Roger Waters and his band paraded off the in-the-round stage and into their dressing room where they performed the final measures of the funereal “Outside the Wall”— their images beamed onto the large screens that towered over the stage they’d just vacated.
The lights came up. And it was over.
It was a quiet – yet powerful – conclusion to a bombastic display of music, sound and lighting effects, inflatable pigs and political messaging inside Cincinnati’s Heritage Bank Arena on Aug. 2, after a 731-day, pandemic delay.
The show – advertised as starting “promptly at 8” started promptly at 8:30 after a 15-minute countdown and a disembodied emcee telling the audience: “If you’re one of those I-love-Pink-Floyd-but-I-can’t-stand-Roger’s-politics people, you might do well to fuck off to the bar right now.”
A cheer arose as Waters and band – guitarists Jonathan Wilson and Dave Kilminster (who sang “Money” and “Us and The” ; keyboardists Jon Carin and Robert Walter; bassist Gus Seyffert; drummer Joey Waronker; saxophonist Seamus Blake; and singers Shanay Johnson and Amanda Belair – began a dirge-like reading of “Comfortably Numb.” Still, some numbskulls chanted “USA!, USA!” as the eight intersecting screens showed images of U.S. bombs killing innocent photographers in Iraq.
Across sets of 60 and 75 minutes, respectively, Waters –on electric bass, piano and acoustic guitar – spanned his much of his career from The Dark Side of the Moon’s second side (which appeared in the homestretch) to 2017’s Is This the Life We Really Want?, whose “Déjà Vu” was one of multiple highlights in the 23-song concert.
“Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI-IX),” ”Sheep,” ”In the Flesh”– which opened set two with Waters in his faux-Nazi getup and persona – and “Two Suns in the Sunset,” which found Waters stopping during the intro to switch guitars, were others.
Honestly, though, every track was a winner, with the possible exception of “Wish You Were Here,” which would’ve benefitted from Kilminster on the mic.
“Fuck the Supreme Court,” “Free Julian Assange” and “Human Rights” were among the messages that appeared on the screens intermingled with images of war, animated Pink Floyd iconography and humanity’s colorful diversity.
And while the show was macro and concerned itself with the world’s injustices, Waters summed the true micro meaning of his This is Not a Drill tour with text that scrolled across the screens alongside images of Syd Barrett as the band played “Have a Cigar” amid a run through Wish You Were Here’s second side:
“When you lose someone you love, it does serve to remind you this is not a drill,” it read.
Roger that.
Roger Waters in Cincinnati
News
Archive- Watch: Dave Matthews Band Take Royal Albert Hall, with Robben Ford Sit-in and “Dreamgirl” Bust-out
- Listen: The String Cheese Incident Share ‘Lend Me a Hand’ Bonus Track “Roll Around The Sun”
- The ‘Late Show’ Horn Player and O.A.R. Touring Member Jon Lampley Outlines Debut LP
- God Street Wine to Return for New York-Area Run in 2024
- Trey Anastasio Talks New Vermont Divided Sky Residential Recovery Program
- Listen: Widespread Panic Bestow Wisdom on New Single “Life as a Tree”
- Dog Days Fest Drops 2024 Artist Lineup: MJ Lenderman, Sheer Mag, Frankie and the Witch Fingers and More
- Neil Young and Crazy Horse Perform Augmented “Cortez The Killer” and Bust Outs During Love Earth Tour Opener
Most Popular
- Duane Betts Responds to Outpouring of Support Following Father Dickey Betts’ Passing, Shares Tour Update
- Phish Change Forms for Final Sphere Performance
- Phish Dive Deep for Night Two at Las Vegas’ Sphere
- Warren Haynes and Gov’t Mule Pay Tribute to Dickey Betts at SweetWater 420 with Allman Brothers Band Classics
- Jaimoe to Participate in One-Off Performance with Friends of the Brothers in Fairfield
- Brothers in Frequency: Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country
- Watch: The Sphere Marks Earth Day with Mickey Hart Exosphere Art Display
- Borderland Festival Plots 2024 Return with The Black Crowes, CAAMP, Marcus King, Dark Star Orchestra and More
No Comments comments associated with this post