2008

The release of David Gilmour’s DVD Live in Gdansk features the Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Zbigniew Preisner, and was filmed on the Gdansk, Poland shipyards at the final show of the Pink Floyd guitarist’s 2006 solo tour in front of 50,000 fans. Perhaps, just as significant, is the fact that the DVD features the last filmed public performance of the late Floyd keyboardist, Richard Wright, who passed away on September 15, after a long career as the unsung hero of many great space rock songs.

We take a moment of silence after several suggested hidden cinematic treasures, to uncover the gold that lay buried in the film bag underneath Pink Floyd The Wall, Pulse, and even the Syd Barrett-era 30-minute jewel, Tonight Let’s All Make Love in London. This week’s Hidden Flick was once an underground classic, but the years have been kind to its eccentric magic. Indeed, we focus our light on Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii.

READ ON for more of this week’s Hidden Flick…

“Shitty day, people. It’s been a shitty day.” So spoke Fareed Haque to open the first set from Garaj Mahal at the Fez Ballroom on Thursday. He went on to explain that a certain unnamed airline had lost his six thousand dollar jazz guitar earlier that day. What did he get in return for his six thousand dollar guitar, you might ask? “Three hundred dollars and a phone number,” he said. “That’s all I got from them, and that is what makes it a shitty day!”

Of course, that meant Haque had to play his Moog guitar, the only other guitar he had brought with him. The Moog is a beautiful instrument that doubles as one of the most versatile guitars in the world. In the hands of one of the most versatile guitarists in the land, it seemed a win-win situation. That seemed okay with the rest of the band as well. They proceeded to tear the Fez to pieces and the next few hours flew by.

Garaj Mahal hits the stage with no set list. They play a game of round robin, songs are chosen by each member of the band when it’s their turn. They will call it out or start the song and the rest join in. Everyone in the room sits back and enjoys the vibe. Well, not exactly sitting back. In fact, the dance floor was awash with an audience that truly danced like no one was watching, lost in the jamming excellence in front of them.

READ ON for more of A.J.’s review…