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BRIGHTON CENTER - BRIGHTON - UNITED KINGDOM

SEPTEMBER 5, 2015

 

MARIA ILARRAZ - MADRID

 

This past Saturday, September 5th, David Gilmour's pre-tour concert took place in Brighton. Well, I'm going to narrate it as we live it.

We arrived in Brighton a couple of hours before the concert was due to start and there were already quite a few people queuing up. Having bought the tickets online we had to go pick them up, we finally had them! At the time of entry, perhaps what stood out to us the most was that we were the youngest in our stands by far, and almost from the place -we are 21 and 22 years old-. To the important thing, we enter, shortly after the lights go out, the screams begin, nerves, emotion, a figure is intuited approaching the center of the stage: Gilmour was already there and, suddenly, a brief general silence, the first howl sounds accordingly guitar and, as you can imagine, instantly raised hair.

He began without saying a word with songs from the new album, 5 AM and Rattle That Lock –the single that gives its name to the tour and the album- before greeting and introducing himself. He continued with Faces of Stone with a good reception from the public, which was respectful at all times. Again he interacted to thank and say that he was going to continue with a song that would be more familiar to us. The chords of Wish You Were Here begin and the Brighton Center goes crazy, personally I was moved, but I could assure that a large part of the public shed some tears. He continued with a full repertoire, or for my part much more than expected, of Pink Floyd songs (Fat Old Sun, Money, Shine on you crazy diamond,...) but obviously also songs from their latest album and previous albums. In between, and after High Hopes, he took a break of about 20 minutes, to return with Astronomy Domine. A silent David, more focused on enjoying -and making us enjoy- his music than in any other aspect, who shone above all for his famous guitar solos. Although we must not detract from his band, spectacular at all times. Gilmour introduced her a few songs after the break and I want to give a special mention to the saxophonist, as his solos were amazing.

The sour point of the night was the fact that we had not been able to fully enjoy it, since we had been informed that since it was before the tour it would surely be much shorter than expected and we had to leave 5 songs before it ended to arrive to the train that took us to London. Above all, we are left with the “thorn” of not listening to Comfortably Numb live (of course Time and Breathe too).

Bearing in mind that the Brighton Center has a capacity of 4,500 people, it is a luxury to have been able to enjoy the teacher in such an "intimate" way. First full concert since 2006 and who knows if the first of his last tour -hopefully not-. No one will take away from me feeling so lucky.

 

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VERONA ARENA - VERONA - ITALY

14 SEPTEMBER 2015

 

ROSA PILAR MARIN - CALATORAO (ZARAGOZA)

 

I never thought that my dream could come true, now I can say that if you set your mind to it and really want it, dreams come true!  
Pink Floyd  are the music of my life, when  I was about twenty years old I bought their cassettes, I had put them aside for life reasons,_cc781905- 5cde-3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ but a few years ago  my madness returned again. Of all the members of Pink Floyd... David Gilmour is my favourite... David is mi  'god', he's on another level, it gives me the feeling that he's from another galaxy and when I listen to his guitar and his voice,  transports me to a state that cannot be described!!
  When he announced his 2015 European Tour, the madness began to get a ticket,  I didn't care where I went_cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b-136bad5cf5! what could be my last chance? ..... By David
  I got a ticket for Verona ( Teatro Arena )  and my adventure began,  because for me, 9_1c481c58 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ que no he viajado mucho  ,  lo ha sido  ¡¡. 
I still have emotions on the surface... I don't know,  if I'm going to know how to express my nerves,  the concerns and feelings experienced on my trip to Zaragoza - Madrid - Verona ,  I don't understand much about music, I don't know which note is more or less difficult to play, I only know what touches my heart and David moves me with just one note of his guitar. 
     El día 14 de septiembre  ¡¡ por primera vez  I heard it at the Teatro Arena in Verona, a day that I will never forget. I spent the morning very nervous, I went  early to the Arena and I could hear the sound checks from outside and every song that David sang was applauded by the people who queued to enter. When I was in my seat, it seemed incredible to me that I had achieved it   I was finally going to see myself David 
   Toda la gente estaba feliz,  los Floydianos  vivimos la música de una forma especial ( Only true Pink Floyd fans will understand me) .  That was a party,  in the stands people waved and shouted David David David . 
When the start of the concert was announced and the lights of the Arena went out,  there was absolute silence,  my heart was going to explode with emotion!
    The first instrumental track of his new album began to be heard..., we continued to enjoy ourselves in silence. until with the song Rattle that lock the explosion of affection for our idol began, for me everything was perfect,  the lights, the sound, the wonderful and particular screen, continued with Astronomy Domine in honor of Syd Barrett y fué intercalando en el concierto  temas del nuevo álbum  ' Faces of stone'   ' In Any Tongue'  'Today'  'The Girl in the yellow dress'  ' Boating10cc5es7' Ating90cc5es7 5cde-3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ with Pink Floyd songs_cc781905-5cd e-3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ most known to all ' Shine on you crazy Diamond'  wonderful live, ' Wish You Were Here'  ' Fat Old sun '  ' Sorrow'  ' High Hopes' ' Money '' Time ''  Breathe-585de00 (reprise9) 3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_ ' The Blue' ' On and island ' ' Run like hell ' and ended with '  Comfortably Numb  ' and that was the final apotheosis! ! .....
   Toda la banda estuvo muy bien Phil Manzanera ,  Guy Pratt , Jon Carin,  Steve Distanislao, Theo Travis (new) in choirs as well as a girl takes a boy I guess to help David a little,  although at 69 he is wonderful and still looks very vital . The genius Gilmour,  for me,  continues to be the musician who excites me the most and makes me feel !! 
   It will be very difficult for me to see him again but  I will continue listening to him and enjoying his music every day. Surely I am not impartial in my assessments but it is what I think from my emotions lived in Verona . 
    I will never forget this concert and it remains forever in my retina and my heart. 136bad5cf58d_
    Thank you very much_cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b5¡c David5fd8d5¡c
    ¡¡  Shine on  David_cc781905-5cde- 3194-bb3b-136bad5cf58d_¡¡
    ¡¡ Pink  Floyd  siempre_cc781905-5cde-3194 -bb3b-136bad5cf58d_¡¡
    ***_cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b58d5cde dream come true5***

