BRICK BY BRICK

December 10, 2010

Piece by piece, song by song, Roger Waters reconstructed the legendary The Wall album at Rogers Arena Friday night.

In a hail of fireworks and smoke, the opening notes of "In The Flesh?" resonated throughout the stadium, washing in waves over the sold out crowd that packed the building from the floor, up into the nosebleeds.

It has been three decades since Pink Floyd released The Wall – born from Waters' pysche – in November 1979, and two since it was last performed in its entirety. Commemorating the 30th anniversary of the album, Waters brought his tour and monumental production to Vancouver.

A tribute to one of the most profound and influential rock albums, the show didn't shy away from its deep socio-political nature while delivering a phenomenal music experience.

The 67 year old Waters decked in all black, armed with his guitar and mic, stood front and centre illuminated by a single spotlight. The foundation of a brick wall laid out behind him, separating him from the band.

"Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2" brought out the giant teacher puppet and a chorus of children, the screen behind them slowly being built up as bricks were added.

Footage from the 1980 Earls Court concert played across the short wall of bricks and the giant circular screen positioned behind the band as Waters sang "Mother" with accompanying vocals from his film-self.

The concert embodied a more concentrated anti-war message, images of fallen soldiers and casualties of war and greed projected on the wall. Waters channeled the fears of alienation and transformation that created the album, and connected them to global issues. "Goodbye Blue Sky" saw fighter planes flying across the screens, dropping symbols of fascism, greed, capitalism, and religion.

The final brick was added to the the centre of the wall, closing Waters and the band off completely from the crowd during "Goodbye Cruel World", closing out the first set.

The second part of the show opened with "Hey You", before Waters reappeared sitting, watching TV in a tiny room that folded out of the wall for "Nobody Home". "Comfortably Numb" saw the reemergence of his supporting cast on top of the wall, before joining him on the other side for "The Show Must Go On".

The sound quality was incredible and the band, including vocalist Robbie Wycoff who sang David Gilmour's parts, did the album justice. Gerald Scarfe's animation, creating a rally of marching hammers for "In the Flesh", added to the atmosphere.

The album brought about the demise of Pink Floyd, but the work itself, in its themes of destruction, despair, conformity, and ultimately of guarded optimism to aspire to something more, has stood the test of time.

Vancouver fans watched transfixed in a state of awe and excitement as the masterpiece was brought to life before them.