By My Generations Vicki Poupounaki
Here’s a show I was urged not to miss. “You’ll never see anything like it” people said.
There was a mix of urgency and excitement for the serious music lovers, on the hunt for last minute tickets to any of the three shows at Rod Laver Arena.
Roger Waters is 74 years of age and as vital and relevant as ever. A visionary in his field, a master in music concepts and puppeteer of stunning visuals.
Concertgoers attending the Us + Them Tour are treated to hits and fan favorites from Meddle, The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall. The iconic Another Brick In The Wall choreographed with local kids from Girls Rock Melbourne on stage, in Resist t-shirts, bringing the classic to life, and the crowds to their feet, fist punches and all.
This is no ordinary backing band, 2 guitarists, 2 bassists including Waters, two keyboardists, performing in front of a massive high-def screen that featured jaw-dropping live-action and animated videos created to accompany each song.
Vocal duo of Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig from the indie-pop group Lucius, who previously performed with Roger at the 2016 Desert Trip festival, brought glamour to the stage and amazing power on showstopper The Great Gig In The Sky.
Jess and Holly are back to their 4 piece to headline their own shows later this February (more info here).
Many of Waters' songs rail against war and political corruption, and the visuals reflected those themes, featuring footage displaying the devastation of war and poverty. Roger has found new targets to focus on, as contemporary as ever, moving with the times, on the topical issues including Trump, consumerism, drone warfare and the refugee crisis.