Roger Waters at Rogers Centre - A Return to TO -

I went to see the Wall return Saturday, June 23. This time at the Rogers Centre vs. the Air Canada Centre. I wondered what differences you might get at the two locations and, sure enough, Torontonians got a taste of The Wall stadium show variety. A much larger wall to be sure.

Waters seemed even more relaxed than 19 months ago. If he continues this way, he won't be recognisable as the same man who spat on a fan in Montreal - the incident that began this whole Wall adventure. Waters said as much with a: I'm happier than I've ever been". closing remarks to the crowd. He also mentioned his former self several times. While that's an interesting note on the creator of the show, I was more surprised by the changes to the show itself.

Opening blast of pyro at The Wall

There were completely different screens and a whole new coda to Another Brick in the Wall. This was an acoustic riffing off of the song, and is a tribute to Jen Charles De Menezes who was murdered by police (by mistake) in an incident on the London subway. Waters referenced this after he finished singing it. The preview to the song featured a subway train zipping along the wall only to come to a full stop and, in one of the cars, several flashes of gun shots are seen. It was dramatic but I couldn't hear the words that well.

I should add at this point, I was way up in the nose bleed section this time out. I wanted to get a different view of the show. That I did but, really, at that height, I was above the sound and getting unintentional reverb. The suround sound was cool up there though.

Back to the changes. I also found the lengthening of Run Like Hell troubling. Just bogged the song down for me. It's one of the highlights of the show and, this time out, we got sirens and a few more EFX than previous versions. Just seemed to weigh it down way more than it ever had before or needed. 

Other than that, I thought the show was amazing as always. But, I fear, the never ending tour is causing some evolution to the show that might not be the best. It reads now as even more a comment on war and tyrany. That means some of the more rock star excess moments now feel out of place. 

The size of the wall itself allowed - almost demanded - shots of the muscians playing. That's a first for any Waters or Floyd show (other than Live 8). Usually the muscians are faceless and that's especially true for The Wall. While it helped to see what was going on up in nose bleed country (and, I'm sure extreme left and right seating), I also felt it wasn't the same experience now. Call it The Wall sells out (sorta). 


Maybe that's being harsh but Waters' original comments about the issues with large stadiums are still true. Especially true, in that the experience is stretched to the extreme - my photos tell the story in a way. How can someone so far back be brought into the experience? They really can't! Several people behind me were talking constantly through the quieter passages for example. Even though the theatrics were spectacular, the meaning of the thing is lessened as you go that big. In fact, I'd go as far as to say all of the messages - especially Waters' references to giving away our rights and how that's a slippery slope - were just missed by people screaming at and over the spectacle. 

I guess that's where I was really disapointed and, writing this a day later, would say the arena show wins hands over the stadium show. I was also surprised there were no spotlights on the flying pig. You could see it but not as a featured player so to speak. The shot below is form the ACC show - same pig jsut a different show!

Same pig different show - flying pig circulates over the crowd

I read on some of the fan boards, that a few of the trolls (not fans but fantrolls) are talking about Waters lip syncing during the show. I don't believe it myself having seen him from close up. But I'm sure tapes are used to add layers to some of the trial vocal material. I don't see that as lip syncing if everyone on the stage is also in the mix.

By the way, not sure why the same bunch of kids that were on stage last time for Another Brick in the Wall were used again this time. It's not like you couldn't find another kids choir in Toronto. Just seems selfish somehow for that bunch to have had four shows.

I guess I'm just grumpy like the old Waters. In fact, I'm pretty sure the old Waters might agree with me on that and some of the rest of this.

Roger Waters projected on The Wall at Rogers Centre June 23, 2012








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