Roger Waters
June 13, 2012
Atlanta, GA
Phillips Arena
Everybody has that one concert that seemed to be more than a concert. A concert that felt more like a borderline religious experience of the senses where you just feel that everything connected on all levels spiritually, musically, and even at times physically and mentally. Sometimes a concert is just a concert and other times it’s a monumental point in time where you are whisked away and almost taken out of your body on a surreal journey of the senses. That experience for me came in the form of Roger Waters’ 2012 presentation of the Pink Floyd classic The Wall.
While I’ve been a huge Pink Floyd fan for nearly 25 years, The Wall was never one of my personal favorites. Animals, Dark Side of the Moon, and Wish You Were Here were the albums that I always had a connection with. I always loved certain songs from that album but as a whole I always thought The Wall was somewhat pretentious and pompous. The true meaning and message behind this album was pretty much lost on me until I got to see it performed live in the flesh (pun intended of course). My expectations were pretty low for this show but I knew that it was going to be a pretty amazing spectacle. I mean c’mon. It’s Roger Waters. Nobody associated with Pink Floyd does anything on a less than stellar level so I just knew that it was going to be a great show. My expectations were exceeded by immeasurable levels as what I was witnessing was in no way an overpriced nostalgic performance. This was a ground breaking and life changing event and I was lucky to be a part of it.
“In The Flesh?” was literally the most ultimate show starter of any concert I have ever attended in my entire life. As dialog from “Spartacus” filled the room, the sound of an unaccompanied trumped filled the air. You could literally hear a pin drop and then suddenly with a bombastic explosion, the band kicked into “In The Flesh?” to a roar as Waters made his entrance on to the stage. Running from one side of the stage to the other and getting the fans on their feet, Roger paid his respects to those in attendance and I couldn’t help but stand, cheer, and holler as if I was the only one there. Roger Waters proved to be a much more engaging and different character than what I had pictured of him in my mind. Waters is a true showman and there isn’t any arrogance or pompousness to his performance. You can tell just by watching him that he is an artist who is proud of his work. I used to put him in the same category as Bono but they are actually polar opposites. Bono thinks he’s grand and larger than life. Waters thinks the same only of his music. The man has a lot of to be proud of and it shows.
The concept of The Wall is very much relevant these days and the production alone was way more than just a means to wowing the masses. The Wall was a canvas onto which Waters projected his own brand of tongue in cheek political, religious, and social commentary. During “Mother” after the line “Mother should I trust the government”, the words “NO FUCKING WAY” were projected larger than life on the wall to a deafening cheer. It’s hard to believe that this went over so well in the same city that booed Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young about six years ago for singing “Let’s impeach the president for lying!” Maybe enough time has passed since 9/11 or maybe it’s just that a Pink Floyd fan is a much more liberal crowd. Either way, it was clear which side of the fence Waters resides and the majority of this arena was joining him.
Waters performed with such a youthful energy and fire that you would think The Wall was just written and released yesterday. As opposed to dated and jaded, Roger and his band stayed loyal and true to the original arrangements while infusing it with a modern and fresh approach. Led by former SNL band leader GE Smith, Waters’ band was top notch and each song was played with hair raising precision and heartfelt emotion. Lead vocalist Rob Wyckoff handled the vocal parts originally done by David Gilmour and her performance was nothing short of stellar. Rob has the range, depth, and soul to cover these songs and instead of copying Gilmour, he has his own unique style that was well received and welcomed by the sold out arena. His performance of “Comfortably Numb” from atop the wall was every bit as awe inspiring as the original version and literally took my breath away.
The Wall is now an album I listen to with a new set of ears and a new mindset. The visual and musical message really hit me hard at times causing goose bumps, smiles, and tears. “The Trial” was about as insane and emotionally charging as I always thought it was but As Roger Waters stood on stage leading the chant “TEAR DOWN THE WALL!” I couldn’t help but feel like I was yelling for my own wall to be torn down. As those giant bricks came falling to the stage, I cheered and even got teary feeling somewhat liberated. Great music is something that touches and makes you feel something whether it be happiness, sadness, anger, and/or all of the above. As the band stood on stage performing “Outside the Wall,” I knew that I had just seen something more than just a concert. I saw something that changed my life, made me think a little bit different, and had me looking not just at but inside myself in a whole new light. We all have our walls but no matter what, we are stronger than the things that make up that wall. If you must, use that wall to express your beliefs and feelings instead of using it as something to hide them behind. Pretty damn prophetic or a rock concert don’t you think?
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