h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

For my birthday treat, Mrs G took me to see the Australian Pink Floyd's show "The Wall". This was more or less exactly the same as Pink Floyd's own Wall show (which I've never seen). It was really impressive. They put it on in the O2, which is Dublin's newest venue. It seems to have seating for about 5,000 but it could be 10,000. I'm not sure. The place wasn't full, but there was a good crowd there.

I've known "The Wall" for so long that it is embedded in my brain. I actually got rid of my only copy of it for a while in the hope that after two or three years of not listening to it, the tunes would stop going around in my head. This happened. But I bought the CD again recently (two or three years ago) and have enjoyed it ever since.

The show was really spectacular. There were ten on the stage - a lead singer, three backing vocals, two guitars, a bass, a keyboard, drums and a guy who did both tomtoms and saxophones. The two guitarists took turns on rhythm and lead, and one of them sang as well. There was a giant screen behind the stage onto which they put all sorts of photos, animations and disturbing cartoons - the whole Wall experience is disturbing, as it is the story of dysfunctional neurotic rock star - not the stuff for depressed 14-year-olds. There were lasers and "inflatables" including a .

The show lasted a little over two hours and then they launched into five encores, starting with "Shine on You Crazy Diamond", a song so long that the singer doesn't even start singing for the first 8 minutes! All in all it was a great night.

Is this touring? Will it be coming to Germany?

It's already been to Germany, apparently, in February. They're playing in Wembley Stadium in London tonight and in various other places around the UK over the next few months. You can see the dates at http://www.aussiefloyd.com/.

Sounds brilliant - I love the guitars on "Run Like Hell" - I've seen them close a couple of concerts with that one (sadly not in real life).

Ah! Corn Exchange Cambridge on 6 July .

Listening to them all those years ago, I never really pictured the music as being played by actual people. It has the effect of disconnecting the listener's brain from reality - at least in my experience.

Finally I saw them in concert and was floored to see ordinary human beings on the stage. But once the music started I quickly got over that.

Indeed there were human beings - sometimes more than just the band themselves -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Rk6nN-FVi0

.. Thanks MH for the link .. ............. ..... ..... ..................................... . . . .. ...

You're welcome. Reading Douglas' biography is a name droppers' paradise. Sharing a room with someone who thought he was a better guitar player (Mark Knopfler)... has a friend with a little band (Pink Floyd)...

I am too old to have been a Pink Floyd fan. I'm that old, I never really got the Stones, though I did like "Paint it black" and "Poison ivy".

I liked their first offering, "I wanna be your man" but it was too late: I was already devoted to the Beatles, who set a standard of freshness and invention that made everyone else look lazy or intellectually challenged. And yes, the Beatles gave "I wanna be your man" to the Stones after Ringo had done his version.

To me Pink Floyd is a kind of self-indulgent posturing, so is Led Zeppelin. Sorry. I did watch the film of The Wall, and went ho hum.

Here's me turning into a grumpy old git. I am 61 I'll have you know. What amazes me is how our children's and grandchildren's generation still choose sixties music. That would be like us in the sixties choosing twenties music. Though that is also making a comeback . . .

You're too intellectual, R! The Beatles and the Rolling Stones, although often compared, are not comparable. They serve different roles. The Stones are all about rhythm and emotion, gut feelings.

You're right about Pink Floyd being posers, though. Anybody who writes in 7/4 time is asking for it.

Mrs. Zube worries that our children will grow up twisted, singing along with Elvis or the Beatles in the car. They know more 50s and 60s music than I did at their age, and that was the 60s. They also know some Dad Rock from the 80s, but I do plan to spare them the 70s.

Zube

My daughters discovered Bowie, without my help.

I'd say that's

a) not your fault

and

b) not the worst that could happen

If you type "70s disco band" into google, you don't get a list of disco bands from the 70s, you get a list of bands who play 70s disco, which is sadly current.

Zube