Gibson Amphitheatre

Ticket scan - Nigel Bradder

Concert starts: 8:15pm

Address of venue: 100 Universal City Plaza #5454, Universal City, CA 91608. MAP

Website: www.hob.com/venues/concerts/gibson

The special guests seen the previous night made the trip across town to the pleasure of the audience, who were reportedly more relaxed, and quieter, than at the Kodak. Only one song differed in the set list, and the song order remained the same, too. Earlier in the day, the band recorded two tracks for use in the Jay Leno TV show, in the bright Burbank sunshine. Peculiarly, the TV producers only chose to air On An Island, and didn't air Wish You Were Here. Odd.

The band now take a rest for around a month, travelling back to the UK in preparation for the final five shows, and a TV recording. The tour has gone incredibly quickly, and we know from your feedback that all of you who have been have had a great time! We also value the comments you've made over our coverage of the shows - it was obviously worth our effort, and we thank those who have helped out over the course of the tour so far, and those who have just written in to express their appreciation.

Our thanks to Richard Perry - yet again - for the very quick submission of the set list.

SHOW REVIEW

Good friends of Brain Damage, the tribute band Which One's Pink? were present at both the Leno recording, having good access to the real band, and at the Gibson itself in the evening. Their review and pictures from the day can be seen through this link.

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Ed Essa

I just got back from Dave's Gibson Amphitheater show. The show was, of course, great, though I'd have to say the atmosphere wasn't as nice as at the Kodak Theater last night. I'd say this was a less sophisticated crowd - lots of people talking and lots of people unfamilar with On An Island.

The sound was a bit louder and in your face though, which kind of made up for it. Arnold Layne was MUCH better tonight, Wots Uh The Deal was played (rather than Wearing the Inside Out), and Crosby and Nash came out again.

I have to give credit to Jim Ladd for playing lots of Floyd stuff for the drive home, but I detect that he's bitter about something. Perhaps it's that KLOS (read: Disney) did not give him time off for the show, or perhaps he's not as close with David as he once was. I caught "On An Island" on NBC's Jay Leno just after returning home (Crosby and Nash were there for the song).

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Kurt Lawson

WOW! My God! WOW!

I just got back from night two in Los Angeles at the Gibson Amphitheater, and my head is spinning. David and the band were ON FIRE! My less than stellar experiences with the Kodak Theater were completely redeemed by my experience at the Gibson. I was approximately 15 rows from the back, just left of center (LOG 11, row M). Perfect view of the stage from anywhere in the house by the looks of things.

This time, no ear protection was necessary and the sound was absolutely stunning! Everything was crystal clear and David's guitar cut right through to your soul.

As with the last few shows, David warmed up the crowd with Breathe / Time / Breathe Reprise. The guitar solo in Time was a preview of what was to come, as it was full of energy and he just started to let loose! The crowd jumped to their feet, where many would remain for most of the night. Next up was Castellorizon into On an Island (with Crosby & Nash again of course!), followed by pretty much the same order as the night before. It's incredible to see David jump over to the Saxophone for Red Sky and then go right back to blowing us away on of his guitars. Take a Breath was really rocking and got the crowd really going again. Pocketful of Stones was beautiful as the sound really was fantastic at the Gibson.

On to part two and the red strat comes out for Shine On with Crosby & Nash. Once again a stunning rendition of a beautiful song, with Dick Parry tearing it up with multiple Saxophones. I really liked on both nights how he skillfully flings the baritone sax aside to pick up the tenor.

Next up if my memory serves me correctly was a lovely rendition of Wots... The Deal. This stumped many in the crowd but I was singing along quietly :)

The white Telecaster came out for Arnold Layne again, followed by a mind-blowing Fat Old Sun. David and the band really tore this one up. Incredible. Next up like the night before were Coming Back to Life and High Hopes, which David attacked with equal energy. He missed the first note or two of the slide solo because he forgot to flip a pedal switch on the Cornish board, but he gracefully dove in at the right place.

And then...... Over the deafening roar of the audience a single note from Rick and we all know what's coming (Echoes). The crowd erupted in a fury of excitement and we all witnessed David and Rick's stunning performance. As I said at the beginning: the band was ON FIRE tonight! When it was over, I picked my jaw up from the floor and stared blankly at the stage in disbelief! Unbelievable!