 

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IPPODROMO DEL VISARNO - FLORENCE - ITALY

SEPTEMBER 15, 2015

 

ZULI MALYSHENKO - KRAKOW (POLAND)    www.pink-floyd.ru/articles/reviews/concerts/gilmour/florence_2015.html

(Thanks to the author of the text for her translation from Russian to Spanish).

  

The wonderful night: Gilmour concert in Florence.

David Gilmour concert dates were released in early March. We have known for a long time that the next tour would be, Gilmour has told in interviews of some modest concerts in Europe. When the dates and places of specific performances became known, I left a couple of days to decide on the route of the trip, I really wanted to get to Pula or Verona, in the atmospheric amphitheater. However, at the time of ticket purchase (one day before the official start of sales) in Verona there were no numbered seats. In Florence the stalls were not yet completely sold. My seat was row 26, I had to pick up my ticket at the box office before the concert.

From David's album, I didn't expect much,  for me an "an old man" tour would be enough, but with the information about the next album and next performances my hopes grew. The list of invited musicians, rehearsals for "Us and Them", Mr.Screen... The new songs sounded as promised. What he was hoping for was some special dedication to Rick Wright during a concert on the seventh anniversary of his death.

When David Gilmour gave concerts in 2006, it was like in a different reality, in some parallel world from which only echoes come in the form of photos, videos, chronicles, and then the DVD of concerts in London and Gdansk. It was hard to accept that the tour was in the past, and there is no hope of repeating it. And now, in 2015, I find myself at the Krakow airport at 5AM on September 15th and I still don't think I'd be able to attend a Gilmour concert tonight.

"The Division Bell" accompanies me on the way between Milan and Florence, y  while my train speeds through the dark tunnels, I am listening to "Coming Back To Life", without hope watching myself that I can't wait for their concert version. With "High Hopes" everything is clear, without it the Gilmour concert is impossible.

In Florence, there are many tourists and also some concert-goers, who dissolve into the general flow. I don't want to waste energy. I'm checking at the hotel and trying to get some sleep before the meeting with the guys from our website. A friend sends me the photos of the scene, it looks impressive, in the middle of a huge racetrack surrounded by mountains in the distance.

We are next to the church of Santa Maria Novella and we go on foot to the hippodrome. Through the door the prepared stage is visible, but the soundcheck has not yet started.

There is a time to look around and look for familiar faces. I love meeting Pink Floyd fans from different countries, previously under different circumstances, I have talked with representatives of fan clubs from Spain, Czechia, Turkey. We're in a queue, and then I noticed the tall figure of Werner, the owner of the Austrian page Pulse&Spirit. I decide to go say hi. It turns out that he had also seen my page Pink-Floyd.ru. He asked me, in which row do I sit and if I am very passionate about Pink Floyd.

At that moment the offices were opened.  The procedure was quick, and the coveted ticket is in my hands. While I was taking pictures, he came over and asked Werner if I wanted to move to the second row. Of course!. As it turned out, Werner had an extra ticket, and he wanted to find someone he really wanted to sit near. I showed him a suitable candidate. So my 26th row magically became my second. I have totally stopped believing in reality. But no, it was all real, because of the scene I hear the sounds of soundcheck. The sound echoed all around and it was clear that apart from the 7-8000 official spectators everyone else outside was going to listen to the concert.

A few painful hours of waiting have arrived. We decided to fill them up with dinner and found a spot with Wi-Fi. I read on the forum that "Coming Back to Life" was performed during soundcheck. It would be better if it was as a surprise.

To go to the racetrack I had to show my ticket twice. "To the left" - said the girl, looking at my entrance. It turned out that the numbering of the chairs was: even numbers on the left, odd numbers on the right. So at first I didn't find my place, but then I saw. to Werner waving. I only had time to sit down and the concert started at 5AM, without delay.

It is the  first time that I am in a concert so close to the stage. I can see the expressions on the faces of the musicians, all their gestures and looks. Not looking too good are keyboardist Jon Carin and backing vocalists Luis Claire Marshall and Brian Chambers. Steve DiStanislao hidden behind the drum kit, Kevin Makelea sitting on the left. Theo Travis appears periodically on the right side of the scene. Phil Manzanera stands roughly across from me, in a black shirt with bright floral cuffs, in a very good mood. Guy Pratt is no longer as young as he once was, but he still happily jumps around on the very active stage. Wear the t-shirt: "That's all Folks!". David Gilmour dresses modestly, hardly looking at the public, dissolving into his music. And on stage, he looks much younger than in recent interviews. As if playing the guitar gives him more strength and ​​decreases his age by decades.

