Live in wroclaw review

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bleatingandbabbling
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Live in wroclaw review

Post by bleatingandbabbling »

Hi.
As a long time Gilmour fan boy I just wanted to scribble down my thoughts after seeing this gig, warning: you might not like this.

Wroclaw is a stunning place, 35 degree heat and from what I could see, a really good natured and appreciative audience.

First of all it was great to see Mr screen back, I felt the last tour lacked a bit in the lighting department but this one makes up for it.
I haven't been checking online before the gig so was surprised when I noticed the line up changes, especially Jon Carin, but assumed David knows what he's doing.
I'm a guitarist, I seen Floyd in the 80s and 90's and the thing that stands out is how on form Dave was, hardly a note wrong and although the vocals were, variable, he always sounded pretty good.
Unfortunately, this time around I left feeling a bit, deflated :(

The band were good, there was the odd moment where it didn't quite click, but mostly they were tight and it sounded great. I'm not sure about some of the keyboards in shine on, or the little keyboard solo in run like hell, but overall I'd give them very high marks.
But Dave, man, I'm worried a little. Every song had some pretty big mistakes in the solos. I'd say he's struggling on notes higher up the neck, he's missing the bends and sometimes wandering into the wrong notes altogether.
One of these days and sorrow sounded great overall, but on ootd there were big errors on the slides and sorrow sounded like he gave up in the second solo and stuck to little rythym chunk chunk chunks.
Time solo had a fair few bum notes, and the blue, and money and, well.. All of them. I think only numb got to the end with no noticeable errors. I don't even want to go into coming back to life, it was all over the place, vocals and guitar.
I feel bad writing this, and don't get me wrong, overall it was a great gig, there was more right than wrong but I've never seen Dave make so many obvious mistakes.

If it was any other guitarist I wouldn't care, I've seen Clapton screw up many gigs, and I know myself how many times I get things wrong, but part of the Gilmour mystique for me was the quality of his playing, in the past even if he was improvising and went out a little you'd hardly notice, he could always bend his way out of trouble :)

A few years back someone told me Dave had stopped playing as he had arthritis in his left hand, and you know, maybe that's a little true. He's 70 now, so you don't expect the same level of sharp concentration, but I never want to watch a Gilmour gig where I feel he's struggling, and that's how it seemed to me :(

I don't know if part of the reason is the amount of guitar swapping. In the pulse era it was red strat and one acoustic from start to end, now he's got the les Paul, tele, strat, the other strat lol, a few acoustics, two different slide guitars, plus he's playing more finger style now, so possibly that adds to the mix, I also hear he's changing pedal setups a lot. Add to that the new band and first night of the tour and it's no surprise he's not top of his game, but listening to some of the gigs from the last leg of the tour I hear similar mistakes.

Well there you go. I feel mean moaning about my favorite guitarist making a few mistakes, but it wasn't just a few, it was constant. Honestly if it was any other guitarist it would be fine "ah he's just having an off night", but Dave's always been so precise, there were never enough mistakes to kick you out of that trance like state you get into listening to him, but this time it was like, ouch. Maybe I'm expecting too much, I remember watching Venice and knebworth live and thinking "don't mess it up guys, I've told everyone how awesome you are", I miss Rick :(

Sorry :(
kjek1
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by kjek1 »

Someone mentioned the Wroclaw gig having fewest mistakes. Having watched it all now id say the opposite. That's the most mistakes I've ever heard from Dave and I own countless Floyd and solo bootlegs.

His voice is understandable, he's 70 years old and it's just not easy for him now so he's having to strain a lot and at times you can hear him retreat from those higher notes because he doesn't have it in him. Still a great singer whose voice has held up remarkably well in comparison to his counterparts who usually rearrange their songs into different keys to accommodate their aging vocals.

The guitar part of it is a little more difficult to explain. He's always improvised but also always have a few key phrases in every solo that he would include. It feels like he's improvising more than ever on this tour and as a result he's getting lost a little more. Maybe he's just not too sharp get because this was the first big gig in a while? He's certainly far sloppier than he's ever been. But in saying that for the most part he's still a joy to listen to.

It's hard to criticise him given his age but I can understand why some would be a little worried
Follix
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by Follix »

He's done many mistakes the whole tour an imo Wrocklaw wasn't the worst... I remember one night during the US leg 3 huge bum notes during ''Time'' solo.

I'd say his voice was noticeably weaker than when I saw him in Toronto 2 months ago tho, but again he sounded at his best during the South America leg and it was just awful at the end of the 1st European leg... Wrocklaw is a bliss compared to Live at Koko
kjek1
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by kjek1 »

Koko. The only DG performance where I've ever thought "I don't know if I could even watch that again".
Isntthiswherewe
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by Isntthiswherewe »

I'd have to agree with most of what you said about the gig Bleatingandbabbling.

