An Incredible Concert at the Hollywood Bowl!

At exactly the right time, my wife and I found relief from the hustle and bustle of life, and especially from the anxiety we had about the big and important election we had coming up in the United States. We attended a rock concert at that iconic venue in Los Angeles called the 'Hollywood Bowl'. David Gilmour and his backing band were on stage. It's now about 50 years since I first listened to 'Dark Side of the Moon', Pink Floyd's seminal album, featuring Gilmour as lead guitarist. That album really impressed me, and it didn't fade over time. On the contrary, the influence of the album on me increased year after year, as it unfolded its its secrets to the world. Heartbeats (of life), the ticking of the clock, the rhythm of breathing, the influence of money, ageing, dementia and finally the inevitable death – these are the deep themes running through this album – important themes for all of us. Our insight changes and depends on where we are in our own lives, and that is a very clever plan. This album, like all great works of art, is timeless. So, it's no wonder we were excited about this concert. In spite of our expectations, it was better than we thought it would be, and that's not a small thing!

Beforehand

On the day of the concert, we drove a few hours to Hollywood from San Diego County and checked into a hotel we had booked months in advance. It was close to the 'Bowl' and we were able to walk to the concert. The crowds were doing the same thing, and it was easy and safe. A lot of police were present, and as it was Hallowe’en, a lot of people were in costume, including me ('The Riddler' from Batman). We were there quite early and had time to get some popcorn and a bottle of wine. Then, an official led us to our seats, and we sat down. We had a nice chat with our neighbors and then, the concert started.

The Concert

Gilmour and his band opened with '5 A.M.' from their album 'Rattle That Lock' (2015), followed by 'Black Cat' and 'Luck and Strange' from their new album 'Luck and Strange'. They were poignant pieces of instrumental music and paved the way for the classics we all looked forward to. Then came the pot of gold - three unmistakeable songs from the 'Dark Side of the Moon' album - 'Breathe (In the Air),' 'Time,' and 'Breath (Reprise)'. Even after decades, they haven't lost their spiritual magic, and for people of a certain age, including us, the music took us back down memory lane, and we were young again. A reverent silence fell upon us all, as we listened to sublime notes soaring and swooping through the air, notes that Gilmour coaxed from his guitar and that no other guitarist in the world would have been able to pull off. Perhaps God had left Heaven's gate open and the transcendental music of His own Angels was wafting down over us in the Bowl. Anyway, we were hooked and in a kind of Divine ecstasy!

I won't describe every other song in the concert, but a few others that stand out. I loved the set list - a powerful mix of songs, both old and new. Gilmour was also at his best as a singer, which was very clear when he sang the jewel 'Wish you were here' - the title track of the album of the same name, released in 1975. A new depth in Gilmour's voice brought a full-bodied sound to his singing style. Like a fine wine, Gilmour gets better with time, both singing and playing guitar. He is a master not only of his electric guitar - especially the 'Black Strat' (Black Fender Stratocaster), but also of his acoustic guitar - a Martin D-35, and he played both of them with gusto on 'Wish you were here' '. 

Romany Gilmour (David's daughter) sang a track from the new album 'Luck and Strange', called 'Between Two Points'. David took a back seat in the song and let the spotlight shine on his daughter, who has a great voice herself. We felt the intimate bond between David and Romany as they collaborated on stage.

Romany, Louise Marshall, Hattie and Charlie Webb sang the wonderful song 'The Great Gig in the Sky', from the album 'Dark Side of the Moon'. They were gathered around a grand piano that Louise was playing. Louise was the lead singer, with the other three as backing singers. David Gilmour was playing slide guitar in the background. You wouldn't imagine any singer could sing the high notes as well as Clare Torry, who sang the original version. In my opinion, this version was better than the original – and that’s no mean feat!

Encore!

At the end, Gilmour and his band returned for an encore. When we heard the iconic first note of the tune 'Comfortably Numb', we all stood up in tribute to Gilmour and his band.

Gilmour put on quite a show, playing both guitar solos like there was no tomorrow. He hit every note perfectly and precisely, so that his guitar squawked, whined and howled as if it were the voice of an animal, and he was taming the wild, emotional beast whose voice it was. It was an appropriate closing for the concert, and we were all, both musicians and their audience, exhausted and happy.

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