The contrast of David and Roger attracts attention brighter than ever. As a showman Roger wins, but the concentration  and distance from David has its charms. At the same time, Gilmour allowed himself voluntary gestures while enjoying music.

Almost immediately before the concert Polly Samson runs to the front of the stage and sits in the empty seat in the third row to the right of me, only 10 people separating us. We see how she listens to "Rattle That Lock", concentrated and intense. On the contrary, the musicians are very happy and with evident pleasure they sing this song. The concert version sounds better than the album version.

"Faces of Stone" - another song from the new album, which at that time had not yet been published. For many in the audience it sounds for the first time. And the reaction of the public is quite restrained. "Wish You Were Here", of course, is very inspiring.

Frankly,  at times I was so immersed in what's going on that now I can't remember the little details. The concert is mainly the emotions survived over time listening to the music and transmitting them with words seems quite difficult to me. The best concerts of my life are performances by Roger Waters in Moscow in 2002 and by Camel in Krakow in July 2015. If you ask me which part of the concert I remember the most or some details, I cannot answer you. David Gilmour's concert also made the list of the best.

"A Boat Lies Waiting"  - Gilmour stands without a guitar next to the microphone with his eyes closed, hands falling limply down, strange to see him like this. At this point, you realize that "A Boat Lies Waiting"  is his dedication to Rick Wright. And it's not tied to a specific date, David misses him all the time. A ship that carries an endless river, which is also waiting for David, unfortunately. "The Blue" is a perfect continuation of the theme started.

Representatives of Italian fan clubs during a break have brought to the stage a banner on which "RIP Rick 09.15.08 Us and Them" was written.

Below they are interpreting the successes achieved over time. Choosing "Money" with Gilmour's solo seemed strange to me, but it seems that I was attracted by the musical point of view, which resulted in a hypnotic jam! "Us and Them". The Pink Floyd songs played by  Gilmour sound more surrounding than Waters'. Still Gilmour - a master influence on the human soul, Waters goes straight to the brain or skin with his sarcasm. Mr.Screen in both compositions allows you to mentally travel back in time to Pink Floyd.

"In Any Tongue" is also accompanied by distracting visual effects from the musicians on stage. The vocals on the album version I liked better, but the music at the concert sounded louder and more powerful than on the album.

"High Hopes" is the realization of my dreams - I am listening to this song live, performed by the author!. The lyricist is sitting nearby. Every sound, every line sounds really native.

A pause comes. We talked to people from Germany and Austria, and I mentioned that I have a Polly Samson book "Perfect Lives," and I really wanted to get her autograph. However, approaching her during the concert would be rude. Then Michael suggested just putting the book on his chair. The second option: talk to Polly's neighbor. It turned out that he was also from Germany, and he had no idea who was sitting next to him. The hardest thing for him was saying my name. When Polly arrived at the beginning of the second part, I didn't realize if she agreed to sign the book. At the end of the concert the book was returned to me with an autograph from Polly! My name was written as it is written in German: "Sula".

The second part begins with "Astronomy Domine". I thought that such a Pink Floyd at the beginning would sound a bit strange in 2015, but everything is going perfectly, and it gives me a lot of pleasure.

"Shine On You Crazy Diamond" -  no comments, fascinating!. I'd say it's the culmination of the concert, but his subsequent "Fat Old Sun" and "Coming Back to Life" drive me crazy. "Fat Old Sun" is magnificent live! Surprisingly "On An Island" sounds very good, on the album  I found it too sweet.

"The Girl in the Yellow Dress" with Guy Pratt on double bass is a most atypical work for Gilmour. Curiously, in the opinions of the album  the evaluation of this song is more contradictory. It seems to me that she is not emotional and serves to rest before later successes.

Gilmour is considering "Today"  as the best song from his new album and its performance against "Sorrow" and "Run Like Hell" seems logical. "Today"  and  "Sorrow" don't excite me much. Concert versions cannot change my position. However, I am sure that many will not agree with me.

"Run Like Hell" is accompanied by a very bright light show and all the musicians are wearing dark glasses.  In this song Guy Pratt comes through more clearly without disappointment. A bit strange to hear "Run Like Hell" at Gilmour concerts,  "The Wall" already clearly associated with Waters, although one of the authors of this song is Gilmour.

During the "Encore" all the people gathered in front of the stage, I was in the crowd, singing "Time" and "Comfortably Numb". Then I realized how good the Fan Zone could be when the energy of the crowd multiplies your personal impressions.

I couldn't believe that the concert ended so quickly, especially the second part flew by. Thanks to the musicians for an incredible show! Although David's voice is not as strong as before, and there are some difficult moments in the concert, all those moments do not prevent  receive  the concentrated emotions and the culmination of the ecstasy.

A few words must be said about the audience. The public reaction was rather subdued, which is especially unusual for Italy.

We return to the center of Florence discussing our impressions. Now five days have passed and they culminate in the form of this chronicle.

 

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ANTIQUE THEATER - ORANGE - FRANCE

SEPTEMBER 17, 2015

 

ADRIAN FERNANDEZ - TARRAGONA

 

I was 13 years old, I lived in Buenos Aires and a classmate from school came to my house to listen to music. He brought a double vinyl record with some "little bricks" drawn on the cover...

“- This is the best record you're going to hear in your entire life -”, he told me convinced and enthusiastic. I never thanked him properly.

 At that time the dictatorship in Argentina had banned Another Brick in the Wall from the radio. It said something like - We don't need education. We don't need thought control. Ha, "dangerous" for a youth in a state of incipient rebellion...