What a difference it makes to actually see what's going on and hear it without security talking loudly and evicting the same guy for the 5th time (are you reading this Kodak Theater?)

Wish You Were Here began the encore, I think as from the night before. David's energy showed no signs of winding down here. Next up was the a cappella rendition of Find the Cost of Freedom with an explosion of applause and screaming from the audience as Crosby and Nash left the stage.

And finally of course Comfortably Numb. During the bridge solo the green laser fanned out to cover the edge of the balcony all across the amphitheater. It looked really neat below it, and must have looked really interesting from up in the balcony. Very cool.

David finished us all off with an incredible rendition of Comfortably Numb. I'm still in disbelief at how great a show it was. It was the single best concert experience I've had, out of about 30 shows of various bands. This one takes the cake. David I hope to see you again.

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Ted Shuttleworth

First thing is, I had perfect seats - Orch 3, row DD. That's 4 rows behind the pit, 4 rows up from the floor, about 30 feet from the stage. Slightly to David's right, so could really really check out his playing. Could not have been better.

[.... wait ... Tonight Show's on. Look at all these jackasses waving their arms like they have slow motion flies in their faces . God that's so weird. Did someone tell them to do that?]

Anyway, back to the show. Not sure if they've ever played Wots and FOS in the same show before (maybe last night), but it was great - GREAT. Generally, the whole thing was a Gilmour/Floyd geek's dream. All the new stuff, lots of obscure stuff, a few big hits, immaculate musicianship and insane guitars. David was really loose and smiling, seemed to improvising a lot in the solos. In excellent voice, best I've ever heard from him. Manzanera is superb, Guy Pratt and the whole band are superb and Rick Wright is *the* secret weapon. Wright totally takes the show to another level and it's just about impossible to imagine Echoes without him.

The OAI stuff was very good, if just a bit monotonous at times. Was very cool to see David play sax, but then Dick Parry came out and showed everyone how it's really done. My friend has never heard the OAI record before and he was impressed. And on one of the OAI shows, David played a gold top Les Paul that was just amazing. (sorry ... guitar geek).

In the second set, we all sang along on SOYCD, including Crosby & Nash, who were on 2 songs (OAI and The Blue) in the first set. David on the red strat for Shine On. Wots sounded great, and I was really really happy when FOS came next, thinking that he would only do one and not the other. The solo on FOS was ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDING -- best moment of the show for me. Wait 'til you all hear the roios.

Being as much of a Syd fan as I am, it's hard to know what to say about hearing Arnold Layne. A dream, maybe? David's intro was very funny - a song so old it's "from before my time." He played a yellow telecaster on that one - no paste-on mirrors, though. On either Coming Back to Life or High Hopes (can't remember) David switched to this bitchin' Gretsch Duo Jet. More guitar geek drool material.

As expected, Echoes was next and it was just as awesome as advertised - even better than at MSG in '87 (psych!! forget it ... don't want to argue anymore). Dry ice fog, sharks with fricken laser beams ... that song had it all. Encores were just more of the same -- winding up what, for the proper Gilmour/Floyd geek, was a perfect concert.

A few last observations. It was hot in the hall - and there was lots of fog in the air (to reflect the lasers I guess) and it gave the show an intensity that was really a bonus. Great crowd, very diverse. Young and old, just about evenly mixed male and female, etc. Tons of people taking cell phone pics and videos, rolling vid cameras. No security hassles at all that I could see. And, finally, completely unlike the Roger solo shows I saw in '99 and 2000, I never ONCE had the feeling that something, or someone, was missing on stage. David's music has really moved beyond Roger. He doesn't seem to need him anymore, definitely didn't tonight at all. But the show would have been much less enjoyable without Rick Wright. At the end of Echoes, David and Rick do this call and answer thing on organ and guitar and it was amazing seeing just the two of them do this -- nearly 40 years of history there. I love that they're both in their 60's, that they both look great and healthy and can still play their asses off. Was worth every penny to go to this show (and the tix, bought from a broker just this afternoon, were, ahem, pricey.) This was just not to be missed.

