2006 North America
Tour Reviews

The show started with some songs from The Wall, then from Wish You Were Here, Animals, and of course a selection of numbers from Dark Side of the Moon. Then back to the Wall again. The entire time the band played there was wild video on the huge screen behind the band. And of course he had the big blow-up pink pig flying around the arena for the Animals song.

The audience at the Garden loved every single minute we couldn't shout or clap loud enough! What a show.

Thanks Roger. It was Great!
Lois R. Brown

While I may be in the minority, I thought the best-performed songs werethe non-Dark Side material. Most notably during the first set, "Have a Cigar" sizzled (as usual, Roger has a tremendous backing band), "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" soared and took us back to 1968, and "Sheep" wasthe dynamic highlight of the whole show.I commented to my friends, "Roger should play all of 'Animals' while he's at it!" What a truly underappreciated album.

Of course, "Dark Side"was enjoyable to hear/see, and watching Nick bang away was a sight forsore eyes. However, David Gilmour's voice is truly missed on songs like "On the Run" and "Us and Them." Jon Carin fills in admirably, but there's notthe same buzz or emotion. I know, I know ... Live8 was a one-off reunion.But it makes you wonder, "What if?""Brain Damage/Eclipse"was the highlight of the second set,with Roger singing withpassionand purpose.

I was surprised bythe negativecrowdreaction following"Leaving Beirut" (not a great song, to be honest). In liberal "blue state" New York, I'd estimate that at leastone-third of the crowd booed. Freedom of speech, you can't beat it!

I've always felt Roger is at his best performing "The Wall," and the encore did not disappoint."Another Brick" and "Comfortably Numb"brought a great evening to an end.

Hopefully Roger will return to New York in the near future. One thing is clear: he won't be dining at the WhiteHouse any time soon.

I don't have much to add to what's already been written, just to say that this was one of the very best concerts I've ever been to, and definitely the best sound quality I've ever experienced. I thought the 1st set a little laid back, even with a rocker like "Have a Cigar." The opener, "In the Flesh," was awesome,ÊandÊwhileÊthe rest of the 1st set was undeniably good,Êsomething was missing. I can't really put my finger on it, I thought maybe one had to beÊhigh on potÊto appreciate it more.

I'm glad I was forewarned, by reading the other reviews, aboutÊ"Leaving Beriut." I enjoyed this song very much, but not so sure I would have if I wasn't prepared for it.

The second set, however,Êwas a different story. The intensity level soared, and it was amazing. DSOTM was done so perfectly that in some spots I started to feel tears well up in my eyes. It WAS Pink Floyd. (During "Money" I remarked that I missed David Gilmour's presence, and I felt his absence on one other occasion, can't remember, but other than that, itÊWAS Pink Floyd! To me, anyway) Did it go by fast! I remarkedÊthat it reminded me of the old days when an albumÊcouldn't be more thanÊaround 40 minutes long, because it was onÊvinyl (DSOTM is 43 min, I think).Ê

"Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2" was fantastic, accompanied by a boys choir, and they did a great job, they were well rehearsed, and their presenceÊfit with the lyrics, of course. "Comfortably Numb" was great as well.

I can't believe how great the sound quality was, especially considering we were in a huge arena. It's the best I've ever experienced.

Best concert experience that I have had, hands down. You know the set-list- so there is no need to detail thatÉ Some thoughts- I was surprised that the concert started on time, I was walking to my seats around 8:13 and the show started (I was expecting the 8:20 time!) Oops- :)

I was in floor seats in section 6 and the sound was amazing, as were the visual effects. I was a little nervous at first because the crowd didn't seem as excited as I wasÉ..but that did change.

People sat down, as they often do, during Leaving Beirut and other songs they didn't know towards the end of the 1st set in my section. But, they were still interested.

I did not hear one boo from anyone around me during the "controversial" parts of the show. I heard many cheers. (including myself!)

I find it laughable that people are "bitching" about the political nature of some of the songs. Distrust of authority, specifically government, is a prevalent theme of both Roger's solo work, and Pink Floyds. Hello?!?!

And the talk about being offended that Roger would diss US politics so close to the 9/11 anniversary is also laughable-- go ahead, be offended, but please try and sit down to read the history books (or the news)... I am not even going to waste my time in addressing that one...

Please people, stay home (or go see Justin Timberlake or something...) so there are more seats for the rest of us!!!! Ok, now stepping down from the soap boxÉ.

Roger Waters is a creative geniusÉÉand the band sounded great. DSOTH was absolutely stunning. I was in awe... Although it would have obviously been great with Gilmour... it fulfilled all my wishes and so much more. The crowd was going insane... way more lively then the first set.

The encores were also amazing... everyone singing and enjoying the experience. They also did an amazing job with the sound. I have been too many concerts at MSG and this was tops as far as sound quality.

A++++++++++++ Thank you
Leah

For those of you upset about Roger's political expressions on the song about Beruit - Roger now lives in NYC and has a right to speak his peace. And the applause he got was much greater than the boo's.

