Another in a continuing series of Speatsorial Praise of All Things Dinosaur Rock. (**and by the way, isn't it a little punk rock to praise David Gilmour on a predominantly punk rock website??**)
Let There Be Even More Light - Reflections on David Gilmour At The Kodak Theater, April 19, 2006.
All of us (us meaning Floydians) knew in our rational minds that last year's Pink Floyd Live 8 full band reunion had little to slim chance of building into a full blown tour. We wanted it (still do), prayed for it (still are), but we moved on with a wistful "well maybe next year" attitude. It was like when the Cubs almost went to the world series. Almost. We relived the Live 8 moment time and again on our TiVos and later DVDs and hung in quiet desperation and hoped said reunion would happen.
It didn't.
Roger Waters (who infamously took his fellow band-mates to London's high court to prevent them from going on as Pink Floyd without him) and David Gilmour (who had great success leading Pink Floyd in the late '80s and early'90s without Waters) buried the old hatchet last year but didn't agree to any future plans beyond Live 8.
In the Pink Floyd Universe (where millions of us music snobs and their equally puzzled and befuddled spouses/partners live), it seems the fans were not the only ones warmed by seeing the band reunite.
Within a few months of Live 8, David Gilmour announced he'd be releasing his first solo record in 22 years with a tour to follow (his last one came out in 1984, I purchased it on cassette, I was in the sixth grade...CDs were still a summer away back in that time when boom-boxes were known as "ghetto blasters"). Roger Waters released his long-in-the-works Operatic work "Ca Ira" and announced a tour of his own.
Here it gets a little "Squid and The Whale" (or like shared custody for those who haven't seen that film). Gilmour announces he's taking keyboardist Richard Wright (founder member of the band and the only one who's played in every incarnation of the group) with him on his tour and Waters counters with bringing original drummer Nick Mason on his.(Waters for the record did extend an invitation to Richard Wright to join him but declined).
It seems the collective members of the band want to give the fans the reunion without the inherit baggage of doing it under the Pink Floyd banner. Mom and dad love their children but just can't live under the same roof anymore, right?
December saw the pre-sale of the L.A. Gilmour dates and I mortgaged a percentage of my Christmas bonus for an orchestra seat at the Kodak Theater and then the wait began. The 19th of April even in my so-called adult years seemed eons away. Like the distance between the beginning of fall semester and summer vacation from a first grader's point of view.
At long last the 19th arrived with the expediency of all things and I made my way on foot to Hollywood and Highland. Hands shaking, memories of all things Floyd in my past rushed to my head (like riding shotgun around the Valley with my-partner-in-subversity Greg as I lectured him on Floyd minutae while trading pipe hits during my high school days and that long ago time when each new Floyd album added to my collection was like discovering a piece of the Dead Sea Scrolls) as I took my seat inside the grandeur of the Kodak Theater.
The lights dimmed and the theater rumbled with the communal heartbeat of "Breathe" and the promise of all things I hold dear musically became reality for the next two hours and thirty minutes. I went through every emotion as the night progressed. Seeing David harmonize with Richard Wright on "Echoes", (something that only existed previously in headphoned reality), made me realize how damn lucky I am. Hearing such relative obscurities as "Fat Old Sun" and "Arnold Layne" in such an intimate setting reinforced how fortunate I felt to be there. I felt joy for having the privilege to be a part of this experience and remorse for those closest with me and this music weren't there to experience it too.
Now I'm not one who "gets religion" in the conventional way...Seven years of Hebrew school didn't make me a believer and I'm nowhere closer to getting cozy with God than I was back then. But I think I know now what it must feel like to be uplifted in that churchy spiritual way...Sound corny? Of course it does, though I can't deny the positivity and joy I felt by hearing this music live and played with such conviction.
I set out originally to write this as a review of the show with requisite setlist, how cool the light show was and the like, but I realized this became something else entirely. A testament to the transformative power of the concert experience and how I left changed for the better. My secular world just got a little more spiritual.
How I wish, how I wish you were there.
Let There Be Even More Light - Reflections on David Gilmour At The Kodak Theater, April 19, 2006.
