The Dark Side of the Moon Live

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The Dark Side of the Moon Live
Tour by Roger Waters
Dates June 2, 2006 - June 6, 2008
Legs 7
Shows 119
Roger Waters tour chronology
In the Flesh (tour)
(1999-2002)		 The Dark Side of the Moon Live
(2006-2008)		 -

After expressing an interest in reviving The Dark Side of the Moon following his performance with Pink Floyd at Live 8, Roger Waters announced that he would be staging "The Dark Side of the Moon Live", a worldwide concert tour. Waters and his band performs the title piece in its entirety at each show, beginning at the Rock In Rio festival on 2 June 2006.

The tour features elaborate staging designed by Mark Fisher (the architect of Pink Floyd's The Wall shows), including giant puppets, large video screen displays and a 360° quadraphonic sound system. The performances are divided into two sets: the first a collection of Pink Floyd material and songs from Roger's solo career, and the second The Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety, plus encores.

Pink Floyd's iconic pig has been used extensively during the Dark Side of the Moon tour, introduced on September 6, 2006, opening night of the US tour, and since appearing at almost every venue. During the tour, the pig has often carried messages critical of the American government, Waters' socialist views, and the support of repressed Latin American populations, including indictments of discrimination and calls for the further prosecution of former dictators. A complete list of the pigs and messages featured at each show can be found at inflatable pigs on Roger Waters' tours.

Contents

[edit] The Performers

Waters retained much of the backing band from his 1999-2002 In the Flesh tours, including guitarists Snowy White and Andy Fairweather-Low, backing vocalists Katie Kissoon and P. P. Arnold, and Graham Broad on drums. Guitarist Dave Kilminster, along with Waters and Jon Carin, sang much of the lead vocal parts performed by David Gilmour and Rick Wright on the original Pink Floyd recordings. Andrew Latimer, leader of the progressive rock group Camel auditioned to be lead guitarist and Gilmour's vocal replacement on the tour, but it was felt his voice could not reach the same high notes, although his guitar playing (often compared to Gilmour's) was exemplary.

Dave Kilminster performing with Waters at the Arrow Rock Festival, June 10, 2006
Dave Kilminster performing with Waters at the Arrow Rock Festival, June 10, 2006
Graham Broad Performs "Time" with Roger Waters in Ottawa June 6, 2007
Graham Broad Performs "Time" with Roger Waters in Ottawa June 6, 2007

[edit] Personnel 2006-2007

Most of the touring band for Waters has toured with him and other Pink Floyd members for many years and even recorded with them in a few instances.

Waters' former Pink Floyd bandmate Nick Mason played drums alongside Broad at the 12 June show in Iceland, the 29 June show in Ireland, the 1 July show in London, the 12 July show in Italy, and the 14 July show in France. During the North American tour, he performed at both Madison Square Garden shows and all three nights at the Hollywood Bowl. On The 12 May London, Earls Court Nick was introduced on stage to play set two, the whole of The Dark Side of the Moon and the encores by Waters.

[edit] Personnel 2008

A small personnel change has been made due to two of the band members having already booked April and May 2008.[1] Chester Kamen will replace Andy Fairweather-Low on guitars. Chester toured with Waters in 2002 during the 3rd year of the In The Flesh tour, back then replacing Doyle Bramhall II. He is the brother of pop singer Nick Kamen. Sylvia Mason-James will replace Katie Kissoon on backing vocals. Sylvia is also touring with Pet Shop Boys.

[edit] Setlist

The tour's setlist remained constant after 8 June 2006. Earlier shows' sets differed in that they featured "The Gunner's Dream" along with a different running order.[2] A power outage at the June 29, 2006 show forced an early intermission,[3] and so the second set featured "Leaving Beirut" and "Sheep" before The Dark Side of the Moon.

Set One
Roger Waters and band play Pink Floyd's "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"
Roger Waters and band play Pink Floyd's "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"
  1. In the Flesh
  2. Mother
  3. Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
  4. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts II - V) (abridged)
  5. Have a Cigar
  6. Wish You Were Here
  7. Southampton Dock
  8. The Fletcher Memorial Home
  9. Perfect Sense (Parts I - II)
  10. Leaving Beirut
  11. Sheep
Set Two (The Dark Side of the Moon)
Roger Waters performing Dark Side of the Moon Live in 2007
Roger Waters performing Dark Side of the Moon Live in 2007
  1. Speak to Me / Breathe
  2. On the Run
  3. Time / Breathe (Reprise)
  4. The Great Gig in the Sky
  5. Money
  6. Us and Them
  7. Any Colour You Like
  8. Brain Damage
  9. Eclipse
Encore
  1. The Happiest Days of Our Lives
  2. Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)
  3. Vera
  4. Bring the Boys Back Home
  5. Comfortably Numb

[edit] Backing track

There has been some controversy and debate[citation needed] among fans concerning the integrity of Waters' live vocals. Some online concert reviewers noted unnatural variances between his timing and the sound heard by the audience during the songs "Have a Cigar", "Sheep", and "The Fletcher Memorial Home", among others, indicating that the show contained at least some pre-recorded lead vocals. Others disputed such discrepancies.

