Roger Waters World Tour 2007
Northern Hemisphere
Tour Reviews

From: Mike James
I was one of the few children of the late fifties never to have quite caught up with Pink Floyd live. The one "gap" in my "must see big bands" portfolio.

It was a wait until my 50th birthday present but it was certainly worth it. At times the band sounded more like Floyd than Floyd did! And did I think I saw Nick Mason on drums - was it an apparition - how the hell do I find that out?

Set 1 - some great old classics - my favourite "Crazy Diamond" and also "Set the Controls" and "Fletcher Memorial Home" with direct and politically constructed visual images beamed over on the big screen. Additionally one new song added which had words flashed up on the creen for the officianados to relish - fantatstic.

Set 2 - heaven - the ageless Dark Side with half of a two-thirds full Earls Court in full voice. The two accompanying guitarists in the band were absolutely superb as was the keyboard player - I could do with a programme now! However as a saxophonist myself, with one exception of a mistimed segment in DSotM, the sax guy was magic.

This was a gig for the purist - whether Waters' voice will survive to the end of this gruelling World Tour remains to be seen - I thought he was straining last night - not to detract from 110% effort, but it was not always silky strong.

I wouldn't have missed it for anything - a great show - tickets not stupidly priced and everyone looking as though it was a massively enjoyable event, seventies style.

One sour note - the stewarding - in Block 8 ground level we were subjected to people who stood through the whole show in 6 & 7 raised section to our right in our yee-view of the stage and screen. The poor guy who wanted to get his rocks off in front of me was constantly being harrassed by the steward to sit down and appeared oblivious to the double standards. "Showsec" need to sort this out - it spoils it for the genuine fan wanting just to express themself and have a good time. Different from those just wanting to stand and spoil it for everyone but their selfish selves.

Have you got a programme please ???? And where can I read a collection of other reviews.
Cheers

I have always been a fan of the great man. Having seen him a few years back during the 'In the Flesh' tour (and been blown away by his performance then), I could not wait for this occasion.

From the moment 'In the Flesh' started the concert off to the the dying strains of 'Comfortably Numb' at the end, myself and the rest of the crowd were given a feast for both eyes and ears that will live with me for a very long time.

Highlights from the show are hard to pick, but 'Perfect Sense' is such a moving song it is hard not to select it. I personally loved 'Sheep' - a real heavy rocking version of that song which was incredibly powerful. Obvioulsy 'Dark Side' was fantastic, and the encores too, particularly 'Vera/Bring the Boys back Home' which - again - were incredibly moving, especially with the stadium shaking everytime an explosion went off! The crowd was going crazy at the end, and the standing ovation Roger received was more than justified.

Sadly, I feel that is probably the last time I will see Roger perform live - I cannot imagine him touring again now. Thank you so much Roger for your amazing songs and performances - truly the greatest talent in music I have ever to witness.

PS. If anyone has any pictures/video of theis particular concert and would like to share them with me, please contact me: xfilian@hotmail.com

From: Damien Norris
I was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of this concert. I had been looking forward to this gig for sometime, as I missed Roger Waters last year, and I'm glad I made it to this one. He's a fantastic showman and the musicians he played with were excellent.

This concert surpassed my expectations, I knew it would be good, but it was the best I have ever been too. The sound ripped through Earls Court and I had hairs standing up on the back of my neck as the guitars and drums roared with immense power and volume. I've never heard drums, bass, guitars, vocals quite like it. The effects were exceptional and the backdrop was very cool, synched perfectly with each song. It was truly a magical gig.

The highlights for me were 'In the Flesh,' 'Mother,' 'Fletcher Memorial,' 'Comfortably Numb,' and the whole of Dark Side of the Moon. It was great to see Nick Mason join his old bandmate on stage to perform this. If only Dave Gilmour and Rick Wright were there! I wait, in hope, that Pink Floyd reform for a tour.

From: M. I. Fahmy Menza
ROGER WATERS, MAY 12th, 2007: Reflections from Earls Court

Heading to Earls Court from Exeter, Devon, I knew I was up for a treat, provided that everything went fine with the show in terms of sound, performance, visuals etc. And, boy was I mistaken! In accordance with the previous positive reviews of this tour, there was a lot to be expected from Waters & co. But this show was far beyond expectations. It was a mind-blowing experience!

The atmosphere in Earls Court was quite inviting prior to the show. The staff was quite friendly and helpful, and for starters, I was quite pleased, being a smoker and all, to know that the smoking area was literally right off the entrance of the hall, inside the venue! All right - 7.30 now and its announced that the show is about to begin. The massive screen behind the stage shows a still picture of a bottle of Whiskey and a big old radio. Just as the show is announced to commence, a hand starts fiddling with the knob and a variety of good old Rock n Roll tunes delight your ears (you could somewhat tell that this radio will be utilized later in the show any guesses?!). Finishing up the songs of the radio pre-show was Rogers recurrent inspiration, Vera Lynn, with non other that 'We'll Meet Again.'