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Michael Gundrum

Last night I saw such a spectacular show with all the bells and whistles. I was sitting head on right in front of David. Perfect solos, perfect songs - just a great show. The crowd was great, and the venue was the best. Last night was a closure for me: 12 years ago I lost two great friends who turned me on to Floyd. We got to see the Division Bell tour in '94 and shortly after that show they both passed on to greater things. Thank you David for that show I know in my heart they were sitting right there with me. Thank you David & Rick - I'm still feeling the effects the day after. And I wasn't even tripping this time!

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Lance

I have just gone to the concert at the Gibson and it couldn't be better. The lighting was perfect and David's voice was perfect as well. As fan's we went crazy over the lighting as well as the vocals. This could not be better. Enjoy the DVD when it arrives! You won't want to miss it! Let's hope he decides to make a new album soon (including Nick Mason)!

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Deepak

I drove from New Mexico to LA to see David Gilmour, and the show was great.

You have the set list, so I won't bother. David Gilmour was superb. I felt that the guitar sound was rough, and very heavy. Sounded cool. Some parts sounded like Jeff Beck.

There were some minor snags, when David would move from the mic to his slide guitar, there were a few seconds when the audience could not hear anything. Felt like the volume was turned down. I noticed this on High Hopes.

On an Island was played in full, and parts of it sounded very much like a Solo album, and unlike Floyd. Attended the after party at Universal City, and a band called "Which one's Pink?" was playing. They played songs from the Animals album, and I felt like Mr Waters was there.

Overall, the show was great, one of the best I have seen. This certainly was a Solo effort,on David Gilmour's part, and less of Floyd in my opinion. Echoes was the best.

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, stperry

David Gilmour's concert at the Gibson Amphitheater in Los Angeles was nothing short of monumental. It was the final show of the North American tour and, if you do the math, perhaps the last time the guitarist will ever perform on these shores again.

When I arrived at the venue, I couldn't help but notice the abundance of Pink Floyd T-shirts worn by graying and/or balding guys with massive beer bellies. I also saw plenty of youngsters wearing Floyd shirts, which confirms the band's lasting, universal appeal.

Even though my seat was in the upper echelons of the amphitheater, I had a great view. My only complaint was the heat. Many people were using the "On An Island" placards left on each seat as fans. Naturally, because the date was 4/20 and the crowd was in a rather Floydian headspace, the aroma was intoxicating, to say the least.

I've been listening to other shows from this tour and pretty much knew what to expect, songwise. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the lighting, lasers, and overall dynamics of the band.

It was interesting to see Gilmour switch around his instruments. One minute he was playing a Stratocaster, the next a Les Paul. Then he'd strap on an acoustic and walk over to his pedal steel. Other times, he played the saxophone and banjo. Of course, nothing compares to the ethereal tone he gets out of the electric guitar, no matter which axe he's playing.

An appearance by David Crosby and Graham Nash, who recreated their background vocals on "On An Island," definitely sweetened the deal. Crosby and Nash returned to the stage later to pipe in on "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" and performed an a capella version of "Find The Cost Of Freedom," an old CSNY song, with Gilmour. All the more captivating was a stellar version of the old Syd Barrett tune "Arnold Layne" with Rick Wright on vocals. "Fat Old Sun" and "Echoes" were personal highlights for me. I can now die with a smile on my face.

All in all, an excellent performance. I thought it was much more representative of Pink Floyd's songbook than the Momentary Lapse Of Reason and Division Bell tours, both of which focused primarily on everything from Dark Side Of The Moon onward. Hopefully, when Roger Waters hits the road later this year, he will rise to the challenge and deliver on par with Gilmour. Either way, it's a great year for Pink Floyd fans.

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Bob

I was at the Gibson show last night, Orchestra 5 row GG. There were tons of people outside trying to buy tickets.

The concert started our very strongly but as On An Island progressed I felt the energy level fell a bit. I might be in the minority here but I thought the much discussed Crosby/Nash appearances were a distraction which added very little.

David’s voice seemed a bit hoarse at times but his guitar playing was dead on all night. I’m a huge Roxy Music fan (I saw them at the same venue in May 1983 during their Avalon tour) and Phil Manzanera was completely, and I do mean completely, inaudible throughout last night’s show. Was he even plugged in? I was reminded of Phil Spector’s comment about Badfinger at the Concert for Bangladesh, that they were meant to be “felt but not heard.” Truly a wasted opportunity.

