James Avery’s blog

Having seen Roger Waters in Hyde Park in 2006, and again at Earls Court last year, I had particularly High Hopes for this show, even if the set list would be virtually identical to these two performances.

I saw two concerts at the newly opened 02 Arena (former millennium Dome) last year, but there was always going is something special about seeing Roger Waters playing “Time” in a venue that is effectively at the centre of time, being so close to the Greenwich Meridian.  If you’ve ever flown over The Dome (the view from London City airport is particularly good), you will know that it is supported by 12 pylons, effectively turning it into a giant clock face with a little bit of imagination. 

Does all this matter, considering that the O2 arena is buried firmly inside The Dome?  Maybe it wouldn’t for Take That, but Pink Floyd’s work has always been full of grandiose symbolism, so seeing Dark Side of the Moon played inside such a big white tent was always going to be an epic performance.  As with many previous Pink Floyd shows, Waters’ stage was designed by Mark Fisher, who has also created stage sets for The Rolling Stones and the U2 amongst many others.

The set list, and set pieces (my personal favourites were “Perfect Sense”, “Time”, “Money” and “Comfortably Numb”) might have changed little in the last two years, but inside the O2, everything just sounded that much crisper, and felt that much more impressive.  Dan [Fell, Flightmapping colleague] managed to catch Comfortably Numb on his camera, and he has put this on You Tube - the sound is amazing, considering that his camera is no bigger than a cigarette packet.

Dan reckoned he had just witnessed the best show he had ever been to, whereas the Scouser standing behind me promise that he would take this memory to his grave.  I’ll just settle with saying that I was completely blown away by this performance — maybe not the great Gig in the Sky, but certainly the combination of Waters and the riverside dome made Perfect Sense, even if this post doesn’t.

Set One 
 
In the Flesh
Mother
Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts II - V) (abridged)
Have a Cigar
Wish You Were Here
Southampton Dock
The Fletcher Memorial Home
Perfect Sense (Parts I - II)
Leaving Beirut
Sheep

Set Two (The Dark Side of the Moon)

Speak to Me / Breathe
On the Run
Time / Breathe (Reprise)
The Great Gig in the Sky
Money
Us and Them
Any Colour You Like
Brain Damage
Eclipse

Encore

The Happiest Days of Our Lives
Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)
Vera
Bring the Boys Back Home
Comfortably Numb