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1. Perry Resnick
   Comment by Perry Resnick | 2006/04/11 at 18:33:57

   Cannot agree more. I went to the 2nd Radio City show and brought my 16 year old son. During intermission, he was calling friends to tell them about the show, and that was before any of the Floyd songs were even played. After Shine On, Breathe, Time, Echoes, Wish You Were Here and Comfortably Numb, we were both flying as we walked out (without having anything stronger than a soda). I still can’t believe he played Wot’s The Deal, but heard the night before he played Fat Old Sun. Unbelievable! There’s a reason so many teenagers are into classic rock. Floyd still holds up well compared to most of the new music out there today.

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1. Phil Hardy
   Comment by Phil Hardy | 2006/04/11 at 18:34:15

   I’m 41 and you are embarrassing. How many times can you say the ’70’s were better than today? Only half as many times as you can say the CD is doomed.

   For the love of God mate, there are other forms of music than sequencer induced Godzilla rock, and I have seen Floyd, got all the albums and yeah, it’s good, but shit the CD is dead and there are good live bands on every street corner.

   ENOUGH!

   Otherwise it’s a good e-rant you’ve got there.

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1. Steve Coady
   Comment by Steve Coady | 2006/04/11 at 18:34:33

   I echo his reaction as it is the same as mine from last night’s show at Massey Hall (2500 seats). And Ezrin tells me David had the flu, which I cannot believe. One of the best shows I have EVER seen – and I have seen a lot of fucking shows!

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1. Lee Abrams
   Comment by Lee Abrams | 2006/04/11 at 18:34:52

   Just did David Gilmour Artist Confidential….awesome. I’ll send you a CD when it’s mixed. Saw them first on July 8 1968 in Chicago…

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1. Nick Miller
   Comment by Nick Miller | 2006/04/11 at 18:35:10

   My 7 month pregnant wife and I are going on Thursday. We are sooooooo fucking psyched! Especially because the kid will get to hear the show too (apparently they can hear at that stage).

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1. Krista Mettler
   Comment by Krista Mettler | 2006/04/11 at 18:35:26

   I read this email and was nodding my head in agreement the ENTIRE time. I went to the Tuesday night show at Radio City last week and I had a similar experience… born too late, but still a fan. We saw Pink Floyd on the last tour in the mid-90’s at Giants Stadium. It was good. But it was a stadium show and the sound sucked and we were in almost the top row of the place and we were watching it through a smoky haze. I remember thinking, "Oh, that was good. Nice show." I wouldn’t award it many kudos or anything in my book of concert-going experiences. It was cool. We saw Pink Floyd. I’d had very high expectations, and they weren’t really met, frankly.

   So last week, I was sort of excited for the show, but not expecting to be blown away. I was. Completely. It was aural manna (thanks to a good-sounding venue and amazing players). It was soundscape-y in the best sense. It isn’t often anymore that I am transported to that magical "it’s just me and the music twining together to go somewhere amazing" sort of place. Maybe I’m jaded, maybe it just doesn’t actually happen all that often, or as often as I’d like. But there were moments that I could just *feel* that music… feel the emotion and the beauty of that guitar playing in my soul. Like Nick, I was not on any trippy substances… but the music was just taking me to this totally awesome place. I had forgotten what an amazing guitar player Gilmour really is. What a reminder. It was moving, it was uplifting, it was GORGEOUS. There were moments I felt the prickle of tears because it just sounded so amazing. How often does that happen at shows? Virtually never.

   What made this show better than the one I saw ten years ago? I have to say the intimate venue made a huge difference… especially because it’s a sonically great room. And I went in with no expectations.

   I’ve been having a hard time finding the words to describe this show to people since I went. It was just *that* good. Highly, highly recommend seeing him when he comes to your neck of the woods.

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1. Neil Lasher
   Comment by Neil Lasher | 2006/04/11 at 18:35:42

   I agree with a lot of this. Except I wasn’t born 15 years too late. Starting with Pipers then UMMAGUMMA (SP)etc. And lots of tripping to Atom Heart Mother.(LOTS) Pink Floyd has always been at the same level as Revolver and Rubber soul to me. My take is kind of like a McCartney show Where you must sit out the solo stuff To get to the beef. Or seeing The Stones and wallowing through the new stuff. I knew the karmic debt I had to pay for the first 1/2 and heard brilliance.

   INTERMISSION

   Open set 2 with Shine On You Crazy Diamond. I was stupefied it was just breathtaking. The finale with Parry on that sax solo looking Imprisoned in unbelievable pinpoint laser lighting. WHEW. Everyone on their feet.. Then my girlfriend (no Floyd knowledge whatsoever) Asks "Well, how come everyone is sitting down now that "Shine On" is over……??? Great question. Because at a sold out Radio City Show about 6 people cared about "Uh wots the Deal" from the Obscured by clouds soundtrack… The crowd, still sitting next hears "The Division Bell"

   David Gilmour is a great artist and has earned the right To do whatever he wants. For me, and I can only speak just for me, with the body of work he gets to choose from he could have made a couple of more dynamic selections. If I never heard "Wots the deal" again, It’d be ok. But Echoes was absolutely 100% transcendent!!!

