Wow. What an a-maz-ing show! I just got out now and WOW! This is the 14th show I've seen and it just gets better and better. The last time I saw this show was exactly one year ago to the day in Manchester, England. Since, Roger has added many different things to the visuals but there are subtle little differences with the music. This was also the smallest venue I've seen it in which made for a great night. If you saw this show last time in Boston in 2010, and plan on seeing it again at Fenway, you won't be disappointed.
That's all... Just a quick snap of what's in store. I don't want to give anything away...
Hey Matt Leonard here… totally looking forward to seeing The Wall for the first time in exactly a year. Last time I saw The Wall was in Manchester England and today it’s in Albany, N.Y. After Albany, Roger hits up Hartford, CT tomorrow and then on to Boston’s Fenway Park this Sunday, July 1st, 2012.
While I’m in Albany, I’ll be doing some recon for the Boston show and I’ll report back here with a few videos and a quick review of the show (I’d don’t want to spoil too much) for Friday.
Every time I’ve seen The Wall, it’s been slightly different. This show at the Times Union Center should be interesting because it’s one of the smallest venues The Wall has been performed in. I also plan to record the entire show if I can sneak my recording gear in.
When was the last time you saw The Wall… or have you yet?
The last time Roger was in Boston back in 2010, I managed to get hold of a rare recording from one of the sound checks at the Garden. It's VERY COOL! Check it out!
The first brick that Roger Waters mentions in “The Wall” represents the loss of his father. Eric Fletcher Waters died in 1944 when Roger was just 4 months old. By the late Forties, at school in Cambridge, Roger was becoming aware of the pain of his loss. In an interview two years ago when Roger started touring The Wall he said, "When men in uniform came to collect their children, that’s when I realised I didn’t have a father any more. I was very angry. It took me years to come to terms with it. Because he was missing in action, presumed killed, until quite recently I expected him to come home. The sacrifice of his life has been a great gift and a great burden to me." Ironically, Roger’s dad also lost his father during WWI.
Roger's father’s death inspired many of the songs Waters, now 68, wrote for Pink Floyd, most notably on the 1979 album “The Wall”, which charts the decline and fall of a rock star so emotionally scarred by the loss of his father during the war that he retreats ever further behind a psychological barrier.
Obviously, Roger is very anti-war and understandably so. This is hugely evident throughout the concert, especially at intermission when images of fallen loved ones are projected onto the Wall in remembrance. What’s not so evident however is what Roger does behind the wall. During intermission , Roger takes time back-stage to do a meet and greet with disabled veterans from a program called ‘Wounded Warriors Project’. Roughly 15 veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan get free tickets to the show, a signed head-shot and the chance to meet, chat and get pictures with Roger Waters. Roger only meets with veterans to honor them and thank you them for their service. It should be noted that Roger won’t do any other meet and greets, not even for us folks who work in media.
I'm Matt Leonard, one of the weekend dj's and "the" resident Pink Floyd geek here at WAAF, Boston's Rock Station. For the past 32 years, I have been a fan Roger Waters and Pink Floyd. I've seen the wall 14 times on two continents. So you can say I'm a Fan-atic (I also own a Pink Floyd VW Golf).
Currently, I host an "unofficial" podcast called "Brain Damage" (http://floydpodcast.com/) where you will find close to 200 different Floyd related podcasts. I started the show "Brain Damage" at Tufts University on WMFO in 04', which later became a blog in 05', and has been going strong ever since.
As you all know, Roger Waters brings "The Wall" back to Boston this Sunday, July 1st 2012. This time, in front of the "Green Monster" at Fenway Park! I can't wait!
Here is the itinerary for this week leading up to the Show:
Roger and the Wounded Worriers Project
Video: The Artwork of The Wall with Matt Leonard
Show Recon for Boston. What's in store for Albany
Albany Full Report... What's in store for Boston?
Dudes That Rock: Roger Waters
Day Of The Show: Before, during and after.
In the meantime here's are some "tasty nuggets" you might not know about "The Wall" the last time it was here in Boston at the T.D. Garden in 2010:
The wall is 240' wide, 35'6" high and 18" deep
All in all, it's just 424 bricks in wall, 242 of those bricks are laid during the show
It takes 45 minutes to build the wall from placing first brick to placing last brick
12 touring crew members build the wall and 8 local crew members assist in the build.
5 elevator platform lifts are used behind the wall. Each lift is 20' long, 4' wide and can go 30' high
10 stabilizers are used inside the wall. Each stabilizer reaches 35' high from inside the bricks to keep the wall from falling over. They're also used to knock the wall down.
47 electric motors needed to power all stage machines
100,000' or about 19 miles of cables are used for sound, lighting and power. 3,000 amps of power is required to run show.
172 loudspeakers are used. This includes subs, surrounds and monitors.
82 moving stage lights
23 projectors
The circular screen (known as Mr. Screen) is 30' in diameter
12 Control boards with 1 operator each at the front of house mixing area
4 inflatables are used. The teacher and wife = 30' high. Mother = 30' high and a giant floating pig.
55 tons of rigged scenery
57 tons of floor equipment
21 40' trailer trucks are used to tour the show across the country
16 Carpenters (including puppet techs and operators)
5 man lighting crew (including lighting director)
5 man video crew
6 man sound crew (including monitors & audio playback)
4 man back-line crew
6 man automation crew (including operator)
3 man Pyrotechnics crew
4 Riggers
66 touring crew personnel (excluding band)
80 local crew members
18 band members
6 tour busses
Cool stuff huh? Here is a tidbit from YouTube from last Septembers show.
For more information and tickets go to rogerwaters.com and be sure to check out some killer Pink Floyd podcasts on my website at floydpodcast.com.
Roger Waters was inspired to create the album during a 1977 concert tour for Animals, dubbed Pink Floyd - In The Flesh. In Montreal, a fan's disruptive behavior resulted in Waters spitting in the fan's face. Immediately disgusted with himself, Waters came up with the idea of building a wall between him and the audience, an idea which would later develop into the album.
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