On The Big Screen

The view from A37 is of a gigantic speaker stack. I can’t see ANYTHING else.

Seriously. The speaker stack is about ten feet wide and ten feet tall. It obscures the screen at the cinema entirely. I find the manager, who provides me with a ticket for row P. Row P. At least I can see the screen.

David Gilmour performs solo on electric guitar. “Castellorizon” from his latest album. He’s about twelve feet away. I can just see him from behind the speaker stack. His playing is, as ever, economically divine.

I race from A37 to P20. For the next 85 minutes I luxuriate in widescreen movie glory.

The film is a precise representation of the live show : concentrating on the music and the playing, the emotion and the moment. Dispensed with are the gimmicks. The flying beds and silver balls are replaced by a verisimilitude of feeling. It is better than any other concert film of David’s work be it as part of the Floyd or not.

During “Echoes”, as David Gilmour and band explore the side-long classic jam, the theatre fills up discreetly. Rolls of dried ice smoke across the front, pass the front rows, stretch into the theatre. As the number moves into the well-known ‘seagull’ jam – in which David curls form his guitar the plaintive cries reminiscent of seabirds – strips of light block out the theatre. And a thin green prism laser blinks into life.

It is just like the show itself. It is effective and great theatrics. The theatre descends into a symphony of light and sound and ice.

As the movie ends, the theatre burst into applause. David takes the stage and answers Questions. He picks up his Stratocaster. Number #001, in fact. With the distinct guitar strap that formerly was worn by Jimi Hendrix. He picks out a couple of notes. Gentle, rolling notes. A drum kit is rolled on stage. Jon Carin picks up a guitar. A Kurtzweil organ appears, and Richard Wright – in regulation black trousers and tshirt – picks out some familiar notes. Steve DiStanislao shuffles a familiar rhythm. Guy Pratt picks out familiar bassline. Phil Manzenera strums along.

David and his band of Floyd alumni ramshackle through an extended version of the bonus track “Island Jam”. The song dips and turns and curves and dives. Jon grins and smiles at Richard. Richard bounces up and down excitably. David picks out notes of some precise beauty. The song reaches the climatic finale, and the team hug and embrace before calling an end to this particular campaign. The room is rapt and on their feet.

And that was my day.

Castellorizon (Live – David only)
On An Island
This Heaven
The Blue
Take A Breath
Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Time
Breathe, reprise
Arnold Layne
High Hopes
Echoes
Q&A with David
Island Jam (Live – David and Touring Band)

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