The Best Concert Ever

Sunday night, at Pittsburgh's gorgeous new arena, the Console Energy Center, I had the opportunity to see Roger Waters perform his magnum opus, The Wall, live in concert.

If you didn't know, in 1980, Pink Floyd released the Wall, and came up with the most audacious concert, a show they only performed 4 times worldwide. In the concert, the literally build a wall between the band and the audience, and then demolished the wall again at the climax of the show, complete to the music of The Wall.

Fast forward to 2010, The Wall has gotten a thoroughly modern rendition. The same basic concept, but this time, the Wall itself became a giant projector screen for various visuals; video from the movie The Wall, various pictures or video to match the song going on, or just still video that represented the texture of the wall, complete with video.

I haven't seen, or even HEARD of a concert that rivaled this show's production.


This is the scene at the start of the show, from our seats.


Early in the show, they are projecting the images of people killed in battles, from World War I, all the way through to modern conflicts.
Beginning with Roger Waters' dad, faces began to fill the bricks of the wall.


This is Roger singing the song "Mother". They found footage of Pink Floyd singing this song from their original Wall tour in 1980. Roger is literally doing a duet with himself from the past.


The security camera in the center screen was very creepy. Notice the giant inflatable Mother figure on the left of the stage.


Some of use of images projected onto the bricks of the Wall from the ceiling of the Consol Energy Center.


The Wall is starting to close in.


The intermission, and the complete Wall.


The name of a Wall song, and of course, a relevant political theme.


Pink Floyd shows aren't complete without a flying pig. This one is aggressive, more of a warthog than a pig, with horns and glowing red eyes. This one also carries the Wall message.


From the song "Run Like Hell".


Part of the imagery of The Wall movie is the marching hammers. No clue what they represent, but they are well displayed at the show


A cartoon projected onto the Wall. From the trial scenes.


Outside the Wall.


Finis.

Actually, Gilmour is supposed to show up for one show in the tour from a rumor I heard, but they never said which show. Roger's band was top notch, and the guitar player especially so...either way, with this ridiculous show, the music was almost secondary to the visual production.

That is beyond gnarly. I tried to go to the show in Toronto but could not get the night off work... I am now kicking myself.

My dad and brother went to the one in Toronto. Said it was great.