Roger Waters, the creative musical genius of Pink Floyd from 1965 to 1985, performed tonight at the world famous Hollywood Bowl in front of a sold out crowd of nearly 18,000 fans. The performance was an embodiment of his best work as a member of Pink Floyd along with his solo creations since departing the band in 85.
The US tour began last month in Florida as a celebration of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. An album that continues to be on the top 10 list of most selling albums of all time - worldwide. The tour will continue to work its way around the country for the next two months, and If you have ever enjoyed any of Pink Floyds music, you gotta find a way to see this show. It really is awesome!
Everyone in attendance tonight would agree that tonight's performance was an amazing presentation of musical talent and creative expressions choreographed to stimulate all of your senses in true Pink Floyd fashion. The sound was crystal clear, sharp, and loud enough to feel the rocking shock-waves of each beat go through your chest. The visual displays of fire, laser shows, flying pigs, and pyrotechnics kept you craving more as the lights dimmed between songs. At the back of the stage, there was a full width-stage wide, high definition screen that displayed psychedelic images and video footage that accompanied each song. The picture quality was so amazing that at first we thought it was some sort of video hologram image. From our seats we couldn't tell, at first, if the image was projected or real. I've never seen anything quite like this before.
The Hollywood Bowl is by design perhaps one of LA's most acoustically piqued venues, but when you add the rich sounds of Pink Floyd's rhythmic guitars, keyboards, saxophone, and ear piercing background vocalists, you realize how this venue and perfomer compliment one another to give the audience the richest musical experience possible.
The music sets opened with his solo work from his "In the Flesh" album and then proceded to interlace songs from "Dark side of the Moon" and "The Wall". Shine on you Crazy Diamond, Money, Time, Learning to Fly, Brain Damage, Eclipse and more, kept the crowd rocking in awe as the backdrop screen displayed images specifically designed to accompany the melody being played. His ballads Wish you were Here, and South Hampton Dock grabbed you from the inside out and made you sing along with 18,000 fans. Water's then broke out his new music, a song called "Leaving Beirut" which is a song about the hospitality of an Arab family that he met as young man in has travels throughout the Middle East. The song is emotionally and politically charged with socialist views and anti-war images were displayed on the screen with pictures of President Bush alongside Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein. Personally, I struggle with these types of political statements, but they seem to go hand in hand in with most professional musicians these days and their political views are clearly expressed with passion through the songs. While I don't agree with the political view, I appreciate the passion from which the song is written and I understand the message communicated.
The pictures that I took with my cell phone camera are grainy and somewhat of an insult to the multi-million dollar visual displays that were used in the show. Yes. the flying pig was a giant inflattable pig with political graffiti written all over the pig. The pig made its appearance during the song, "Sheep" from the animals album as yes I learned tonight that Pigs do fly.
The Concert started in the twilight hour of 8pm and went on until 11pm Look at how bright the back drop is while its still light out.
Pyrotechnics make the stage explode with the drum beat.
Roger in his full pasion of a song.
The Dark Side of the Moon Prism hung on a crane above the entire stadium. A laser light show projected images down on the crowd.
The Prism turns towards me.
I think this was during Eclipse. Images of Deep space and exploration beyond the dark side of the moon.
Cant remember what song this was, but look how vivid this image is.
Money... The original album was spinning on the screen.
"Grab that cash with both hands and make a stash.."
Note the inflattable floating astronaut that was flying around the stage.. Awesome ...
Ahh yes the flying pig is coming after me.
The pig might debut in this years Macy's thanksgiving parade. Ha ha..
This song describes how I felt about you... "How I wish you were here..."
And remember.. Teacher leave those kids alone.......
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