmour will come down here at some stage himself.

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One of the big reasons Roger got all piss-and-vinegar in the 70s and eventually spat on a dude was that the crowd was increasingly full of "radio" fans just there to hear Money with no interest in numbers like Us and Them and Granchester ****ing Meadows. So it's not a suprise the Floyd fanbase wasn't completely aware of songs like Heart of the Sun and Have A Cigar (which bombed as a single in the US). But more power to them, and DAMN you for getting to see that fantastic set list live. Though I'd have liked him to skip Comforatbly Numb unless he had Dave and maybe do The Tide Is Turning (the ONLY good track off of Radio K.A.O.S.)

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I'm happy to say Mez that I think Waters managed to convert quite a number of people after the other night. During the intermission, listening to more than one person whistling the last guitar piece from Sheep was music to mine ears.

 

But unfortunately I think this review sums the attitude up quite well..

Fans see the light, and legend

Glenn Mitchell

 

FOR 43 minutes we were transfixed by the dark side of the moon.

 

And by the end we were comfortably numb, yet up on out feet.

 

We were taken on a journey by Pink Floyd's Roger Waters that, while tough at the beginning, became a brilliant cacophony of light and sound.

 

Against a backdrop of stunning imagery, Waters and his band performed one of the most iconic albums of any generation - The Dark Side of the Moon.

 

Last night, before a near full house at Rob Laver Arena, it was all about seeing this album performed live with all the light, colour and imagery Pink Floyd were renowned for.

 

Songs such as Breathe, Us and Them and Money are timeless, yet the nine-piece band breathed new life into them.

 

Waters was in superb form, his voice virtually pitch-perfect, and the many singers and band members added to the magic of the genre known as prog rock. Done the Pink Floyd way, it's hard to deny its brilliance.

 

But the first hour of the show was damn hard going if you weren't a Waters diehard.

 

Waters unleashed 60 minutes of heavy-handed and bombastic anti-war images, while versions of such classics as Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Wish You Were Here made you wish you weren't there.

 

But once Waters started taking us to the moon, it was 43 minutes of magic. As for the giant pink elephant that floated across the crowd with the message "Bring David Hicks Home", it is not for this reviewer to comment.

 

Yet another so-called "expert" who hasn't put anything into his cd player except for DSOTM and only listens to stuff from WYWH and The Wall when they come on the radio. Does he know the names of any of the other songs? How can a moron such as this be put into a position where he can critique anything???

 

And what ******* elephant? It was a pig you ******* dimwit!

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I'm not the hugest fan, and think that classic rock radio butchers the crap out of some of their tunes. I'll usually scream "Hey D.J! Leave that disc alone!" alongside Another Brick in the Wall whenever it comes on the radio, which is usually about eighteen times a day on any of the several rock stations in my home town. The band has such a store of great tunes, if only the casual listener had more of a chance to hear them.

 

With that said, saw 'em live back in '94, on the Division Bell tour if I'm not mistaken. Don't remember much. But then, if you DO remember a Pink Floyd show, you weren't really there...

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Yeah, I love Beirut. It's a shame not many people seem to like it though, a lot of people hated the studio release (and To Kill The Child) which I both thought were good tracks, but some seemed to take a liking for it with the live version.

 

Wasn't too popular in the US though.

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Hardly surprising that it wasn't liked in the US. I've heard of Waters being abused by fans after playing it over there.

 

I've been reading some reviews of other shows on this tour, and Snowy screwing up the opening to Shine on seems to be a continual complaint. You'd think after 30 years he'd have it figured out by now.

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