When Pink Floyd legend, David Gilmour stepped on stage, the sold out crowd at Intuit Dome Los Angelos screamed with anticpation. A huge cloud of smoke hung in the air. The opening notes of Black Cat off of Davids new album rang out across the stadium. The show had begun.
The Missing Lightshow..
Pink Floyd, known for there amazing light show visuals and immersive visual experiences, was not translated to the stage at Intuit Dome. While there were still lights, they were still and un-changing.The smoke and dim colored lights covered the stage, so much to where you couldnt see David and his band. Only until the end of the show, were there a laser show. A disco ball came down, and the lights glistened all over the venue. The lack of showmanship lacked regarding this aspect.
Sleepy Vocals
David has been known for his haunting, emotional timbre when he sings. However, in this performance his vocals felt muted, and almost sleepy. Songs that had passion seemed to lack the grit and emotion that had made them popular in the first place. Many attendees found themselevs missing the raw emotion from his voice.
An Endless Guitar Solo
While no-one disputes David guitar abilities, it was the reason the set felt oddly repetitive. From the begingin of each song to the end, it sounded like one big guitar solo throughout. While his solo work is typically transcendent, the lack of dynamic variation made this set feel monotonous. This approach, combined with the absent light show, made for a visually and musically subdued evening that could have benefitted from more defined highs and lows.
A Drowsy Rendition of “The Great Gig in the Sky”
“The Great Gig in the Sky” is usually a high point in any Gilmour/Pink Floyd set—a track where the vocals and instrumentation come together into an emotionally charged experience. On this night, howver, the feeling was gone. A toned down, sleepy version was played instead. In a song thats meant to HIT you, the feeling wasnt met.
Final Thoughts:
David Gilmour remains a legend in rock music, and even in an offbeat and boring concert like this, there were beautiful moments that shone through. But, for an audience that wanted to see david blow the roof off of INtuit Dome, it sadly wasnt reciprocated. As the lights finally came alive in the last moments of the show, it became clear that, while the concert had its incredible moments, it lacked the consistency and amazing energy that make a Pink Floyd concert unforgettable.