You could sense that the band will kick off any second now and, smoothly, the transition to the opener, 'In The Flesh,' takes place. The stage effects and the mini fireworks come in and haunt you in a glance and, as an indicator of what's to be expected for the rest of the evening, the quality of the sound is simply magnificent, going hand-in-hand with the terrific acoustics of Earls Court. A marvelous surround sound that makes you feel as an integral part of the music was transcending through the corners of the venue and the volume-level of the instruments was adjusted just fine. Additionally, Waters vocals did an excellent job, acting as a good reminder of his '70s heydays.

The crowd was nicely engaged and, as we all finished singing along to the anthem, Roger swiftly switched gear and got on the acoustic guitar for 'Mother.' Once again, his vocals are powerful and clear and the massive screen is yet enhancing the brilliance of the performance with dazzling displays (some from the movie The Wall and others, apparently, inspired by or based on the themes from the movie).

The third number goes back in time a bit further to the iconic "A Saucerful of Secrets," with a fresh interpretation of 'Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun.' This rendition has more of an oriental feel to it, thanks to the guitar work of Snowy White and Dave Kilminster, and it came also augmented with a Jazzy twist, courtesy of Ian Ritchies Sax.

After this, its time for a spectacular run-through from the "Wish You Were Here" album. Shine on initiates the 'Wish you Were Here' trident, and the crowd cheers as the visual references to Syd Barret make their way to the screen. Again, Dave Kilminster, Snowy White, & Andy Fairweather are all fantastic, and the trio is completed with very solid performances of 'Have a Cigar' and 'Wish You Were Here' (Thats when the radio bit comes in again for the intro of 'Wish You Were Here' of course).

The featurette from Pink Floyd's original lineup last album, "The Final Cut," came with 'Southampton Dock' & 'The Fletcher Memorial Home.' The clarity and profoundness of Rogers voice is still unquestionable. The only segment of RWs solo work in the show was featured afterwards with 'Perfect Sense Parts I & II,' from the acclaimed "Amused To Death." Mind you, the haunting artwork is luminously proceeding throughout, now with a medium-sized inflatable astronaut making his way slowly from the rear of the venue to the front.

The band pauses for a sec, and Waters introduces the new song, 'Leaving Beirut.' Indeed the song wasnt technically new anymore, for it was seen/ heard, at least partially, by a good bunch of the attendee's, me included, thanks to the very good online follow-up this tour has been receiving thus far. However, RW's introduction itself was quite memorable as he told the story of the song: An incident that saw Roger and a friend stuck in Beirut sometime in the 60s after their car broke down and the subsequent unforgettable hospitality they found from an Arab family that took care of the Englishmen until they were able to hitchhike all of their way back to London! The song itself was a state-of-the art demonstration of Rogers everlasting capacity as a singer/songwriter, and the tremendous homogeneity that this combo of musicians possesses as a band.

The perfect finale of the first part was 'Sheep' from "Animals," and by then it was about time for the famous pig to reveal itself, capturing the eyes of the audience. The multi-dimensional surround sound ensured the crowd was kept in awe, and Dave Kilminster's solos were quite sound; much more spot-on than they were on the In The Flesh tour for instance, where he was, one reckons, improvising to the extent of showing off rather than complementing the song with his input. But here he was just great!

All right, we all go for a break now, excited about the upcoming DSOM section. By the time we smoked a couple of cigarettes and hardly grabbed ourselves some beers, as were making our way back to the venue, we hear Waters saying "...Nick Mason!!" Practically running our way back into the concert-hall now, it was about time for the magical night to pursue with 50% of the classic Pink Floyd lineup on stage.

The gradually elevating heartbeat resonates through the mostly dim concert hall followed by the iconic scream, signaling the launch of 'Speak to Me' followed by 'Brea.' The vocals kick-in right on time. Gracious light work is now also playing with the audience as well as the performers on stage, and prisms of LASER induced rainbows wander in all directions within the concert hall.

It's 'On the Run' now and the mind-elapsing visuals that invade the screen are hypnotic: waves of interwoven circles come and go, and, for a moment, it was overwhelming to keep up with all the ambient themes going on simultaneously. Right on!

A very brief silence is interrupted with the potent clocks, and Nick Mason is in action. Nick gets on the customized tom-kit and provides the magnificent tom-solo/intro to 'Time.' To tell you the truth, initially I was more excited about the symbolical value of having Nick Mason back with RW rather than Nicks input in itself. For most of the previous two decades that followed the collapse of the classic lineup, Nicks performances with the neo-Pink Floyd were indeed solid yet, in my opinion, they never elevated to the vigor or technique of his classic Pink Floyd days. But, again, this concert witnessed Nick Mason back in top-form, and it was him delivering this marvelous drum intro to 'Time' unlike, for example, the Pulse concerts. With Graham Broad on board, the rhythm section was perfecto!

The vocals on The Great Gig in The Sky were out of this world, with some fantastic improvisation from Carol Kenyon. The Medley pursues with 'Money,' 'Us & Them,' 'Any Color You Like,' and 'Brain Damage,' all with precision and virtuosity, & terminating with an orgasmic climax of sound and light with Eclipse.