All of us (us meaning Floydians) knew in our rational minds that last year's Pink Floyd Live 8 full band reunion had little to slim chance of building into a full blown tour. We wanted it (still do), prayed for it (still are), but we moved on with a wistful "well maybe next year" attitude. It was like when the Cubs almost went to the world series. Almost. We relived the Live 8 moment time and again on our TiVos and later DVDs and hung in quiet desperation and hoped said reunion would happen.
It didn't.
Roger Waters (who infamously took his fellow band-mates to London's high court to prevent them from going on as Pink Floyd without him) and David Gilmour (who had great success leading Pink Floyd in the late '80s and early'90s without Waters) buried the old hatchet last year but didn't agree to any future plans beyond Live 8.
In the Pink Floyd Universe (where millions of us music snobs and their equally puzzled and befuddled spouses/partners live), it seems the fans were not the only ones warmed by seeing the band reunite.
Within a few months of Live 8, David Gilmour announced he'd be releasing his first solo record in 22 years with a tour to follow (his last one came out in 1984, I purchased it on cassette, I was in the sixth grade...CDs were still a summer away back in that time when boom-boxes were known as "ghetto blasters"). Roger Waters released his long-in-the-works Operatic work "Ca Ira" and announced a tour of his own.
Here it gets a little "Squid and The Whale" (or like shared custody for those who haven't seen that film). Gilmour announces he's taking keyboardist Richard Wright (founder member of the band and the only one who's played in every incarnation of the group) with him on his tour and Waters counters with bringing original drummer Nick Mason on his.(Waters for the record did extend an invitation to Richard Wright to join him but declined).
It seems the collective members of the band want to give the fans the reunion without the inherit baggage of doing it under the Pink Floyd banner. Mom and dad love their children but just can't live under the same roof anymore, right?
December saw the pre-sale of the L.A. Gilmour dates and I mortgaged a percentage of my Christmas bonus for an orchestra seat at the Kodak Theater and then the wait began. The 19th of April even in my so-called adult years seemed eons away. Like the distance between the beginning of fall semester and summer vacation from a first grader's point of view.
At long last the 19th arrived with the expediency of all things and I made my way on foot to Hollywood and Highland. Hands shaking, memories of all things Floyd in my past rushed to my head (like riding shotgun around the Valley with my-partner-in-subversity Greg as I lectured him on Floyd minutae while trading pipe hits during my high school days and that long ago time when each new Floyd album added to my collection was like discovering a piece of the Dead Sea Scrolls) as I took my seat inside the grandeur of the Kodak Theater.
The lights dimmed and the theater rumbled with the communal heartbeat of "Breathe" and the promise of all things I hold dear musically became reality for the next two hours and thirty minutes. I went through every emotion as the night progressed. Seeing David harmonize with Richard Wright on "Echoes", (something that only existed previously in headphoned reality), made me realize how damn lucky I am. Hearing such relative obscurities as "Fat Old Sun" and "Arnold Layne" in such an intimate setting reinforced how fortunate I felt to be there. I felt joy for having the privilege to be a part of this experience and remorse for those closest with me and this music weren't there to experience it too.
Now I'm not one who "gets religion" in the conventional way...Seven years of Hebrew school didn't make me a believer and I'm nowhere closer to getting cozy with God than I was back then. But I think I know now what it must feel like to be uplifted in that churchy spiritual way...Sound corny? Of course it does, though I can't deny the positivity and joy I felt by hearing this music live and played with such conviction.
I set out originally to write this as a review of the show with requisite setlist, how cool the light show was and the like, but I realized this became something else entirely. A testament to the transformative power of the concert experience and how I left changed for the better. My secular world just got a little more spiritual.
How I wish, how I wish you were there.
VIEW 6 of 6 COMMENTS
so i'll go with one of the earliest ones i saw
"Tommy"
I fully realize the film itself is pretty cheesy, but i've always liked "The Who"
and the image of Ann Margaret rolling around in baked beans just kind of fascinated me!
and warped my young mind..
or is that just a stupid question