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1. Sam Pocker
   Comment by Sam Pocker | 2006/04/11 at 18:35:57

   i saw it too

   great show

   two things i heard outside

   "whos got tickets?"
   "who needs doses?"

   two jerkoffs behind me talked through the first 30 mins ’till i tore them a new asshole

   production was full on floyd production very cool

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1. Steve Martin
   Comment by Steve Martin | 2006/04/11 at 18:36:12

   Nice email about David’s show….

   It was one of the few times in my career that I watched a show and said to myself, "How lucky am I….? I get to see this show 6 more times!"

   I took my 16 year old daughter and her boyfriend…they are Floyd fans,but were still stunned at not only the level of musicianship, but also the lighting, by Marc Brickman, and the sound.

   It was as good as a rock show gets.

   I told her seeing David now is like seeing Muhammed Ali or Baryshnikov in their prime….an artist at the top of their game.

   It was a special night,indeed.

   As was last night in Toronto.

   I don’t know if your plans changed,Bob,but if you can make the show in L.A. it IS "one for the ages".

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1. Bobby Gale
   Comment by Bobby Gale | 2006/04/11 at 18:36:29

   I concur!! Still reeling over last night’s thrilling opening night of 2 On An Island concerts in Toronto (2 more in Chicago & then 2 final shows in L.A.)

   Just to see Roxy Music’s (underrated but brilliant) Phil Manzanera guesting on guitar & vocals was enough for me, of course! In fact, I went with dear friend & legendary/veteran producer John Punter (Roxy Music, Bryan Ferry, Procul Harum, T-Rex, The Hollies, Savoy Brown, Nazareth, Japan etc.) & we were behaving like teen boys, gleefully elbowing each other & grinning the entire night, both amazed & impressed at how seamless, integral yet complementary Phil’s playing was to David’s, both on the new & vintage material. Phil truly has enormous ability & showmanship in an understated manner, and gracefully replicated alternate layers of guitar parts originally played by David, which naturally 48 trk recording allows for, often using an identical axe to DGs. Really something to eye very carefully & appreciate. You then realize why Phil was chosen to co-produce the album, with another 70s studio wunderkind, Chris Thomas. His resume is in the history books as well (Floyd, Roxy, Pretenders, Townshend, Pistols etc). Now, when one hears "El Manzo" playing on the seminal Floyd tracks live…well!!! It’s absolutely divine!!!!! (Echoes live was worth the price of admisssion!!!) At that point I could almost imagine a Floyd/Roxy tour!!! The atmospherics are actually quite similar from that classic era when you compare, say Meddle to For Your Pleasure). Little factoid: I found out afterwards that Phil actually scored/wrote the opening instrumental that ushers David onstage. Another example of how they truly vibe on & off stage.

   It’s also worth noting that I used to think Roger Waters was integral in recreating Floyd on stage. I no longer believe that. And certainly not after last night. Especially when you hear both Richard Wright & David singing both vocals from Comfortably Numb, the stunning show closer. I now believe those mega shows over the last 20 years since the Wall ( which by the way I saw at Nassau Coliseum 1980 and still maintain to this day is the single most grand rock spectacle I have ever witnessed) with the exception of the The Wall & all gigs before left many with a bad taste in the mouth from a current perspective. Let’s face it, this kind of ethereal repertoire is best enjoyed if not at home on a great stereo or with headphones, then certainly in a theatre setting as Nick emphasized; the memory, the legacy of those latter day grandiose (perfunctory) special effects, inflated sound & large crowds I think has ultimately left real music fans with a bad taste and always hoping for a better opportunity to see it in a comfortably (numb) intimate setting. The real fans who have tickets for this extremely short tour already know why or soon will!

   BTW, during intermission, almost on cue, I spotted The Wall’s producer & regular Lefsetz contributor, living legend Bob Ezrin chatting in the aisle (anonymous/faceless to the general populace there I’m sure). I’m proud to say I’ve known Bob (been a fan) since the 70s & his days at Nimbus 9 & he’s always been a real gentleman…we met while he was recording the debut Kings record, which was oddly Bob’s subsequent studio production following The Wall…and strangely, I’ve just remembered that I’ve made a habit of running into him at each of the Floyd gigs I’ve attended over the last 26 years since & including the Wall in NYC. Weird. Floydian kizmet, I suppose…

   ps The new album is better appreciated live, as performed start to finish in the first set; I was delighted to hear Where We Start in that setting…a Gilmour gem & my personal favourite from the album.

   pss The other (genuine Floyd relic) star of the evening, was the incredible saxophone of Dick Parry….what a treat to have him, yet another original there on that stage!!

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1. Jesse Casas
   Comment by Jesse Casas | 2006/04/11 at 18:36:44

   Great review.

   But NOBODY – and I mean NOBODY – is worth $250. That’s obscene.

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