In the Flesh - Roger Waters on Portugal

Well, so it started... The Waters European Tour is on the move. I had tickets for the May 4th Concert since November, and it was sold out since mid-December! I never saw the Atlantico Arena so full (it's the same place where the 2000 Tennis Masters Cup took place).

Let me just tell you, the concert was great! Although they hadn't any of the light effects the Floyds got us used too, Mr. Waters has on a very good day, actually, and the band members were pretty good too! I'll try to list the songs I knew and remember from the show, and post some comments for each:

In the Flesh - The version on the wall cd 2, i mean. The whole arena was dark, and the man in black appears on a catwalk above the stage singing and playing that black bass of his. A decent entrance, I think.

ABitW 2 - That's the classic. Along with it's counterpart, the Happiest days of our lives (they never come one without the other), was the first great song of the night, with everyone singing along, and I mean everyone! Unfortunately, one of the guitarists had some trouble in the solo, and it didn't come as good as some I heard before

Mother - It was very good actually. It's not my favourite song, but it sounded pretty good on stage. Funny thought. In the "Mother, should I trust the governement" line, most of the public just answered NO! Whatever could the mean... .

Set the controls for the heart of the Sun - Simply beautiful as ever. Mr Waters does play the acoustic guitar quite well, and this song was very beautiful. Of course, without the guitar work of someone like David Gilmour, it doesn't sound as good, but it was still a nice surprise.

Dogs - Now this was a great moment! This masterpiece is almost always breathtaking (and 10 minutes without breath is a long time!) The solos came out just perfectly! it sounded really beautiful. Also, during the keyboards solo, Waters, the bassist and both guitarists sat around a table and played cards. Very original indeed!

Some-stuff-from-Roger-Waters-solo-career - Now this wasn't half bad as I thought. I am not saying i will buy Waters solo albums, but it was a nice surprise, and got me thinking differently about him

Speak to me / Breath - I am running out of words. Whenever it came down to some Pink Floyd songs, it always was another feeling to see them performed live (the Floyd came to Portugal 29 years after they started, and I missed that concert. Waters needed 37 years to reach us)

Time - I had no idea the ticking sound during the guitar intro was made by the bass... Now I know how it's done. Again, everybody was singing along, and the solo cam out very good indeed

Shine on you crazy diamond 1-5 - No concert would be complete without this baby. Snowy White's killer guitar intro was just too much to resist, and I dare to say this version almoust reached the version on the album's level.

Welcome to the machine - I wan't expecting this one, actually. I always consider this to be the worst song in the album. I would have prefered Have a Cigar, instead.

Wish you were here - The greatest Floyd Singalong ever! Enough said. Except it sounded and was played just like the album version.

Shine on you Crazy Diamond 6-9 - Great Slide Solo!!! Just to die for!!! Never seen anything like that (well, I have, but I do have the PULSE vcr tape )

Money - Greatest surprise of the evening was in here. What do you think Waters used for his guitarists for the solo? A pre-echo delay? some weird device they had specially created? Nope. Two guitars playing exactly the same solo, less than a second apart can really create a killer effect!!! Beatiful! and instead the 3rd part of the solo (the high pitched one), the 3rd guitar kicked in (the one that does the tremolo effect) and played some great chord sequence instead of that solo. It wasn't quite as astounding as Gilmours work, but again, what is? Still, a great way to end the Money solo, and gives it a rock edge that still keeps the blues in.

Confortably Numb - Good God, was this a fantastic piece! The guitar solo featured a "dialog" between both guitars (a Stratocaster and a Les Paul), kind of like in the Wall in Berlin. This song is always great to hear


That's it... Sorry everyone who like the drums better, or the keyboards, but you can see I'm a guitarist at heart! Anyway, they where all spectacular, and I do say for you not to miss this, as mad at Roger as you might be (some of you, anyway).

Till next time!!!