"I'll leave it to you for a few days, I already recorded it on cassette"... Poor my buddy, I had it for more than a year, and the paradoxical thing is that I remember having listened to it 1 or 2 times, and it bored me... Yes. One at 13 "is at the age of a turkey", my grandmother used to say... Until one day I listen to it in its entirety, and the next day again and then again, and another... I've been listening to it for 35 years now...

The Wall awakened my Floydian passion, which did not stop growing. The Dark Side, Wish You, Animals. And the other works of art.

I remember that day with melancholy and a smile on my soul. Because today I only have days left to attend a David Guilmour concert for the first time in my life.

I'm excited: Orange, France on September 17.

In 2002 I had the privilege of seeing Roger on the South American tour In the Flesh: Sublime!!! I thought it would be my only time... But life now gives me the incomparable chance to see "Gordo" live... I hope my heart is strong and can handle the emotions.

A tear escapes me listening to Echoes in the Royal Albert Park, in 2006. Rick and his magic hands… David and his wonderful space melodies. Majestic concert.

I imagine what is to come! And this time I will be present.

 That 13-year-old boy is still there... Impatient.

You just have to spend time:

And I run and run trying to catch up with the sun, but it's setting
And spinning just right it rises and appears behind me
The sun is the same in a relative way, but I am a little older
With a little less encouragement and one day closer... to seeing David live.

Orange, 9/17/15,

7:00 p.m. The doors of the Thèâtre Antique open and emotions surface. The setting could not be more spectacular. The history of each stone of the Roman amphitheater merges with the historical moment that is about to begin... David appears in a thick fog and dim light. And with the first chord of 5 AM the auditorium roars.
The new songs of Rattle That Lock, interpreted with elegance, with a pure, clean sound, with rhythm, are mixed with the classics: Wish You Where Here, Money, Us and Them... Superb David. The Band is superb. Minutes of glory are yet to come.
Closing with High Hopes, the bell, the acoustic guitar, the lyrics, the piano and the final solo. A marvel!
Second part, after a few minutes that serve to dry the tears, to share with the new friends that you have by your side, the admiration for this legendary musician. People from Almeria, from  Barcelona. From France, Italy, Holland...
And just when you think you've heard the best of the night, David surprises you with Domine Astronomy, I'm still shaking... Look for this live on the web when you can. Sublime!!! And Shine on, Fat old Sun, and tirelessly follows the fantasy of a guitar that shudders with each solo. Moves. It sounds very strong live, with energy without losing clarity. With incredible purity. Some silences from the public, waiting on the keyboards at the beginning of the songs, are spectacular. Big surprise the song Today, live it sounds like the gods.
It ends with an amazing staging of lights, lasers and sound in Run Like Hell. 
"-Good Night, Merci Beaucoup Orange! -
-Bonne Nuit-. 
5, 6, 8 minutes of shouting, laughter, applause, crying... And come back! And he gives us Time, with another majestic solo,  Breathe (reprise), and of course, he closes with Comfortably Numb... Without words. Magical. Emotional. Bright!
Thank you David for your talent. For making me vibrate with each song. For allowing me to travel through the history of Pink Floyd. Thanks for your story! And for letting us privileged people who were in Orange dream. Thank you for letting us move with your music...
 "on this side of the wall".
Adrian

PS: The anecdote of the night: Two minutes before it all ends, in a tremendous finale, in the midst of the frenzy of the Comfortably Asleep solo, with the band at full throttle, David has time to hit the guitar with his right hand and in a quick movement to scare away a mosquito that was doing mischief on his left arm. Without almost noticing. As if the hand of an angel kept touching for that moment... Incredible. Is human. He ends up laughing telling the band in the final greeting. 

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ROBERTO IGLESIAS - ALMERIA

 

David Gilmour in Orange: When reality is much better than dreams.

Hello to all of Rutafloyd's friends... These lines that you are going to read are the emotional chronicle of a night that began months ago with despair and discouragement in the face of the chaos of online ticket purchases: In a few hours the Royal Albert Hall hung the “Sold out” sign (tickets sold out) and I was devastated in front of the computer: My dream had been broken. At that time I began an unsuccessful odyssey of writing letters in all languages, calling the Albert Hall, even writing David's wife Polly….  I had no chance to go to concerts other than They were from London... At least that's what I thought until the  call from a then unknown JuandeFloyd, surprised me in the Sierra de Cazorla with a wetsuit and ready to get on a Rafting raft:_cc781905-5cde-3194-bb3b- 136bad5cf58d_"I have a ticket for the Orange concert, make up your mind now"... My heart raced... I had discarded all the other concerts because the operation I had to mount to be able to go was complicated and impossible, but that call was like a signal and my heart said "Don't you see?... It's a sign... this is your chance... Go for it!!" So between rafting, canoeing and zip lines , I managed to set up the operation that seemed so impossible: flights, hotel, rental car, work days, placing the children... Everything went unimaginably well and suddenly the night before the concert arrived. There I saw myself in Elche having a few beers with the best host in the world and ultimately guilty of going to see Gilmour the next day: Juan de Dios de Rutafloyd.  It was the beginning of this adventure.

The big day arrived and the streets of Orange witnessed my unbridled emotion. My wife and I were walking to the Roman amphitheater from the days before Christ, when suddenly the streets were filled with a familiar melody: Gilmour's voice in Coming back to life.  The heart A thousand heartbeats made us run until we reached the outside and we found the first shocking scene: thousands of people outside excited, screaming and applauding the sound check.  They were my first tears .

