Capacity: 8,000 seated, and unspecified standing

Concert starts: 9:00pm

Address of venue: Palace Square, St Petersburg, Russia. MAP

Website: www.saint-petersburg.com

Palace Square, in front of The Hermitage and Winter Palace, was the site of the "Bloody Sunday" massacre in January 1905, and promises to be a very special venue for Roger's music.

We know a number of you have been eagerly awaiting news of ticketing for Roger's final show on his 2008 Dark Side Of The Moon mini-tour. Well, thanks to our friend Petrovich from the excellent Russian pink-floyd.ru site, we now have full information for you!

Petrovich tells us that the concert is being staged as a gift to residents and guests from the St Petersburg city government and the organizers of St Petersburg International Economic Forum, so entrance to the concert is free. However, there is an allocated "VIP" zone, consisting of six sectors and more than 8000 seats. The ticket prices for this area start at 3,300 RUR, and go up to 16,500 RUR (approximately 90-450 euros). Tickets can be ordered at www.kassir.ru (or click here for a translated version of their site).

Petrovich has also kindly supplied the ticket scan and concert flyer - both of which can be viewed to the right (just click the thumbnails to see them in a larger format). 

WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD!

Do not read on if you don't want surprises to be spoilt, regarding what the band played!

Well, Roger's 2008 mini-tour has finally reached the end of the road, with the final concert being performed in this historic city.

Initial comments are proving very slow to arrive, although we do hear that, despite it being a good show, and a fitting send-off for the tour, we hear that there were unfortunately some technical issues.

From footage that has appeared on Youtube, the pig seemed to make its escape again, and you can see it, and some other great pictures from the show, courtesy of "Shiko the First" through this link.

CONCERT REPORT and PICTURES by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Petrovich from www.Pink-Floyd.ru

The show was extremely fantastic!

June 5: Our friends in Saint Petersburg met the band in Pulkovo airport. They’ve been waiting for Roger, but he arrived in a private jet and went directly to the Astoria hotel, where the press conference [see right; click thumbnail] began (at 8pm approximately). In the evening our friends (they’re musicians) invited Ian Ritchie and his wife Holly to the local club The Point, and they all were jamming together till 3am.

June 6: About 2pm a group of fans met in the center of Saint Petersburg and moved to the Palace Square. At 3pm all the band (except Roger) arrived for soundcheck. Ian Ritchie was glad to see us and we got some photos with him.

At 3:20pm the soundcheck began. Roger was on stage already. During the soundcheck snippets from “Have A Cigar”, “In The Flesh”, “Mother”, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”, “The Happiest Days Of Our Lives” were performed. Also one of the torches was tested and the square was cleared of people.

The entrance was opened at 7:10pm. Before the show we prepared little inflatable pigs. Jon Carin and Chester Kamen were walking in Palace square and saw them. Jon got a photo of the pig (“Welcome Roger” was written on its belly). Jon and Chester signed our tickets and we got some photos with them. Ian Ritchie also took a photo of us waiting for the show and greeting him (see ian-ritchie.com/2008/fans.htm - me fourth from the left).

Some of VIP seats were prepared for the guests of XII International Economic Forum. Roman Abramovich was there as a guest too, and watched the gig from the second row. Some seats were empty in the first rows (due to last sales and high prices), so me and my friends were sitting in the second row instead of 14th (behind Simon Wimpenny).

The show began at 9:15pm and was amazing! Dave had some technical problems with guitar during “Wish You Were Here” and it was the only negative occasion. The effects were very impressive. The soap bubbles during “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” and, of course, inflatable astronaut and pig (neither of them were in Moscow 2006). The Pig was painted by a Russian artist. There were such slogans (in Russian): “Free at last”, “Don’t cry, don’t fear, don’t ask”, “For our and your freedom”, “Marusya” (Russian female name), “Atas!” (Russian slang for “Danger!”), “Zenit-Glazgow 2:0”, “Make Art Not War” (in English). The pig had flown away again, we don’t know what's happened with it.

The second part was sensational. Roger went and sang the 3rd verse of “Money” to the super-VIP-guests. Carol Kenyon sang “The Great Gig In The Sky” perfectly!

After the end of “The Dark Side Of The Moon” the audience (except super-VIP-guests) ran closer to the stage and stood there during the encore. Roger seemed really happy to see this.

I've forgot to mention about explosions on stage during “Perfect Sense” and “Bring The Boys Back Home”. They were really powerful and very very impressive. :)

After the show he and the band went to Pelorus (Roman Abramovich’s yacht) and came back to the hotel about 3:30am. Roger and the band left Saint Petersburg early that same morning.

