Roger Waters in Zurich: oversized political show without the magic of Pink Floyd

Roger Waters also greeted his fans at Zurich’s Hallenstadion with the usual announcement:

oops! So Roger Waters announced the rate at the beginning of the concert. There was subdued applause, but no one dared to leave the room. Nobody wanted to feel addressed. All conspiracy theorists?

In any case, the man leaves a trail of protest on his tour. It’s clear: the creator and lyricist of the groundbreaking work “Dark Side Of The Moon” has a dark side. The former Pink Floyd bass player has made himself impossible several times and sidelined with more than dubious, anti-Semitic statements. Concerts were canceled and in Zurich the Swiss-Israel Society also tried to get a performance ban in an open letter to the city. She was rightly fired. A functioning democracy must also withstand a demagogue like Roger Waters. And anyway: if you don’t want to hear him, you don’t have to come to the Hallenstadion.

However, it was a bit worrying that the sometimes unbearable statements had no effect on the audience: the Hallenstadion was sold out. We now assume that the musician’s undeniable merits were more important to the public than the notorious political activist’s bait. “Dark Side Of The Moon” and “The Wall”, released 50 years ago, announced parts of a work that ranks among the milestones of pop and rock history.

However: But if you came because of the music, you were given a hard time. The inclined music lover soon had to recognize that the Music relegated to the soundtrack of the political and propaganda show became.

The music became secondary. A vehicle of Roger Waters messages. The audience sat above the screen, which stretched almost the entire length of the Hallenstadion bombarded with visuals, movies and slogans. Slogans that everyone can agree on, such as:

These were mixed with statements from the realm of conspiracy theorists. “He just wants to spread love and joy,” Waters told the public unilaterally denounced the West and Western leaders. An annoyance.

And the music? Beneath the huge propaganda wall, the seven musicians and two singers looked like dwarves. The proportions alone make one’s priorities clear musician who nowadays mainly sees himself as a political activist. Anyway, given the sensory overload, it was difficult for the listener to concentrate on the music.

But they were there, the musical highlights and moments of happiness. The second LP side of “Dark Side Of The Moon” with “Money”, “Us And Them”, “Any Color You Like”, “Brain Damage” and “Eclipse” were fully played and appreciated.

Contrary to the band leader’s announcement, the pieces were interpreted almost faithfully to the original. Maybe happy. The new arrangement of “Confortably Numb” from “The Wall” was a complete bust. Roger Waters deleted the famous guitar solo of intimate enemy Dave Gilmour and replaced it with female vocals. Sorry Roger! But without that solo, “Confortably Numb” is a tired fart.

Band and singers did their job properly, but without shine. The rest of the program seemed boring and mostly Roger Waters is still no better singer 50 years later. And all around glinted the bandleader’s need to announce that he, Roger Waters, is the legitimate ambassador and heir to Pink Floyd. With all due respect: Without Sid Barrett there is no genius, without Dave Gilmore there is magic.