Roger Waters The Wall Manchester Arena 21 May 2011
Just got up this morning. Still tired from driving back from Manchester from last night’s show, which was absolutely fantastic. This must be the most impressive show I have ever seen in terms of visuals and production. If you get a chance to go and see it; do so; you won’t regret it.
I should start by saying that I have never been a fan of (some of the music on) The Wall album. In fact, having see the Floyd tours in the 70s (including Meddle-era, Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Knebworth, Animals) I missed out on The Wall shows at Earls Court. I’d grown a little tired of their ever expanding stage shows, and I just didn’t get The Wall concept. I was also heavily into the punk/new wave ethos at that time, which probably influenced my decision to stay away. However over the years I’ve bitterly regretted missing those shows as, even though I still feel the album is not the best of Pink Floyd’s work, I now realise their significance. So I thought it was time to go and see Rogers Waters new production of his masterpiece.
I arrived at the cavernous Manchester Arena early, and took my seat in the lower tier. The Wall was partly built, and the stage set for what promised to be something pretty spectacular. I hadn’t actually given much thought to how spectacular it might be, and I was actually surprised by the scale, detail and impact of the whole production. The story of The Wall is now well known. It is one of Roger’s own isolation and draws on themes of war, injustice, politics, oppression and inequality. All of these are of course still relevant today and Roger has brought the production up to date to include representations of current political and world issues. Modern technology has also enabled Roger to produce a spectacle which just couldn’t have been done in the same way 30 years ago.
The effects are too numerous to mention. The flying pig returns, but he is much more impressive than the beast that flew over my head in Wembley Empire Pool on the Animals tour (how on earth was this modern pig controlled?). There are inflatables of the teacher and mother. Roger sings along with video footage of himself from Earls Court. The wall is gradually built throughout the first half of the show, and becomes a massive video screen, displaying images of fallen war heroes and of the album’s storyline. By the end of the first half the wall is complete and Roger and the band disappear behind it. The giant wall stays in place for much of the second half, with Roger and the band popping out of holes in the wall, and performing in front and on top of it. At one point Roger slides out of the wall, sitting in a loving room singing to us. Everyone in the arena (except me) seems to know (and sign) every word of the album. Roger is quite talkative and tells us he is different person to the young man who performed the Wall at Earls Court. The climax comes with us all chanting “Break down the wall” and the wall collapses in front of our eyes.
This must be the most spectacular show on the road; it is certainly streets ahead of anything I’ve ever seen before. I found it breathtaking, moving and utterly compelling. Although I know little of the album (apart from Another Brick and Comfortably Numb) I wasn’t bored for a single minute (and I often am at shows). Stunning. I wish I could go again.
Setlist:
First Half: In the Flesh?; Thin Ice; Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 1; Happiest Days of Our Lives; Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2; Mother; Goodbye Blue Sky; Empty Spaces; What Shall We Do Now?; Young Lust; One of My Turns; Don’t Leave Me Now; Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 3; Last Few Bricks; Goodbye Cruel World
Second Half: Hey You; Is There Anybody Out There?; Nobody Home; Vera; Bring the Boys Back Home; Comfortably Numb; Show Must Go On; In the Flesh; Run Like Hell; Waiting for the Worms; Stop; Trial; Outside the Wall
The Band:
Drums: Graham Broad
Guitars: Dave Kilminster, G.E. Smith, Snowy White
Bass: Roger Waters
Keyboards: Jon Carin, Harry Waters
Lead Vocals: Robbie Wyckoff, Roger Waters
Backing Vocals: Jon Joyce, Mark Lennon, Michael Lennon, Kipp Lennon
Roger Waters website: www.roger-waters.com
programme
ticket
I think Clapton is back on top form and, in my book, always worth seeing these days. So I decided to make the trip to Glasgow on Thursday night. I was also tempted by the support act Andy Fairweather Low. I’ve seen Andy many times over the years in Clapton and Roger Waters’ bands, but haven’t seen him solo since the 1970s. I arrived at SECC around 7pm, bought my programme, and took my seat in Row S of the centre block. Andy Fairweather Low and his band took us through his greatest hits including Bend Me Shape Me, La Booga Rooga, Wide Eyed and Legless, and If Paradise is Half as Nice. 
He’s also a very accomplished guitarist which he demonstrated to great effect in a couple of bluesy instrumentals; one of which was by Lightning Hopkins. Andy had a lovely Vox teardrop guitar, which matched his 60s setlist. good opener. I’ve seen Clapton many times since the 70s (probably about 15 or so). There were times I felt he was going through the motions in some shows in the 90s, but the last few times I’ve seen him he has been playing really well, with great, fluid guitar playing and getting back to what he started with; the blues. And Thursday was no exception. The set started with some great blues songs, with Clapton playing with feeling and passion. Great keyboard solos from Chris Stainton and Tim Carmon. 
The set is predictable, and seems to be the same as he has been playing throughout the tour, with a mix of blues, old favourites and an acoustic set in the middle. High points for me were Hoochie Coochie Man, Badge and I Shot the Sherriff. Low points; I’m still not keen on the unplugged Layla (lets have the electric version next time please, Eric) and I did get a little tired of the keyboard solos which seemed to figure in almost every song. Also Clapton seemed subdued and was straight off the stage at the end (it wouldn’t hurt to say a few words to the crowd). Overall, however, this was a pretty good show; Clapton has become the modern equivalent of the old bluesmen who got him started in the beginning. Long may he continue to come and play for us.
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