I hope that you realize that the vocal minority that view being anti-war as anti-American do not represent the majority of US citizens (at least, I hope not).

Actually, those vitriolic reviews clearly illustrate what sheep so many Americans are by buying into our President's utter, evil bullshit.

Again, you are to be commended.

Ok, I've had it. I wasn't going to comment because I respect everyone's right to review a show. How can so many of you equate being against the Iraq War and against President Bush with being anti-American?

Roger Waters has countrymen dying over there too. Even if he didn't, he has a right to speak out against what he sees as injustice.

I love this country. I was born here. I work here, I pay taxes here. I vote here. I also totally agree with Waters' message. Does that make me anti-America? NO. It means I care and disagree with what we're doing.

I had no problem with Afghanistan. I am not a Pacifist (although I respect anyone's right to be). If I had the power to comment on a large scale as Roger does then I would be morally obligated to do what he is doing.

Did you catch these lyrics:
"America, America, please hear us when we call
You got hip-hop, be-bop, hustle and bustle
You got Atticus Finch
You got Jane Russell
You got freedom of speech
You got great beaches, wildernesses and malls
Don't let the might, the Christian right, fuck it all up
For you and the rest of the world"

He is extolling our virtues and is pleading with us to go back on a righteous path. Like me, he loves America! Disagree all you want but at least understand what he's saying.

If you love this country you have a responsibility to speak up when you feel thatÊit (and therefore, we) are doing wrong.

Jim Frawley
Massachusetts

I saw the Dark Side tour both nights at MSG, that Friday at Jones Beach, and the next weekend down in Virginia. Where to start?

The band: AWESOME!!! Graham Broad is an insanely tight drummer. I like Snowy White, he's been with Rog for a while, but where on Earth did he find David Kilminster?? That guy absolutely KILLS every solo! He plays them note-for-note to the album, and his guitar sound matches the albums perfectly. Especially impressive to me were the Have a Cigar and Any Colour You Like solos... WOW.

Female back-up singers sounded great as always, especially Great Gig in the Sky, and also they were doing some great harmonies during the very end part of Sheep, the part with the Pig flying and fire blaring off the stage. You could actually feel the heat from the flames from the audience!!

Roger sounds absolutely phenomenal on both bass and vocals. I have a bootlegged audio copy (I'd buy it from Rog if it were available yet) of the MSG show (featuring Nick mason, by the way... GREAT, of course!!!), so I've had plenty of opportunity to hear it back, and it sounds absolutely amazing. One weird thing I noticed; Roger seemed to mess-up a little bit on Comfortably Numb every single night... in different places of the song. He left part of a verse out one night, and in Virginia, he was playing the wrong note for a verse (I'm a bass player, I could hear it). Since everything else was absolutely tight and Comfortably isn't too difficult to play, I wonder if he did it on purpose? I've heard rumors he is lip-synching on vocs and bass (I don't believe it one bit!), I wonder if it was done purposefully to show it is live? Anyway, it was a curiosity of mine, more than a highly noticeable mess-up. Most people might not have noticed.

Stage presentation: BRILLIANT! I've never seen such bright colors/ high resolution on such a large screen. The pig and astronaut were totally unexpected by me, as was the confetti (in Virginia) and flame throwers on stage. Totally visually engaging, during every single moment.Ê

Set choice: Great. It's predictable to start with In the Flesh, but really, there's no better Floyd song to start a show with (So ya, thought ya, might like to, go to the show). I was REALLY happy he played Have a Cigar instead of Welcome to the Machine. The end of the first set I found particularly poignant and moving: starting with the Final Cut tunes, into some Amused to Death, into the new one Leaving Beirut, and into Sheep. Time for some high political/ social criticism! ÊEspecially Leaving Beirut, which criticizes Bush, Blair et al directly. The way he presented this, followed by Sheep and the graphics he used (not to mention wording on the Pig itself) really helped me understand his message and what the song is about more than ever. Don't go like sheep to the slaughter, to suffer at the hands of the pigs and dogs who control everything! I had chills all 4 times I saw this section of the show. Absolutely the most moving piece of theater I've ever seen. Set 2? Dark Side, followed by some Wall... including Bring the Boys Back Home... enough said.

Crowd: GREAT crowd for the most part, everyone a huge Floyd fan, and most also Roger fans. Some boos during the political part (especially in blue-blood democrat NYCÉ who'd-a thunk it?), but really a great reaction over all.Ê

Best moment: At Jones Beach, and, I'm embarrassed to say, before the show started. It was a torrential downpour that day, with lots of lightning. At about 6:45- 7:00, all of us soaking wet from head to toe in the parking lot, no shoes or socks, drinking beers and having a ball, the MOST AMAZING rainbow I've ever seen, stretching all through the ocean sky overhead, appeared. The whole parking lot was awestruck not only by the beauty, but by the incredible coincidence that this should happen at a "Dark Side of the Moon" show.
Breathtaking.