Roger Waters Doses Los Angeles With Night Of Theatrical Drama, Commentary & Musical Genius (SHOW REVIEW/PHOTOS)

It was an extremely entertaining and thought-provoking night of intense music, political commentary, and theatrical drama as Roger Waters brought his long-delayed “This Is Not a Drill” tour to Crypto.com Arena in downtown Los Angeles on September 28, 2022. The outspoken musical genius delivered a masterful performance with the support of a fantastic band of musicians. The two-set show gave the devoted crowd many of the Pink Floyd hits they hoped for while touching on Waters’ solo material. 

The stage setup was designed to create a whirlwind of sensations for the audience. It was placed in the center of the arena floor in a cross configuration with huge video screens set above and aimed in every direction. Those screens displayed an array of animation as well as historic and recent news footage that was synchronized to the music. The speaker towers blasted clear and loud all night. They also were aimed in every direction which was better than the usual arena setup with the stage at one end. Waters and his exceptional band members moved around the stage set often so fans in every section got a different view throughout the show.

Waters may be closing in on eighty, but he has not lost his distinctive voice, energy on stage, or aggressive opinions about world affairs. Early in the performance, he said, “God, I’ve missed you; we were supposed to be here two years ago. If there’s anyone in here who bought a ticket back then and came in here tonight, thank you.”

In between belting out the classics from Wish You Were Here, Dark Side of The Moon, Animals and The Wall, he pontificated about world affairs, politics, poverty, war, and human rights. During the opening set, Waters sang and played a grand piano for “The Bar,” a new song that he wrote during the pandemic. That opening set also included fantastic guitar solos by Dave Kilminster and Jonathan Wilson during “Have a Cigar.”

There was a touching tribute to Syd Barrett with old photos splashed across the screens that accompanied Waters, Kilminster, and Wilson on acoustic guitars for a beautiful version of “Wish You Were Here.” Waters switched to bass for “Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI-IX)” and Seamus Blake delivered the magnificent saxophone solo as the video tribute continued. A large inflatable flew around the arena to the delight of the crowd during the set-closing “Sheep.”

The band came out firing for the second set. A giant, red-eyed inflatable pig flew around the arena, mesmerizing the crowd. Waters arrived dressed in mock Gestapo gear with two accompanying soldiers while battle footage and classic The Wall animation raced across the screens for powerful versions of “In the Flesh” and “Run Like Hell.” After a quick Waters wardrobe change, the band launched into several of the much loved Dark Side of The Moon tracks. Waters pounded out the famous bass line of “Money” while Blake played the distinctive sax solo. “Us and Them,” “Brain Damage” and “Eclipse” all were performed with the brilliant musical elements we have loved over the years.

The show ended on a melancholy and serious note. Waters talked about the threat of nuclear war – how it was back in the 1950s and how close we are currently. The band performed “Two Suns in the Sunset,” the last song from The Final Cut, which was the last album Waters made with Pink Floyd. The song is about living during a nuclear war and was a powerful reminder about how fragile and beautiful life is.

Waters then went back to the grand piano for a reprise of “The Bar.” All of the band members joined him around the piano and enjoyed shots of mezcal. Waters introduced everyone in the band, then played and sang. Wilson accompanied him with a haunting slide guitar. Eventually, drummer Joey Waronker joined in with only his snare attached to his waist as the song transitioned into the quiet last song from The Wall called “Outside The Wall.” As the song was ending Waters led the band on a march around the perimeter of the cross-shaped stage, waving to the crowd and thanking them for coming. They eventually exited for the end of the show.

Waters led a huge production that was magnificent musically, visually, and intellectually. While he showed no signs of slowing down, this has been billed as his farewell tour. With only a few more shows in the United States, the tour moves on to Mexico and concludes in Europe with several shows through June 2023. Waters’ unique talent and brilliant live shows will be sorely missed when he is finally finished touring.

Photo(s) courtesy of Andy J. Gordon ©2022 

FB: andy.j.gordon1 

IG: andyjgordon1

Roger Waters Setlist Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA, USA 2022, This Is Not a Drill

 

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One Response

  1. The show of shows looks eclectic and electrified…is the Band et al playing the Shark Tank in San Jose? Missed L.A. and San Francisco…best wishes,
    Dave Picariello
    [email protected]
    415-568-1454

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