It was just an appetizer... If listening to the song on the other side of those walls of more than 2000 years gave people goosebumps, what would happen two hours later when they saw it from the inside?... Excited we jumped into the meeting of another member of RutaFloyd, Adrián the Argentine; A person just as passionate as I am with the music of Gilmour and the Floyds.

While we were drinking beer in a restaurant, a man in blue passes behind Marisa with a beer, my heart skips a beat…. GUY PRATT himself!!!!... I don't have time to take out the camera... but as fate would have it, twenty minutes later in the entrance queue just as we were standing at the artists' door, he would return to come out the one who has been the bass player for the last two decades. I greet him and he smiles at me... The smile doesn't fit on my face.

The entrance to the theater was overwhelming because the walls are imposingly high and the stone thousands of years old seems to tell you about history... We really felt small entering under those Roman arches. Everything was smiles and faces lit up with emotion... This is how one of the editing members of Gilmour's team perceived it, surprising us with perfect Spanish: "Enjoy, enjoy", he said with a wide smile and a gesture that seemed to say: "You'll see which we have prepared for you."

We are in row 9 very close to the stage. The wait is eternal but finally the delirium is unleashed with the blackout of lights that precedes the long-awaited start. Gilmour appears with his band and begins to play… you can hardly hear his guitar from that initial ovation and I am in tears for the second time: There he was, finally seeing him!!!! I look back at row 14 and see Adrian just as excited. From here begins the final fireworks of all these days... The setlist of the tour is the same, there is no room for surprises but that does not matter. The satisfaction of seeing David's “real” figure,  with his characteristic position, with his body gestures and  mouth grimaces while playing the solos is inexplicable.  I can't stop smiling... I can't stop looking at the faces around me, the gestures of the people, this is INCREDIBLE.

In terms of music, I don't want to reveal many details, but I do want to highlight several impressions of mine: First, Gilmour's voice is intact and continues to move easily between the two usual extremes... serious, hard and rough for the most rock songs and infinitely sweet. in its most melodic part. He had no problem reaching the highest records of the scale at almost 70 years of age. It was a surprise for me to feel that strength of his throat so closely; it is something that I have never been able to feel in this way “so close” before despite the thousands of hours of concert video that I have seen. I was impressed!!

The usual maxim is also fulfilled that the singles are never the best songs on the album, but rather the most commercial or catchy... Without a doubt, this latest work is outstanding and goes beyond Rattle that lock or Today, which by the way, sounded live forceful and with a force that can be sensed on the album but that undoubtedly appears in its fullness live. This work is full of maturity, it is varied in styles, varied in musical arrangements, it has sensitivity in the lyrics, the melodies flee from the easy and common, some choruses like those of "in any tongue" make your hair stand on end. There's a little masterpiece called Faces of Stone dedicated to his mother in her last days before she died that sounded just as wonderful live as it did on record. But I insist that it is an outstanding, mature and balanced work... full of incredible guitars and beautiful vocal harmonies like the song dedicated to Richard Wright sung by all the members of the stage at the same time: Another impressive moment!!.

And well, among the new songs the glories of Pink Floyd were interspersed… Listening to the historic guitar of Shine on you crazy diamond, unleashed a contained delirium…. Sorrow shone with its own light in a masterful performance... The entire theater sang Wish you were here in choir. You have to experience that at least once in your life... A Fat old sun modified to more acoustic hid an almost unexpected turn with accelerator until that great solo from the last few tours... Tears again! I felt on a cloud over and over again. The second half of “The Blue” (instrumental) and the solo of “on an Island” made it clear to us why Gilmour has a unique style as a guitarist. The "money" was simply spectacular. In “Time” no one was sitting anymore and well, Comfortably Numb has no words: we all sang its marvelous chorus and when the final solo started, delirium was unleashed. No one contained their emotions anymore at that point, aware that a night impossible to forget had ended. And that is the essence of live shows: It is a perfect communion between musicians and audience through the common thread of music. And when that thread is David Gilmour…. Ufff!!! AWESOME…. Both the band and Gilmour were connected to each other and also to the public. Always smiling faces and transmitting... The very nice Guy Pratt was the one who spoke the most to those in the front row...

 And that is what I took home with me: hundreds of moments, faces, impressions, feelings, overturns, sensations, tiny details and large details. It is the greatness of a historic concert... I take the emotional face of Adrián... that of the young English woman in front of me crying...  the magnitude of the event... That was not a dream come true, it was much better than a dream…it was Gilmour's guitar played for us.

PS.- A piece of advice for those of you who go to concerts: look at reality head-on, not through a mobile screen. Do not record anything more than a memory because if you put a screen between your head and the stage you will not feel the greatness of a concert.

 

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LUIS GARCIA - JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA (CADIZ)

 

From Jerez to the Antique Theater in Orange.

I've been listening to Pink Floyd since I was 13 years old and I've never seen it live, that's a rare day when I don't hear a song from them at home.

When the entrance to my house arrived, I didn't believe it. I was going to see David Gilmour! counting the days, I have to say that the night before leaving for France I couldn't sleep, I had everything ready.

The Roman Theater in Orange has become the ideal setting to see and listen to David Gilmour's concert.

Throughout the day the atmosphere was breathed in this French town, full hotels, bars and restaurants, English, French and Spanish in the streets, many Pink Floyd and David Gilmour t-shirts, fans with their vinyls waiting for an autograph.

The center of all the meeting circled around the Roman theater that only seeing it from the outside indicated to me that the inside would be even better.