The second half of the concert was the real treat. David seemed much more animated and the high points for me were Fat Old Sun and Echoes. They were absolute perfection, an intensity that can’t possibly be described. I give the concert 8 out of 10. Really a fun evening!

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Robert Cooper

David’s [US] tour ended as it started! Playing in front of a capacity filled Gibson Theater, the band showed up with a fresh sun-burn from the day with Leno! This show sounded great and most of the fan’s were cool (unlike the 3 different brawls within 20 rows the night before).

David admitted that Arnold Layne wasn’t a song that he did, “This is a song that the band did even before me” he explained.

As he left the show, and the North American tour came to an end, Polly jumped into his arms on the side of the stage. Well done tour! For all the cities I visited on this NA tour there were ups and downs to each city. I met a lot of real cool people, and people that I wouldn’t want to be around in any situation. I think that fans should keep quite during songs. The funny moment of this last show is during the band introductions – someone yelled out “David” during his introductions and David paused, with and said “Yes, I do know my name!”

And so do we. You are David Gilmour. A successful solo artist from a band that has a legacy bigger then itself. If there ever is a next time, I would pay big $$$ to see DG perform some shows with songs from his first 2 solo albums. Any songs from them would have fit as perfect along with the incredible “On An Island” songs. This would of made for an even more memorable tour, for me a die hard Gilmour Solo fan. I waited over 20 years to hear those songs again and I will probably never have such a chance. Anything you play David, your fans want to hear. We know your name, and the die hard fans are the ones that listen to every word, every note, and yes – every deep breath.

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Wally Realini

First, let me touch on the highlights of the concert.

With the lights out the concert began with Speak to Me, Breathe, and Time. This established the concert as defiantly Pink Floyd regardless of how it was presented and advertised. David and Rick probably enjoyed performing these three classics almost as much as the crowd appreciated them. The ambiance of the entire concert hall was electrified as it has probably never been before. Pink Floyd would move the earth with their music if given the chance.

David preformed "Fat Old Sun" to a stunned audience. I don't believe most of the attendance has ever heard that song in particular and I was personally moved by the performance David gave. I believe this song gave a new light to who David Gilmour is and what his music is all about.

I am a big PF fan and I was moved by the band's performance on every song they played. However, the one song I will never forget and the one song that can only be described as a "movement," rather than a song, started with that familiar Ping announcing the coming of "Echoes."

Echoes was the highlight of the entire concert. I felt that David and his band put a lot of effort into entertaining us with its performance and laser/light show. I don't know how long they spent on this one song but I felt it could have gone on forever, yet I am sure the band was exhausted by the time they were done. A special thanks goes out to everyone involved with its performance and cultivation.

The Downside of the concert:

I was very disappointed with only one aspect of this concert and my writing of this report may not have occurred due to it. However, my wife commented on it again tonight at dinner and thus I have decided to write to you. Hopefully, you will reply to my comments with an avenue for my complaint to reach those who are concerned with its impact.

To put it bluntly: The sound system and acoustics at the Gibson were not up to Pink Floyd or David Gilmour standards. Definitely not up to mine. There were many occasions where the music was distorted. The concert hall reverberated with distortion and resonance that I have never heard elsewhere. I am sure they were not a part of the music. I am an electronics engineer, an Amateur Radio operator, and have a background in the theater; I feel I am well qualified to know distortion and unintended resonance.

On High Hopes, my personal favorite PF song, the acoustic guitar David played was distorted by the electronics used to amplify the sound. Both David's and Rick's microphone had to be replaced during the concert. I realize with only one performance at each venue problems arise, but we chose the Gibson for it's superior acoustics over the Kodak. The upshot is that we were very disappointed with the quality of the sound system and four seats at $350 each I feel we should have had a better experience with the sound system.

Let me end with the fact that I would not have missed this concert no matter what. I rank it above all other concerts I have been to in the past, even the previous PF concerts I have attended. Thank you to all involved, your efforts are appreciated by Pink Floyd and David Gilmour fans everywhere.