Now that the DSOM was over, a standing ovation was virtually obligatory. The encores came of course, and with a much energized and apparently still-enthusiastic crowd, 'Comfortably Numb' was the proper closer.

We were, practically speaking, in disbelief that the show was over! For my generation, those that were born around the time "The Wall" was released, attending a concert that encompassed the genius of Pink Floyd was a dream that seemed almost impossible to attain. Somehow, and rather brilliantly, Roger Waters managed to accomplish that. So no thanks would be enough really. This is what Pink Floyd was meant to sound like live!

Mohamed Menza
Exeter,
Devon.

From: Nizar Al-Musawi
We're All Comfortably Numb

Unlike many of my teenage dreams that have been smashed on the rock of our cruel world, this one came true and not only once but fortunately twice. It was back in 1988 that I first listened to Pink Floyd music, and since then, their musical talent, Waters' lyric-writing professionalism and Gilmour's warm mellow guitar playing captivated me. For me, listening passionately to Pink Floyd music is an experience, which dramatically altered my appreciation for Rock music for years to come. Maybe I am not lucky enough to be one from the '60s or '70s generations who grew up with their music, but their pearl albums of the '70s relentlessly and progressively "rock" you to the bone. And that was exactly what happened to me last night at the Earls Court venue when my friend and I went to see Roger Waters live performance. Twelve years ago and at the same venue, PF (Gilmour, Wright and Mason) performed their last infamous PULSE show still remembered for its extraordinary sound and light effects.

The doors opened at 6:00 pm and our seats were in block two, not very far from the stage but unfortunately not right in front of it. We sat there waiting patiently for Roger and the band to start. The stage was already set and all the instruments were ready and plugged. Bob Dylan' s music was filling the venue. on the screen at the back of the stage, a surrealistic picture showing a fifties-style, wooden made radio with big rounded knobs, a bottle of whiskey and ashtray in front of it. A small toy of World War-Two aeroplane was placed on top of the radio. This picture was kept dead still until around 7:00 pm when some life was blown into it. Someone is sitting back there smoking but you can't see anything from him but his hand frequently changing the stations. His cigarette on the ashtray and the smoke-filled air in the room, '50s Rock' n Roll music started playing. Few minutes later it was followed by Jazz.

At 7:30pm, everybody in the venue was eagerly expecting Roger Waters and the crew to walk out on stage. I continued watching the screen behind. The hand moved again and we heard a male voice speaking Dutch I think, and I only understood the words "Radio Luxemburg". Waters' fans knew the influence that "Radio Luxumburg" has left on his career as a musician and lyricist when this radio station was launched in early '60s. Waters' album "Radio K.A.O.S" was to some extent related these memories.

The venue lights faded way, the crowd is silently waiting and gradually the Dutch voice gave the way to a loud opera music, and suddenly, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the voice of Roger Waters and the noise of his band blew up the venue and broke the silence of the audience, singing "In the Flesh". Dressed in black with his Richard Gere-look-alike face, Waters' performance on the stage was astounding.

The first set of the show was dedicated to PF works from their heydays in the '70s with only two songs from his solo work. The second song was "Mother" from "The Wall" album and featured Katie Kisson's awesome voice. A flashback into Syd Barrett's era came with the third song "Sset the Control For the Heart of the Sun". Three pearls from their "Wish You Were Here" diamond album followed: "Shine on You Crazy Diamond," "Have a Cigar" and "Wish You Were Here," respectively. Until now, the great guitar solos were alternating between the two gifted guitarists, Dave Kilminster and Snowy White. However; with "Leaving Beirut" Andy Fairweather Low demonstrated his amazing talent on guitar together with Ian Ritchie on Tenor Sax.

"Southampton Dock" and "The Fletcher Memorial Home" followed from "The Final Cut" album, and again were amazing. The last song in the first set was "Sheep" from "Animals," and the legendary Floyd giant pig was flying above our heads.

A Fifteen minute break separated the first set from "The Dark Side of The Moon" complete album. Nick Mason replaced Graham Broad on the Drums and reminded us of PF original band members. More visual techniques differentiate this show from last year's Hyde Park show. And for the first time in years, the "Great Gig in the Sky" is performed by one female voice only, rather than the usual three female voices, this time by Carroll Kenyon. Harry Waters, Roger's son, played Piano on this song, and Jon Carin played almost all keyboards through out the second set and was the Lead Vocalist on "Us and Them". While singing "Brain Damage" the infamous Prism of Light was shining until the end of the album.

The encore consisted of three songs from "The Wall": "The Happiest Day of Our Lives," "Vera" and finally the unforgettable, eternal, mesmerising and magnificent "Comfortably Numb".

And finally what can I say about last night: Three hours of extraordinary solid Progrock and limitless creative music I have experienced in a "Floydian Trip" with Roger Waters. Among many of the DSOTM performances, I personally believe this was the "Darkest," and we all left the venue "comfortably numb".