Roger Waters Rebuilds the Wall

Among fans of the classic rock group Pink Floyd there is a debate over which of their albums is the best. There are many who believe the hype that Dark Side of the Moon is their masterpiece. Some people, including members of the band, are fond of Wish You Were Here. For me, the masterpiece has always been The Wall.
The Wall was released in 1980 and it was conceived as an album, stage show and a movie. The story behind the album has become epic. The album itself was conceived while Roger Waters, Floyd's bass player, vocalist and chief song-writer, was on tour with the In the Flesh? tour. He conceived of building a wall between the band and the audience to represent the isolation he felt as the band grew to play huge stadiums rather than the smaller venues he was used to. The concept grew and changed and eventually became The Wall that fans known and love.

A major story involved in the album is very personal for Waters. His father died in the battle of Anzio during World War Two while Waters was just an infant. He never met his father and that profoundly affected his life and his personality as he grew up. So, the character of Pink, on the album, loses his father at a young age as well. However, the story goes beyond just Waters. He interjects feelings he was experiencing at the time and those of his bandmates as well.

It has been 30 years since the album came out and became a classic. For me, it has always been a favorite. The feelings of alienation, being abandoned and feeling near the brink of madness have always appealed to me. It is the one album I turned to the most often during down times in my life. Now, Waters has done something the band never did, he has taken The Wall on tour.

When the album was finished and produced in 1980 the concept of the concert was grand and complicated. The band itself was starting to pull itself apart. Thus, there were only a few shows in New York, Los Angeles and in England. Roger Waters then did a super-sized show on the place where Hitler's bunker once stood to celebrate the tearing down of the Berlin Wall. Since then, fans have just had to wonder if the show would ever be produced again.

Waters has also stated that he wanted to update the show. He has stated in interviews that he realized men are still being sent off to fight so that means there are more and more children like himself. That as mankind has continued to grow and develop he has continued to send men into battle where many of them die. Also, he has noted, war continues to kill civilians and those who wish to take no part in the war.

So, Waters reworked The Wall to take on tour. He worked with original animator and artist Gerald Scarfe to create new animation. He updated the equipment, as well. When The Wall played on stage in the early 80s he had 230 feet of wall in length that was 30 feet high and he had three 35 millimeter projectors to show movies on a portion of the wall. The rest of the wall was blank. In 2010, he now uses every inch of the cardboard-brick wall. The images are crisp, clear and powerful and individual images can be shot on individual bricks.

I saw the show at the United Center in Chicago on September 20, 2010. It was, without a doubt, the greatest concert spectacle I have ever seen. If there was one glitch it was that the dive-bombing airplane that is supposed to swoop over the audience and seemingly explode at the stage near the beginning of the show did not work. Given that it was a show with thousands of video elements, sound-effects, musicians and microphones that one glitch seems like a minor quibble. The rest of the show was without a hitch and it was breathtaking.

Waters has never sounded better. Also, as he has aged, he seems to have become more appreciative of the audiences that still come out to see him and often pay huge ticket prices to watch. He started the show wandering the floor as a homeless man, escorted by security, pushing a shopping cart. Then the show opened with explosions, lights and noise. It starts with a bang before settling into the story of Pink, the rock star slowly going mad in his hotel room.

Waters has updated the animation and films that play along every inch of the ever-growing wall that slowly covers the band. He has updated the projections on the wall to convey his feelings about modern warfare, government, and consumerism. All of it times perfectly to coincide with the lyrics that remain as powerful and poignant today as they were 30 years ago.

While there have been rumors flying that David Gilmour, guitarist and vocalist for Pink Floyd, might make an appearance at one of the Wall tour stops, he was not there on September 20. Nevertheless, Waters has assembled a great collection of musicians. Snowy White, his long-time guitarist is there again and as talented as always. G.E. Smith, another guitarist, and famous for once fronting the SNL band, also plays guitar. Finally there is David Kilminster, taking many of Gilmour's guitar solos, playing spectacularly. He did Gilmour's guitar solo from Comfortably Numb almost as fantastic as Gilmour's.

Roger has also been joined by his son, Harry Waters, on keyboard. Harry has accompanied his father on the past few tours he has done. He does a fine job of filling in where Rick Wright once stood during the Pink Floyd days.

Waters has filled his contemporary Wall with projections that fill the stage. He has messages against consumerism and capitalism. All of this is in sharp and interesting contrast to the fact that many of us who attending got our tickets thanks to a special deal worked out with iTunes. Also there is the fact that although he is railing against capitalism, the line at the merchandise store outside the arena was long and the prices of the merchandise was not cheap. He may hate capitalism, but Waters is certainly benefiting from it.

These are small quibbles. What remains is the fact that The Wall looks better than it ever has. At one point, Waters even duets with himself, over the song Mother. Footage taken back when he did shows in 1980 play over the wall and the circular screen behind him while he stands on stage strumming an acoustic guitar and singing. It is a powerful and touching moment that works remarkably well.

This is not just some old-timer looking to extend his career. Waters is as plugged into what is happening in the world around him as he was back when he was younger. He manages to make the new version contemporary and nostalgic. It is powerful, riveting, loud and dazzling. It is, quite simply, one of the most amazing, dazzling, and spectacular stage shows you are ever likely to see.

It is also a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It seems unlikely the remaining living members of Pink Floyd will unite to tour. So, this may be your only chance to see The Wall performed live. It is worth whatever price you pay for your tickets. This is a show that must be seen.