Dark Side of the Moon - Live Concert

[Quadophile]

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Note for note...cut for cut... using every instrument that it took to record "Dark Side..." exactly as you remember it, Craig Martin has assembled a cast of talented singers and musicians who recreate the entire classic rock album during the first set and then perform a selection of "greatest hits" in set 2.

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For two months I was looking forward to attending the concert and finally the day came. It sure was a treat to be able to attend this concert and see the album unfold in front of your eyes and a treat for your ears. The people who attended were real Pink Floyd fans. This was the crowd that in my opinion showed most respect towards the music being played and during many cuts they would give a quick standing ovation to acknowledge how close to the original the musicians were playing.

The first session lasted about 45 minutes with a break of 10 minutes and the second session I thought lasted just 40 minutes but the band came back to give a fabulous account of "Comfortably Numb" as their last piece of music.

I have attended few concerts at this venue but for the first time I could feel the concrete floor vibrating with the energy of the band, I really felt I was attending a rock concert in real sense. An exhilarating feeling indeed.

What I noticed was that the average age of the crowd must be somewhere around 50 or so. Some came in wheelchairs, (including one who looked partly paralyzed) some walked with sticks and many holding hands not to show the love for each other but probably to support each other while getting back to the parking lot.

All in all one could never ask for more especially if it is all free, including parking!.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Looks fabulous Quad, glad you enjoyed it

Myself though, I just won't go and watch tribute bands. I know it's an obvious thing to say but they're not the real thing. I've only been to see a few but came away feeling like I'd eaten a feast but was still hungry so vowed 'never again'.

Of course we'll never see Pink Floyd again now since cancer took Rick Wright. And even before that Dave Gilmour stated he 'didn't need' Pink Floyd to tour and wouldn't be touring Pink Floyd again.

So it looks as though the last appearance of the orginal lineup will have been at Live 8.

I know Roger waters is touring with The Wall but apart from 'The Final Cut' I felt The Wall was Floyd's worst album, it had two good songs on it, imo.

I was lucky enough to catch them on their last full tour at Earls Court in '94 and have seen them quite a few times, the first time in Crystal Park, SE London, in 1970.

Seems to me as I get older all my musical icons are disappearing for one reason or another, it's all a little depressing really.

Which new bands would I go and see?

Vampire Weekend; Bloc Party; The Killers; Snow Patrol; I'm sure I'll think of more...

 

[Quadophile]

Flops,

Yes I do agree it was not the real thing but at my age and the times we are in there is no possibility of the real thing at least not to my or your knowledge. Before I even went to the concert I already was aware that I am not going to the real thing but this is the best I could do in present circumstances. Besides, those folks did not even charge a penny so I cant be too harsh. The atmosphere on the other hand was fantastic, I am sure I would have bumped into the same crowd if it was the real thing.

The same feeling I had when I was at Miller theatre attending the concert of Fab Four (The Beatles) and Staying Alive ( The Bee Gees) I missed out on Abba as I had some other commitment I could not get out of.

Once November sets in Miller will be closed for the season and reopen sometime in March. This is a great entertainment venue nonetheless and in my opinion based on my own taste the best place for me to be.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Aye, I can sympathise with that and you're right, one of the best Pink Floyd experiences anybody will ever have.

Didn't realise it was a freebie - excellent.

And yes, I expect the atmosphere was quite incredible.

One of my most memorable Pink Floyd moments was a concert at Knebworth House, I think it was '77. Captain Beefheart was one of the support acts which was a bonus for me. It was a nice summer's day in the countryside and dusk was falling.

The band had stacks of speakers dotted at intervals around the crowd's perimeter. Suddenly a series of audio signals flew round the speaker stacks including some footsteps.

We then saw the stage lights dim and the band take the stage. As they did so two Spitfires flew low in a circle around the crowd and wiggled their wings. They done two laps and flew off. Then the band started to play.

When they encored it was dark and they played 'Echoes'. The crowd were bathed in a light pattern that changed colour and looked (and felt) like rippling waves. Incredible

Mind you, the toilets were awful

 

[Quadophile]

Living in the UK you had access but where I was living in the days there was not way I could have attended those concerts you talk about. I missed out on a lot and you are lucky to have experienced it so I envy you. If I had the opportunity to go see concerts I would probably not be an audiophile today.

 

[Quadophile]

Flops,

While online I came across some interesting information about the background of the musicians who performed DSOTM. Here is the excerpt from one of the websites and what they had to say about it.

The concept behind Classic Albums Live is simple. Classic albums are faithfully recreated live on stage note for note, cut for cut by a group of highly accomplished musicians, assembled specifically for each album presentation. It is not a tribute act however. The performers do not dress up or act the part of the featured artists. It is like a recital, the shows presented just as the New York Philharmonic would perform the works of Mozart. The result is amazing. These presentations have to be seen to be believed.

The other thing I noticed is that in other cities these presentations are not free but there are tickets to be bought in the price range of $20-58, plus parking fee! Houston is lucky in the sense that we have this Miller Outdoor Theatre where everything is free.

I also found information on the series Classic Albums Live

 

[floppybootstomp]

Interesting stuff sah.

I wuz wrong, it was 1975 at Knebworth, not 1977.

I searched Youtube and there isn't much from that day but the comments on this link to audio only bear out what I said earlier:

And Roy Harper, it seems, really isn't a very good singer, although it's actually him singing that track on the album. Bootleg quality, too, but it's the comments that are interesting.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Oh, here's a pic of the concert poster:

 

[Quadophile]

Just found this video of the same band performing at Miller, take a look and tell me what you think?

 

[crazylegs]

Love the £3.50 tickets Mr Flopp's!

 

[floppybootstomp]

Just found this video of the same band performing at Miller, take a look and tell me what you think?

Umm, competent, gifted, talented, capable but hmm, it still not the real deal

As for the argument that classics are performed by many different orchestras, it's always been that way with classical music. But it's not been that way since the mid-fifties when Elvis appearred.

The song was Elvis, Elvis was not the song (Or is that the other way round? lol). And so it has been, mostly, ever since.

And before Elvis and his subsequent scores of imitators, the only thing that wasn't really safe was all those blues guys. Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads kinda thing

Just to set the record straight, I'm not a huge Elvis fan but I will acknowledge he was good and he was certainly the birth of music as we know it now and that includes all them rappers and hip hop guys, though they'll never admit it.

And £3.50? Rip-off!

 

[Quadophile]

Flops,

Both of us have been proved wrong! I just saw this news on BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11556101

 

[Quadophile]

Umm, competent, gifted, talented, capable but hmm, it still not the real deal

Agreed! Cannot argue with that

 

[floppybootstomp]

Flops,

Both of us have been proved wrong! I just saw this news on BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11556101

Well I never

If it was a full tour tickets would probably be like gold dust.

When Led Zeppelin reformed for a one-off show at the 02 a few years back you couldn't get a ticket for love nor money, they sold out in about ten minutes or something silly.

I'd imagine it would be much the same for Pink Floyd. Still, I'd try and get some tickets if it happened and all in all this is good news

It was easy to get tickets for the five nights at Earls Court in '94, collapsing seating stands and all

 

[Quadophile]

Attending any concert is the easy part but getting tickets at times can be a nightmare.