I bogged up my tickets to see Roger Waters perform “The Wall” at the O2 Arena. I thought I had three but only got two. This left me in a huge quandry. I was going to take my brother for his birthday because he is a massive fan, which left Builder Bloke without a ticket (another huge fan). So, I did the generous thing and gave BB my ticket and off he went with my brother last night saying that he was “quite possibly the most excited I have ever been”.
It was the right decision. Sounds like they did some serious bonding and both agreed that I wouldn’t have got it and would have annoyingly been taking notes and photographs all night long and wondering why people were crying. My brother sent me a text as he got there saying “lots of old people here with faded T-shirts that don’t fit. Am I in the right place?”. Err. Yes. No doubt about that and then later he sent a text saying “interval now. Is absolutely phenomenal” and finally “best concert I have ever seen. Thank u so much”.
Builder Bloke came back saying “it was F**KING BRILLIANT” repeatedly so I texted my brother this morning to say “BB said he’d write a review for me but all he keeps saying is “F**k’g brilliant” so do you think you could write something?
“F**KING BRILLIANT” was all he came back with.
However, BB has excelled himself. He sat down and wrote a review for me this morning – “first time I’ve written something down on paper like that for 30 years” he said. Well here it is. An impressive first review by BB of what many (old) people would consider to be the best concert of all time:-
“So you, thought you, might like to go to the show”. We did. Thousands of us, by car, by train and for the most fortunate of us, by river ferry.
We came to, certainly in my lifetime, the greatest concert (cum puppet show, cartoon show, film, opera) ever staged.
From the moment the no longer “poor, fucked-up, miserable little Roger” as he described himself as being 29 years and 329 days ago, when they last played “The Wall” in London, walked out on stage, the goose pimples came up, the emotions ran high and the cheers were deafening. Was I really watching Roger Waters performing The Wall? Even my octogenarian parents know some of the songs on this album.
“Another Brick In The Wall”, “Mother” etc, we all sang along, we knew the words. Whilst The Wall was gradually being built up in the background, Roger, aged 67 never missed a note, a chord – a true professional!
The completed Wall on stage acted as a giant cinema screen for what can only be described as the most spectacular, emotional, jaw dropping concert animation and back drops I have ever seen. There were tearful children being reunited with their soldier fathers, the marching hammers and an apparent dig at Apple for taking over i-pay.
During the interval, a welcome break from emotion, no one could stop talking about it…. and then the rumours started in the beer queue. Was he really here? Were they really going to play together?
Back to the arena and that Wall. Roger at the bottom of The Wall starts singing “Comfortably Numb”, one of the greatest tracks ever written by anyone. A huge beam of white light shines on a loan figure carrying a guitar on the top of the wall. The place erupts, everyone on their feet, screaming and yelling. I hug my girlfriend’s brother realising we are both crying. This is too much. David Gilmore is playing the guitar solo. The rumours were true.
The show climaxes with the breaking down of The Wall and in a true bridge building moment Nick Mason comes on for the final song.
So we have what myself, my sister and her boyfriend, my girlfriend’s brother, Donna and Stewart from Southampton (the couple who hugged and danced and cried for the full two and a half hours who I promised to mention) and nearly 23,000 other fans have waited 29 years 329 days for PINK FLOYD PLAYING THE WALL!!! Rock on guys – 67 years young.
PS: Footballers – call yourselves entertainers? Think again.
HL
May 14, 2011great review .. may consider going myself!
martin
May 17, 2011I went on Sunday night and just found out about gilmour/mason reunion…i am so green with envy.
Still, it was a stunning show. When I saw it in 1980 and 1981 I thought it was the best ever but this time RW absolutely nailed it!
Best moment…during the trial, when the ‘virtual’ wall turned 360 RW ducked under so it didnt hit him. WoW!!