The queues for the entrance began early even when the rehearsals were already augured

what was to come, the great show.

I think I was in line for over an hour, step by step, tapping my ticket over and over again to make sure it was in my pocket. The time came to cross the arch of the entrance that led to the arena and I have to say that the stage was not the first thing I looked at but rather the stands, half a circle with a capacity for 10,000 people, the image of those came to mind. Romans sitting contemplating the stage and the statue of Cesar Augustus presiding over the theater, today it was David Gilmour's turn to listen.

The beginning of the concert couldn't be better, a small solo by David followed by Rattle that Rock with its unmistakable sound that for the moment got the audience on stage, the night promised. The new songs from the album were playing, but I think there was another new beginning and it was Whish you where here, unmistakable, chanted by the entire audience, what a cleaner sound, accompanied by a spectacular play of lights, I don't think even a record by study, I had heard that the acoustics were great, but how good was the architect who made this theater.

I listened to the songs and looked around, everyone hallucinated just like me, the rhythm of the songs, the subtlety with which they played the notes, the guitars changed, I don't even have adjectives to describe how that sounded.

Highlighting the song In Any Tongue from the new album, until now I hadn't heard it and it sounded like I'd been listening to it forever, it wasn't going to sound like me, it sounded like David Gilmour. I think it's a musical masterpiece, it has a chorus and a solo that will surely be one of those songs that you listen to and say “David Gilmour's guitar”.

I was attending an incredible show, which song I liked the most, I have my favorite, but I save it for last because Money got the audience out of their seats, Shine you Crazy Diamond silenced the audience to show the guitar solo, Us and Them te It involved, the High Hopes moment, everything, each song one after the other, the incredible beginning of Sorrow, what a wonder.

I think we were all very excited and there came one of those moments when nobody sat down anymore, it was Run Like Hell and everyone stood up, many left their places to invade the arena and stand at the foot of the stage, it was over the song and David thanked, they all left, it couldn't be this, it could end, everything was dark and one of David's assistants put one of his guitars ready, something was going to happen, they went back on stage, started playing Time , the Theater was collapsing, uffff......the song ended and without stopping the song that I had been wanting to hear all my life began to play, of course; COMFORTABLY NUM, everyone singing, doing the choirs, moving to the rhythm of David's guitar solo, I won't get tired of saying it, incredible, the beautiful ones, excited.

I have lived an unforgettable experience, I have listened to unmistakable melodies, a show turned into a work of musical art, from Jerez to the Roman Theater in Orange, 1,518 km that I would travel again because it is worth it.

Thanks, David.

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KONING PILSENER ARENA - OBERHAUSEN - GERMANY 

SEPTEMBER 19, 2015

 

ALEX REDON - BARCELONA

 

Saturday September 19, is the big day. 6am and the alarm clock rings, I barely slept because of the nerves.
I arrive at the airport and immediately my adventure partner David arrives, another unconditional fan of Pink Floyd and derivatives, with our eyes we say everything, IT'S THE BIG DAY. That we have been waiting for 6 months.
Once we get to Dusseldorf we take a train towards Oberhausen, just 2 stops.
Check in at the hotel, we eat something quickly and we are already heading towards the event, almost 50 minutes walking that are short due to the nerves that we carry with us.
At 7:00 p.m. the access doors open and we enter, visit the stores with merchandising and take a T-shirt and the tour program. We look for our seats, they are in a good place, a little high and on the side of the stage, especially considering that we could not choose a location when buying the tickets.
20:03, the lights go down and Gilmour and his band take the stage before 13,000 people who work their ass off clapping and whooping for the show to begin.
The first 3 songs pay homage to his recent work, it's only been a few hours since its release, we hardly know them but they go just as deep.
He greets us and explained a little how the concert will go, about which he comments that he will play some songs that we all know, more applause and people come up.
It continues with a masterful Wish you were here that as always makes me feel a lump in my throat remembering many things, that song will always be special for me and surely for many more people. A couple of more songs, A boat lies waiting and the blue that sounded phenomenal to give way to a Money and Us & them making a dent in that Dark side of the Moon that we all have in our audio library, incredible live songs without a doubt .
In any tongue sounds, in my opinion the best song from his new work, especially for that masterful guitar ending, Gilmour sound without a doubt. We finished the first part of the concert reviewing his penultimate album with Pink Floyd, High Hopes.
About 20 minutes later the musicians come out again. The good thing about the internet today is that you practically know what is going to happen, the pity is that the surprise factor is nullified.
The second part will be very powerful, we all know it, Astronomy Domine sounds very powerful and you see the whole pavilion nodding their heads in agreement with the musical notes, impressive I define it.
We go back 40 years to the past to give way to the magnificent Shine on you crazy diamond, more goosebumps hearing David sing it,  time for the saxophonist to shine without a doubt.
In Fat old son the anecdote of the concert arrives, in the last guitar solo it is Jon Carin who begins to play it with a slide guitar and Gilmour leaves his acoustics to delight us with a short dance that everyone applauds in astonishment, I don't think anyone did. I had seen before with so much rhythm, how great this guy is, you notice that he is totally dedicated and is having a good time, for which the public undoubtedly thanks him with applause. Coming back to life and On an island the following , Quite Gilmour themes. The song arrives that I still don't understand what it's doing in this new album.....I don't know, maybe with time I'll be able to understand it, The girl in the yellow dress, I admit that I'm not very attracted to this song but it changes live quite.
We continue with Today, one of the songs that has played tremendously live, will it be the covered song????
The final meters of the concert are predicted, Sorrow tremendously strong and a Run like hell that makes us all get up and dance,  we know that it is the "final theoretical"
Claps, whoops, whoops, we all want more.
There are those magnificent clocks, TIME, tremendous, I would spend hours putting adjectives on this song, without a doubt one of my favorites.
Now yes, there is one left, but that one, nothing more than  comfortably numb, surely as we all know, presumably the best guitar solo in the history of rock, and that is how he lets us know by scratching his neck, everything has come to an end, it is the best way to finish a job that lasts more than 2:30 hours.
I will never forget this trip, everything went smoothly, it's been 21 years since I saw him with Pink Floyd in Barcelona but it's been worth the wait.

