Roger Waters
The Dark Side Of The Moon Live 2006

Not even a month has passed but the memory is still vivid. It still feels like yesterday when at 6:00 PM I was already in front of the gates, and among 1000 shoves and elbows, it reaches 7:00 PM: gates open. Unfortunately, I'm not in the very front row and quite a few people enter ahead of me, but once past security, I run like crazy and cross Piazza Grande in just a few seconds: here I am in front of the stage, with four people (and just as many meters) separating me from the stage. After 90 minutes under the blazing sun and socializing with my neighbors, the musicians punctually enter the stage. The first one I recognize is the legendary Snowy Withe, followed by Doyle Bramhall II. But the man everyone is waiting for is the last to step onto the stage, with his silver hair, slender physique, and elegantly black suit, he positions himself in the middle of the stage, grabs his historic bass, and a solemn "Are You Ready?" precedes a ticking sound and a rough Hitler-like voice counting to three, it is the prelude to the apotheosis! In The Flesh is for the twelve thousand and more fans in Piazza Grande in Locarno, crossing their arms in front of the image of two crossed hammers. The rhythms of The Wall continue with the masterpiece 'Mother'. Roger's calm but hoarse voice contrasts with that of the brilliant Katie Kissoon, resulting in very touching and even better than the original! Then it moves on to Set The Control For The Heart Of The Sun, the first commemorative piece for Syd Barrett, who passed away a few days earlier, similar to the live version Roger released a few years prior. It proceeds with Shine On You Crazy Diamond, which honestly left me a bit bitter due to the trimming of the initial part. It continues with Have a Cigar and then the MASTERPIECE Wish You Were Here, again dedicated to Syd, sung entirely by Roger.

The magic continues with the poetic 'Southampton Dock' and the moving 'The Fletcher Memorial Home' from The Final Cut. Then begins the part dedicated to solo works: the stunning Perfect Sense and the very peculiar Leaving Beirut (performed precisely during the days of the Israeli attacks on Lebanon), accompanied throughout by cartoons depicting Waters when he visited Beirut as a young man. Before the end of the first part, the pink pig takes flight above the mega factory: we arrive at Sheep, a beautiful track from Animals.

10 minutes after the end of Sheep, I manage to get even closer to the stage and now find myself in the second row. Suddenly, a moon appears on the giant screen and gradually a red dot becomes larger, accompanied by a barely comprehensible background noise with people talking. At a certain point, the sounds become clear and the song is recognizable: Breathe, sung by Doyle who does not make us miss David. The rest of the concert is all Dark Side of the Moon, a mix of psychedelic images and light games. After almost 2 hours, Roger & Co. leave the stage, but everyone knows it's not over yet, and indeed shortly after, everyone is back on stage, with Waters introducing all the musicians. After the introductions, the sound of a helicopter overwhelms the Piazza, Roger looks around, points into space, and 'The Happiest Days of Your Life' kicks in: Piazza Grande is in upheaval, and when Another Brick In The Wall arrives, it is the apotheosis. The concert closes with the excellent Vera, Bring The Boys Back Home, and the splendid Comfortably Numb.

Today, a month later, I am still thrilled about what I witnessed, a phenomenal Waters concert for someone like me who never had the chance to see the real Floyd live (I am 18 years old), an unforgettable memory for a lifetime: THANK YOU ROGER!!