There are at least two video clips posted on YouTube[4], from a televised broadcast of his Rock in Rio performance, that seem to confirm that Waters had in fact used pre-recorded vocal tracks on at least some of the songs on this tour. On the last verse of "The Gunner's Dream", he misses his cue and the vocal track begins to play while he is still looking down at his guitar. Quickly realizing his mistake, he looks up and begins singing along mid-verse. In the broadcast of "Have a Cigar", the pre-recorded track, meant to all but obscure the live vocal, is mixed too low and can only faintly be heard in the background. Waters' live vocal, left unadorned, barely rises above a pained rasp.

However, in other videos from the same concert, such as "Wish You Were Here", he appears to be singing completely live.

In keeping with the original arrangement of "Sheep", Waters's vocal lines end on a sustained note (the first E above Middle C) which gradually crossfades into a synthesizer note of similar timbre. On at least one occasion, Waters's singing was slightly flat, resulting a noticeable shift in pitch when the crossfade occurred and the synthesizer took over. This would suggest that these vocals were not prerecorded.

Former band member Norbert Stachel confirmed that some prerecorded vocals were used on the 2002 leg of the In the Flesh tour.[5]. This is most noticeable on the bridge to "Every Stranger's Eyes", which feature some very high notes for a male singer, such as the first C above Middle C.

[edit] Tour dates

[edit] 2006 tour dates

[edit] Leg 1: 2006 European tour dates

Roger Waters live at Wuhlheide, Berlin, Germany on June 8, 2006
Roger Waters live at Wuhlheide, Berlin, Germany on June 8, 2006
Roger Waters live at Norwegian Wood festival on June 14, 2006
Roger Waters live at Norwegian Wood festival on June 14, 2006

[edit] Leg 2: 2006 North American tour dates

"Eclipse" live at Hollywood Bowl on October 5, 2006
"Eclipse" live at Hollywood Bowl on October 5, 2006

[edit] 2007 tour dates

Waters announced to fans that he would be performing 62 more dates worldwide in 2007.[7] The tour resumed in late January and February with shows in Australia, New Zealand, India, Hong Kong, and China.[8] More shows in South America and Europe, including the UK, followed, with 27 US and Canadian dates in June and July.[9]

[edit] Leg 3: 2007 Australia, New Zealand & Asian tour dates

[edit] Leg 4: 2007 Latin American tour dates

Roger Waters. Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, on 21st April 2007
Roger Waters. Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona, on 21st April 2007

[edit] Leg 5: 2007 European tour dates

Roger Waters at the NEC Arena, England on 8 May 2007
Roger Waters at the NEC Arena, England on 8 May 2007

[edit] Leg 6: 2007 North American tour dates

[edit] 2008 tour dates

On December 17 2007 it was announced that Roger Waters will play a single one off show in Odense, Denmark May 13 2008.[10][11], but on December 19, only two days later than the first announcement, it was announced he will also play at the Pinkpop Festival in The Netherlands May 11 2008.[12] (Note: it will be on the same location as, but not during, the 2008 Pinkpop Festival) In January 21 2008, a big rumour and a lot of speculation was finally put to rest when it was announced that Roger will also play the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California, on Sunday, April 27, as the final night's headliner.[13][14]

On February 3 it was announced that Waters will also play in Denver, Colorado, on April 30, almost 8 years since he last played there, on July 3 2000, during the In The Flesh tour.[15]. Two more US dates were confirmed, Dallas on May 2 and Houston on May 4, both in the state of Texas, again almost 8 years since he has played in the area.[16] On February 20, another European date was announced, this time in Granada, Spain, May 9.[17]

On February 26, what are supposed to be the last dates of the tour as confirmed by Roger Waters' manager, was announced, two concerts in England, May 15th in Liverpool and May 18th in London.[18] Finally, on March 5 a second London show was announced.[19]

[edit] Leg 7: 2008 North American & European tour dates

[edit] Notes and References

  1. ^ Roger Waters 2008 mini-tour band - line-up change — BrainDamage.co.uk
  2. ^ Ian Ritchie's blog
  3. ^ Roger Waters - Marquee Festival, Cork, Ireland — Brain-Damage.co.uk
  4. ^ Roger Waters - The Gunner's Dream live
  5. ^ Norbert Stachel interview — Brain-Damage.co.uk
  6. ^ Not a planned date, but due to overwhelming popularity of the Sept 8 show, an encore performance was booked
  7. ^ Roger Waters - Shoreline Amphitheatre, Mountain View, CA — Brain-Damage.co.uk
  8. ^ Roger Waters - The Dark Side of the Moon LIVE tickets — Preferredseating.com.au
  9. ^ Pinkfloydz.com — A Fleeting Glimpse
  10. ^ Roger Waters to play Denmark in 2008 — Brain-Damage.co.uk
  11. ^ Roger Waters To Perform in Denmark — A Fleeting Glimpse
  12. ^ Second 2008 Roger Waters concert announced — Brain-Damage.co.uk
  13. ^ Coachella - Official News — coachella.com
  14. ^ Roger Waters confirmed for Coachella Festival 2008 — Brain-Damage.co.uk
  15. ^ Roger Waters - Denver in April — Brain-Damage.co.uk
  16. ^ Roger Waters - 2008 US concerts confirmed — Brain-Damage.co.uk
  17. ^ Roger Waters - Granada, Spain concert announced — Brain-Damage.co.uk
  18. ^ Roger Waters to play UK in 2008 — Brain-Damage.co.uk
  19. ^ Roger Waters - second London show just announced — Brain-Damage.co.uk
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