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ROYAL ALBERT HALL - LONDON - UNITED KINGDOM

SEPTEMBER 24, 25, 2015

 

JONATAN MARRIED - LOGROÑO

 

Well, I'm messing up...

It's getting me to remember and get horny again.

The lights go out, I would say that the nerves begin, but the nerves have been running through my body for days, just that moment of turning off the lights I tensed up completely, I was extremely stiff; which did not influence for a maximum enjoyment of the concert, that stiffness did not go away until the end of the gig....

The musicians of the band come out in the dark, you take their positions and the last one to enter is, logically, the fat one, people shout, they encourage the fat one; the black Strat is slipped on...

It begins with the instrumental intro of his new album, 5 AM, listen to what that sounds like, followed by 2 more songs from the new one, Rattle that lock and face of Stone; that without being passionate about the new album, the new songs improve. The first theme is more danceable than the second, with a leisurely/acoustic cut. Wish you were here arrives, the first memories of that distant 94 Pink Floyd concert in Donosti begin to come and they would not stop arriving until the end of the concert. Yes, the first tear escaped me.

Another intimate song from the new album arrives; A Boat Lies Waiting, this one in homage to Rick, perhaps the worst song of the concert, without Graham&Nash, who sing it on the album, the song changes, it doesn't get worse, but it's not the same. 

Turno de the Blue, a song from his previous album, another ballad by el gordo, this is like going on a boat, it transports you with its soft rhythm; I love it.

Now comes Money, to wake up the staff after the sleepy Blue...rabid, energetic performance, he's just like a knife, he cuts you and splits you in two, brutal...it's followed by another one from DSOTM, Us and them , subject with which I have a love/hate relationship, there are times that I run with her and in recent times she gave me a lot of disgust; on the night of the gig, it goes without saying that it was the 1st (memories of that distant July 25, 1994 keep coming).

The one that was THE THEME of the concert arrives, curiously a song from the new album, yes, In any tongue, with Gabriel (Gilmour's son, so as not to constantly use the hackneyed adjective) on the keyboard, enormous, sublime, epic; very TDB but with a very Comfortably Numb finish. The solo was simply masterful, tearing the respectable from their seats for the first time, HUGE and here it was not just a tear, I cried. Without a doubt, for me, the theme of the concert.

The first set ends with the no less epic High Hopes, that bell, that damn bell and the piano enters "tin tin... tin tin... tiiin tiin", more memories, Gilmour no longer sings, he recites, " forever and ever", that slide guitar that gives you goosebumps, to end with an improvised dot by Dave on classical guitar.

End of the first set and rest of 20 minutes, I manage to "untie" for a few minutes, but not entirely in anticipation of the "nougat" that comes next. 

I look for Gavi to see his reaction, I find him, it couldn't be another reaction, of disbelief to say "but what the hell (in a good way) is this?!?!?!", he puts his hands on his head.

The 2nd round begins... a nod to the Barrett era with Astronomy Domine, amazing how Dave has achieved a sound nailed to the record on the Telecaster, the intermission solo continues wildly and infinitely...much longer than on the record , I'm possessed, theme jebo jebi, I shake my head like I'm looking at Machine Head, crushing this interpretation.

Then Shine on you crazy diamond, this is a continuous flashback of that distant concert in 94, the intensity does not drop, on the contrary, this has only just begun. Shorter interpretation, but no less intense.

Fat old sun, another song that stands out from the rest, of course, by atom heart mother, modified version for the final solo; it seems that the respectable goes crazy with the solo ending, I play air guitar in my seat, it ends, the maddened public gets up again; one of the best songs of the concert.

A song from Gilmour's previous album arrives, the one that gives the album its title, On an Island, terrible, how I like that song and the album in general.

The rhythm of the concert slows down a bit with the jazzy The Girl In the Yellow Dress, which, liking me, did not fit in that section of the concert, almost put the staff to sleep.

The hard rock song from the last album arrives, Today, very Bowie, the song is performed almost with anger by Dave, you can see him enjoying it, it seems like another live song, great.

It's time for another of the 3 songs that I highlight from the concert, Sorrow, and I make Gavi's words my own, how that resounded with the initial and final riffs, what a wonderful song to be from AMLOR, spectacular, I can't believe it.

Here people know that the time for the encores has arrived, until now composure had been maintained, nobody got up from their seats for (almost) nothing, nobody bothered the person next to them dancing or anything like that, nobody took photos (or very few); Well then, I start to see people running next to me towards the front row, I wonder, it takes me a while to react, more people push forward and I say, what the hell, I'm also going to the front row. Now the lifelong concert begins, with people standing up. All the papers have already been lost.