Rowan Green
May 14, 2011Great review! I was wondering, was that photo taken on the day? I heard some vague comment that the pig wasn’t present on Thursday 12th, but it’s clearly there in that picture, though a little low! I was there on Wednesday, and while I have my moments of wishing I hadn’t decided on first night, it was still an amazing night. You should have another go at getting tickets…
Family Affairs
May 14, 2011Yes, that was an iphone photo taken on the night. Not the best, but I forgot to send them off with a camera so it was all we had!! Lx
Kelloggsville
May 15, 2011Hubby says ‘wow, thats pretty cool’. Personally I’m just plain jealous.
Family Affairs
May 15, 2011Are you? A secret Pink Floyd fan then?? Lx
Rowan Green
May 15, 2011Thanks, that’s great! Interesting photo: shows a lot of the venue and set up so well worth having! The streak of light (or two if you click to go to full size) on the top right are pretty much where I was but on the other side *G* Looks like I had a bit better view of the round screen.
gally
May 15, 2011Fantasti review.
Your description of Gilmour being there brought a tear to my eye, I would have been the same as you guys were! Bawling my eyes out!
🙁 At 25 I sadly missed the twilight years but I did see Gilmours On an Island Tour o I count myself very lucky.
I sadly couldn’t make this one, maybe make it in Manchester later in the year.
Family Affairs
May 15, 2011What a relief – a YOUNG fan. Phew. I thought it was only fat old blokes who were going to be moved by his review. Not so. Clearly. Lx
ali
May 20, 2011Oi! Family Affairs, there are also some fat old BIRDS who loved this review 🙂
I was at the original 1980 show (A lot thinner, and younger obviously…) and shed some tears on the London O2 final night too (18th). I was dreading being disappointed, but apart from the ‘plane being a lot smaller(?) than I recall, I was as swept up in the drama as I was at 18.
Poignantly, it all meant so much more to me now, having seen through bitter experience how wars and greed, governments and authority STILL reign over the artists, musicians and poets. That sadness has renewed a fighting spirit I thought I’d left in my youth. As I am about to go into battle against my Goliath Mortgage company Citibank, it has given me back the belief that I am right to fight for justice despite their size and power.
What a spectacle, and I am still buzzing. When everyone in the seats below me stood up at the end, punching the air, chanting ‘tear down the wall’ my heart nearly burst out of my chest. Amazing, amazing, amazing….
Does anyone else remember on the LP, an almost indiscernable phrase at the very end after the closing track, that sounded like “sink or swim…”? (For our youngest readers, an LP was like a huge black CD!! and yes I do still have mine… ho hum now I feel ancient)
Family Affairs
May 21, 2011AAAH. Glad you loved it – will ask BB about the phrase at the end – I have no idea what you are talking about. Lx
John D.
September 24, 2011Ali is referring to the very, very ending of the original album “The Wall.” The words she remembers hearing are actually Roger saying “Isn’t this where -”
These words are meant to be the beginning of a sentence that is actually completed at the BEGINNING of the album (right when the clarinet starts, on side one…you hear Roger say “- we came in?”
So the whole sentence is “Isn’t this where we came in?”
I don’t remember if Waters said it was done as a joke, or if it was meant to symbolize how just as one wall comes down, another one begins to be built…life being a circle, and so on.
Sarah
May 16, 2011I love this article, thank you so much!!
Phill Coolman
May 17, 2011Just off to see the show with my dad and his mates. You’re description has finally made the fact i have a ticket sink in and i cant wait. and to know the whole lot are there makes me look forward to it even more. Shine on everyone, shine on
Family Affairs
May 17, 2011Oh no, don’t be disappointed – it might have been a one off that David Gilmour appeared – not sure he’s going to do that any other night but fingers crossed!! Lx
Jon Storey
May 18, 2011So envious, very likely to be the absolute last time they all appear together again.
Family Affairs
May 18, 2011Rumour has it they are performing at the opening ceremony of the Olympics so fear not. They will definitely be together again. “Money”. Did they sing that??? Lx