Ahoy Stadia
From: Arnout E. Ratelband
The sound wasn't as good as I hoped for giving Rog's reputation. The
Rotterdam Ahoy
is a difficult venue acoustically. I've always hated Ahoy for that until
Roxy Music performed last year,
when the sound was absolutely perfect. So I had very high hopes for the
sound quality but alas...
From where I was standing (quite upfront) his voice could sometimes hardly
be heard.
The backing vocalists (with Carol Kenyon and not Linda Lewis as posted
elsewhere) could have been lifted up in the mix a bit more as well.
I was glad that Every Strangers Eyes was sung live by Rog as opposed to the
DVD where
it's clearly a backing tape that is taking care of the high pitch stuff.
Highlight of the evening for me was the second half of Shine On.
Oh yes, and the bloke from the audience that stood on the wall during It's a
Miracle... All around me people were angry about that. I found it quite funny
actually.
Disappointment for me was Harry Waters' keyboard playing. He clearly misses
the subtlety of Jon Carin.
I also think that the Flickering Flame does not work well as a concert
closer. It was a complete anti climax
to a nearly perfect gig.
Now let's all hope that Roger releases a new album soon and hits the road
again. We all have waited too long for this.
What is there to add to all the reviews that have been posted. The concert
was great from start
to finish. Predictable but great.
Cheers, A
I was even more surprised to hear from my neighbor, a 25 years old guy, who
said he was following Roger's tour as much as he could (going to both the Antwerp and Koln concerts).
When I asked "why," he replied that often during his youth his father had always played Pink Floyd
and Roger Waters music in the car when he was driven to school. I shared with him about my experiences
and the Ummagumma concert in the Amsterdam Concert Hall in 1969, and about the Atom
Heart Mother concert in the same building we were standing in right at that moment. Two generations
gathered together with a common bond. We had a beautiful evening.
All the best,
Hein Dil
Holland
The lights didn't give anything extra to the music, it was not what I expected. Although the "search"lights during dogs are cool and of course the mirror on shine on you crazy diamand. The video wall was pretty cool too, I really liked the video of the flying pig arround the powerplant. It was if I was sitting in that helicopter floating through the sky.
The guitarwork was really crap... specially the intro of Shine on you crazy diamand. No one can play with so much emotion and feeling as David Gilmour. The new guitar player and singer didn't sound as nice as the one they had before on the US tour who was singing dogs and breathe.. I didnt like his voice this time.
The show started on 8 o clock and ended at 11, it took exactly 3 hours with a 20 minute pause in it. During the pause they played strange noises like they did on the Pink Floyd shows before they started, very cool.
Anyway, the show was very nice, and I enjoyed it much, but it wasn't the "mindblowing" show I had expected. So I was a bit dissapointed.
The Highlights were Dogs... very cool to hear it live, also Shine on you crazy Diamand part 6-9 were awesome! Some people were started going crazy when they heard the first notes. It was cool they added those parts of that song to the setlist! Also Set the controls was very good! The last new song Flickering Flame wasn't very special, I think Each Small Candle is better.
I didn't want to say any words about it, but I'll do it anyway; some stupid guy climbed on stage and stood on the higher stage riser at the back (where roger starts In The Flesh in front of the videowall. I dont think much of the band noticed it, but whoever that kid was who did that is an idiot. Go play somewhere else! A crew-member ran after him as he left through a door on the stage. I wonder how that ended.
I also want to mention that the t-shirts and tourbooks and stuff were very very expensive. I paid 30 Euro for a little tshirt... damn shame! I also wanted the tourbook but when I saw the price of 14 euro I left it.
Conclusion: Nice show I enjoyed it very much, but not amazing. Roger should grow up and join Pink Floyd again.
The songs "Dogs", "Brain
Damage/Eclipse" and "Time" (nice drums!!!!) were vere good. The songs from
Roger's solo career were also very good, especially "Perfect Sense" with a solo
from PP Arnold. She's great, really great. I enjoied the concert and I hope,
this was not the last time I see Roger Waters live.