The first encore sounds, Run like hell, with all the members of the band wearing sunglasses, I thought what a hell of a deal that the glasses live, like a rock attitude, but what the hell, the light show was really blinding; there I understood it. Well, fear to burn the ships, the dedicated people, cameras on all sides; I had the fat man 4 meters in front of me!!! Wonderful, it was a dream come true, having him so close.

It is followed by Time with a great pain in the neck, only I am shitting myself, my legs are shaking, I still can't believe what is happening. The song ends with Breathe (reprise), a temarral to slow down the revolutions of the previous Time a bit.

The final apotheosis arrives, Comfortably Numb, we already know that this is going to end, what a joyous subject, what an interpretation, how I left my throat there and in that subject, with my eyes already completely soaked.

Just visceral, to the jugular, I was already shaking all over, not just my legs...it's over.

Short, very short these 2 and a half hours of pure magic. They turn on the lights and I leave sad but pleased to have seen my favorite group again, in another format. I look for Gavi again at the top of the RAH, he is far away, I can barely see his face due to the distance and the smoke from the effects of the concert; but I glimpse to see in his face an expression of having witnessed something magical. Without a doubt, the last 4 songs (the encores) have been the most magical experience I have witnessed in terms of concerts.

Needless to say, it goes straight to the No. 1 spot for the best concerts of my life, along with the PF 94 concert in Anoeta.

And extra-concertedly speaking, for reasons that are irrelevant, I couldn't meet Gavi in person, only in the distance; but that future date is booked on Gilmour's next tour and if it's before, the better! A pleasure anyway, to have "met" him.

Technical aspects of the concert, show, lights, sound; etc...

Needless to say, the sound is crystalline, clear...perfect, plus you think it's not going to have punch, but a clean note from the fat guy sends you back to the peninsula. I doubt that I will be able to hear in the rest of my life a similar sound.

The play of lights, also very accomplished and synchronized; in addition to Mr. Screen supporting new and old songs with projections and the songs that did not have video, with colorful backgrounds and/or various effects...I had doubts about their installation in the RAH since the last month they were selling choir tickets and this location was behind Mr. Screen, but they got it right, the screen didn't obscure anyone from the choir.

The band? Well, it's incredible, I loved the saxophonist, I thought I was going to miss Dick Parrick, but not at all, the saxophone txabal was superfluous.

To put some "but"...

1- The 2 black choristers, who both had a powerful voice, I don't like their warm voice for the choruses of the PF songs, for Gilmour's maybe he has been making more intimate records, but for the PF songs they don't stick, they have to be high-pitched and torn voices. Too soft for me.

2- Gilmour is half in "top shape", let me explain...he plays the guitar like the god he is and his presence on stage as a guitar hero/player is undeniable; but when it comes to singing, let's face it, it's just right; complies, but takes the same path as Waters. Although Gilmour's beauty in her voice lasted a little longer. Next year he will be more "greased" and he does it better (be careful, he did not do badly here, but his vocal limitations are already noticeable), so we must take advantage of that possible tour next year (almost certainly the last , it turns huh, that doesn't stop it from making appearances, but it turns to use, it will be the last).

My advice guys...it may be that you missed this part of the European tour, but if you miss next year's tour, I'm letting you know, you're going to miss something VERY, but VERY big...don't do the Canelo, do the (im)possible to go, my friends.

 

 

JUAN DE DIOS VALDES - ELCHE

 

For this occasion I went to London with my friend Manel Calza.

I attended the concerts on September 24 and 25 at the Royal Albert Hall.

With good weather accompanying us through London lands, we were able to witness a spectacle worthy of memory.

The two concerts started on time, recording a very good ticket on both occasions.

The Set List was the same in both events, although we were disappointed by the expected appearance of some illustrious guest, which was negative.

Only Gabriel Gilmour, David's son, was present in the song In Any Tongue playing the piano at the concert on the 25th.

David Gilmour was brilliant, superb on the guitar on both occasions, although he expanded more on the solos in the second day's concert, creating an infinite version of Astronomy Domine, which seemed anchored in time, never ending.

In the voice he was better in the concert on the first day, noticing a more revealing hoarseness in the second concert, although there was nothing to object to either, because at his age, without being a lyrical singer, who cares for and preserves his voice, it cannot be do the least bit of criticism.

He was well accompanied by the band, which was precise and effective at all times, with hardly a failure to highlight.

Like many followers, I missed songs from his first two solo albums, since he has ignored them on his last On An Island tour and on this one that is still present, not understanding very well a question he asked on the Internet a few months ago about what songs fans would like from their first album, to later include none.

David performs seven songs from his first album, interspersed between the two parts that the concert lasts, especially highlighting Today, with a sound and strength, much higher than the studio song.

All the new songs scored very high, being perhaps for my taste, The Girl In TheYelow Dress the song that the public is less receptive.

In songs from the Floyd and On An Island repertoire, he performs a spectacular Money, a delicious High Hopes, a huge Fat Old Sun, which is one of the most well-received and cheered songs by fans, a spectacular version of Sorrow, and a concert finale with Comfortably Numb, with a laser game that delighted all those present.

In short, GREAT CONCERTS, with all the definition of the word, with all the songs bordering on a very high level, with a full of Gilmour, with a strength at his age that has surprised us and with an extraordinary sound and clarity.

In terms of lighting, also a great job by Marc Brickman, since Mr. Screen accompanied us on this tour, projecting on it well-known videos such as Money and High Hopes, and new screenings like Rattle That Lock and The Girl In The Yellow Dress.

Thank you David, for letting us dream and enjoy these moments.

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