Roger at Continental Arena in New Jersey, 05/24/07

[AtomHeartMomma]

Saw Roger last night at Continental Arena in New Jersey. Although he was very good, he was not up his usual standard of perfection. There was something "off", but I really can't say what it was. If I hadn't seen him at both performances at Madison Square Garden in NYC last year, I would not have noticed anything amiss.

His playlist was the same as last year:

In The Flesh
Mother
Set The Controls
Shine On
Have A Cigar
Wish You Were Here
Southhampton Dock (I got the title right this year)
Fletcher Memorial Home
Perfect Sense
Leaving Beirut
Sheep

Intermission

Dark Side Of The Moon

Encore:

Another Brick In The Wall

I left before the end of the encore just to get out of the parking lot before the rest of the audience exited the arena. There were quite a few people who also left a bit early.

The musicians were the same as last year:

Andy Fairweather Low, Guitar
John Carin-Guitar, Keyboard
Graham Broad, Drums, Percussion
Snowy White, Guitar
Dave Kilminter, Guitar
Ian Ritchie, Saxaphone
Harry Waters, Keyboard
Katie Kissoon, PP Arnold, Karen Kenyon, Vocals

The lighths went down, the first note was played, the stage lit up, and the crowd lit up.

There was the photographic tribute to Syd during Shine On, and various visuals on the background screen. When Roger sang Leaving Beirut, his song that regaled his trip to Beirut when he was 17 (that was about 46 years ago) the audience was again put off by his bashing of President Bush and the USA. He went into the song SHEEP very quickly: probably remembered he was booed last year. During Sheep, the big pink pig floated above the audience.

Nick Mason did not appear last night as he did last year. Of course, the audience went crazy at the first note of DSM. Although Graham Broad did a wonderful job on drums and percussion, there wasn't the same magic that there was with Roger and Nick Mason. John Carin did a great solo on Us And Them. Dave Kilminter was his usually pretty-boy self. He does play guitar well, but his posturing takes away from his talent. At certain times, he seemed to imitate Gary Moore and/or Yngwie Malmstein. Harry Waters was great on keyboards. His physical appearance has improved greatly from last year. (This is a female observation). The rest of the musicians were all very, very good. The vocal of Great Gig In The Sky was also very good, but it lacked something from last year. But was it a great concert? Of COURSE IT WAS!!! I don't know which other songs were played during the encore.

I know this does not sound like a good review, but if I hadn't seen Roger last year, I would have given it a Thousand Thumbs Up!! Would I see him again? Definitely.

[narcissus]

Thanks for the review. I particularly enjoyed your 'female observation' of Harry Waters' improved appearance - does this mean he's rid himself of that Civil War reenactment-actor beard?

[Keith Jordan]

Perhaps they had all been arguing or out on the piss the night before!

[drafsack]

Thanks for the review. I particularly enjoyed your 'female observation' of Harry Waters' improved appearance - does this mean he's rid himself of that Civil War reenactment-actor beard?

I thought Harry looked like a gnome last year

[AtomHeartMomma]

Thanks for the review. I particularly enjoyed your 'female observation' of Harry Waters' improved appearance - does this mean he's rid himself of that Civil War reenactment-actor beard?

Yes....and his hair is alot longer also.

[DBlaze]

Thanks for the review! I'll now know what to expect