To see more of Petrovich's great, and extensive photos from the show, click here.

CONCERT PICTURES by BD CONTRIBUTORS, James & Lorain

CONCERT REVIEW by BD CONTRIBUTOR Andrei Vashkevich, translated into English by Katherine Bemben, with PICTURES by Andrei Shota

Dark Side of the Moon on the White Side of the Sun

On Friday, June 6th, 2008, I'm not afraid to admit that an enormous artistic event took place in a region of the former USSR, in the city now named St. Petersburg. This was the final concert of Roger Waters' extensive “Dark Side of the Moon” tour with his band – a special gift to the residents of this lovely city – as most of the spectators were able to attend the concert for free.

I saw the stage being set up in the big open-air plaza where the Empress Catherine the Great used to live and rule, the Palace Square and hermitage. A couple of hours before the show, during the sound check, I was already struck by the deep and powerful sounds that just a couple hours later tens of thousands of people would have the opportunity to experience. The sound was set up in eight different locations, with two sound systems. For a few wonderful moments, I got a taste of the brilliant movement and energy that envelops spectators with its ethereal magic. I caught a glimpse of “Algie”, the famous inflatable pig. A local graffiti artist from St. Petersburg had been invited to decorate the pig with multi-coloured paint for the show.

As night time approached, everyone started to gather by the stage, waiting with anticipation for the event. Just after 9:00 pm, the concert started, under the bright white sky of a midnight sun – a sign of summer in this northern Russian city. I don't recall the precise time when I wanted to fully surrender to the atmosphere surrounding me – this event that I had awaited with so much anticipation (after four years, my dream of attending one of Roger's concerts had finally come true).

The opening chords absorbed me entirely, and I knew right away that the show would be extremely fascinating, like an inter-galactic journey. This was not a commercial production - Roger Waters' dedication and strength as a creator-performer came across strongly – he was undeniably 100% engaged in the music, and the spirit of the show was as a gift offered to the spectators.

At the centre of the stage, right behind the musicians, was a huge screen, upon which film projections, various scenes and lighting effects were shown. The strong and colourful play of lights and powerful graphics accompanying the songs (each song had a different set of amazing graphics to accompany the music – huge life-like scenes of people, cartoon caricatures, various artistic views of the moon and sky, etc.) contributed to the all-encompassing multi-sensory experience so typical of Pink Floyd. On both sides of the main stage were smaller screens displaying close-ups of what was happening on stage.

Roger Waters played a selection of songs from his solo career, which included his strong views on various international political figures, who he portrayed dramatically as dark characters, lacking in certain human qualities. During the last piece before a career break, “Algie” the inflatable pig made a public appearance, showing off some of its graffiti art – “Don't cry, don't be afraid, don't ask them for anything” and “for our and your freedom” were among some of the featured slogans. The colourful pig floated through the air to the tune of “Sheep” (one of my very favourite pieces from the “Animals” album). Roger said “Bye, pig!” as it floated off into the air.

Following a brief intermission, Roger and his band launched into the “Dark Side of the Moon”, and the public’s euphoria was very tangible. I could write a lot here, but one thing that I must acknowledge is that one must attend the live concert in order to truly and deeply feel the true essence of this album. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity.

During the encore, the entire VIP seating section (around 8,000 people) left their seats for the front of the stage, to enjoy five works from the legendary “The Wall” album. Everyone, from teenagers to middle-aged and older people sang along with the band, while radiating joy and contentment. My friend spontaneously remarked “Roger Waters is capable of transmitting messages on his views on war and violence while effortlessly directing everyone's emotions toward connectedness and human understanding”. I agree whole-heartedly.

Apparently, some important politicians and celebrities were also in attendance at the concert. I really didn't take notice, however – I was too wrapped up in the amazing atmosphere, which I was able to enjoy from up close. In total, about 50,000 people attended the concert (about 8,000 of the spectators were in seats – the rest were standing throughout the Palace Square to enjoy the concert).

This Great Concert on the White Side of the Sun took place in the evening hours, under a pure white sky, as light as day. No other backdrop to this amazing final concert of Roger Waters' “Dark Side of the Moon” tour could have surpassed the beauty of the white night in St. Petersburg amidst the Winter Palace.

A hugely satisfied and devoted Pink Floyd fan, Andrei.

Welcome to the Machine and Shine On!

CONCERT PICTURES by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Rob Janssens