Its different for me. I am a Pink Floyd fan rather than a Gilmour fan, if that makes any sense! I went to hear the songs of Pink Floyd played and sung by one of the original members and a good backing band. Same as I did to see Roger and "The Wall".
Once you get caught up in the atmosphere of a big gig like that its just an amazing night. I went on my own this time and with no-one to force me onto an aircraft (which I dislike) I trained it all the way from London to Poland. But I would go again next week if I could.
At the time I thought 5am was a bit dodgy but the rest wasn't too bad. Its only when I listen to the recordings on my phone that I realise it wasnt that good.

I also play in a band from the 70's and we get back together every 3 years or so for a show. Even though we practice once a week for 2 months before hand we are still outplayed by the youngsters in the support band ( who I put on after us)! They play every week and it really shows. We are old men with bad memory and no longer match fit. Think David has the same problem to some extent. Plus he needs to get rid of that Black Fender!
kjek1
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by kjek1 »

Why would he get rid of the black strat?

Best sounding guitar he's got. Much more natural and less processed sounding than his red strat wth the EMG active pick ups in my opinion.
Follix
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by Follix »

I think it depend the song...

The only 2 songs where the black strat really blow me away are ''Echoes'' (last tour or Pompeii) and ''On an Island''. I really don't see the point of the black strat for a songs like ''Coming Back to Life'' or ''What Do You Want from Me''...

Why 5am isn't played on the red strat? Let's face it's really similar to ''Cluster One'' anyway.

Not even sure this guitar still exist :lol:
Isntthiswherewe
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by Isntthiswherewe »

kjek1 wrote:Why would he get rid of the black strat?

Best sounding guitar he's got. Much more natural and less processed sounding than his red strat wth the EMG active pick ups in my opinion.
Totally agree Kjek1,
But it dont stay in tune. See my post in the other Wroclaw TV thread. Maybe needs a compromise.
Follix
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by Follix »

Come on the guy got almost unlimited funds, he could easily find a way to keep it in tune.
Isntthiswherewe
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by Isntthiswherewe »

Follix wrote:Come on the guy got almost unlimited funds, he could easily find a way to keep it in tune.

yes, You would think that wouldn't you.
But I'm only going on what I saw, kept switching to silent tuning mode, plus what he said himself. "old guitar, dosen't stay in tune very well these days".
Perhaps he dosen't want to replace the machine heads with new ones on the basis that he wants to keep it all original.
I dont know the answer to that
kjek1
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by kjek1 »

I'm a fan of the red strat but like I said, to me it sounds too processed and artificial. The songs I really like the red strat on are shine on and coming back to life.

He could easily use it on 5am but I guess he just likes a change. Incidentally his sounds for coming back to life on this tour are horrible. I'm at least relieved he finally realised how crap the mild overdrive and lots of uni vibe tone he was using for "time" was.

On this tour he's using the same effects as he did on the 87 and 94 tours but to me his C Numb tone is better on this tour. The black strat just sounds more organic and more real.

Incidentally since we were discussing 5am. I made a crappy little recording of myself playing the tune this morning, just with my iPhone

https://twitter.com/sydbarrett2304/stat ... 0247857152
Follix
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by Follix »

You the play it better than the man himself [-D-]
kjek1
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by kjek1 »

Follix wrote:You the play it better than the man himself [-D-]
Haha thanks! I'll never have the magic in my fingers he has that gives him his tone, but I think I made less mistakes than he's been making lately

In saying that of you put me under a spotlight in front of 30,000 that could well change!
Follix
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by Follix »

Yeah I play guitar as well and I have no idea how he pulls out that ''magic''. (Vibrato+timing+gears+guitar I guess)
bleatingandbabbling
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Re: Live in wroclaw review

Post by bleatingandbabbling »

Thanks for the replies, glad to hear it isn't just me being over critical :)

Red strat for me too, I've got an 80's reissue with the emg sa pickups, so pretty similar tone wise, though since I sold all my pedals a few years ago I can't get close to Gilmour sounds these days (much as I love my Carl martin Quattro, it's not gilmourish lol).
Having said that, Dave sounds like Dave on anything he plays.
I did enjoy the gig, I would go again, but after following Floyd around in the 80's and 90's it's just uncomfortable to hear Dave anything less than stellar, but I guess he quite likes the more relaxed approach of his solo tours.
He mentioned his memory is rubbish in an interview (and has to have the words to shine on written down during gigs), I know that feeling, I'm the same.
He's still my favourite guitarist in the world, maybe he needs a more prominent second guitarist and singer to take some of the strain so he can concentrate on the lead work, he's still got all the feeling and the emotion, but he puts himself under a lot of strain, 3 hour gigs with all the different sounds and moods he covers, I've got to admire him for that, most guys his age do much shorter gigs now and if we're honest, Dave has vastly more variety in what he plays and his tones than say Clapton for example.
So take it easy Dave, don't stop, but give yourself a break and let the others in the band help out a bit more.