Magny-Cours

Ticket scan - thanks to Prieto Francois

Concert poster (thanks to Michael Mason)

Concert ad; translation: The Genius And Heart Of Pink Floyd

Capacity: 35,000
Concert starts: TBA

Address of venue: Circuit de Nevers, Magny-Cours Technopole, 58470 Magny-Cours, France. MAP

Venue/event website: www.rogerwaters2006.com

The show took place on the first day of the three day Formula 1 Grand Prix race meeting at the circuit, after Friday's F1 practice sessions, and support races, at the circuit. With the racing action on Friday race meetings commonly finishing around 5:30pm, that should have given time for the circuit to clear of the remaining spectators, ready for the concertgoers to enter.

In an annoucement made February 27th, it was confirmed that Nick Mason was taking part in this concert.

His interest in motor racing, along with the proximity of the Formula 1 Grand Prix at the venue, presumably made this an easy decision for Nick!

The much heralded show coinciding with the 100th anniversary of motor racing took place in fierce heat, with a storm part way through the concert, and reportedly poor organisation at the circuit.

With a reported 150,000 watts of power, the 21 metre high stage dominated part of the circuit. The estimated 36,000 crowd faced a few problems getting into the circuit, and getting parked in the area, but once they finally got to their seats were well behaved and enjoyed the show.

The death of Syd Barrett obviously was hanging heavy on the band still, but that was no surprise, and the show was dedicated to Pink Floyd's founder.

The set list remained unchanged, with a selection of Floyd and solo material in the first half, and Dark Side in the second - again, with Nick Mason guesting on the second drumkit, positioned centre stage.

All concert pictures on this page are thanks to our friend, Hervé Denoyelle.

SHOW REVIEW

By Brain Damage contributor, Hervé Denoyelle

The organization was terrible, the test runs of the GP and Waters the same day meant chaos reaching the place by car and then finding a parking spot (took me two hours)!

My seat was dreadful in the stand (which was weirdly placed on the right handside of the stage, and I was sitting on the far corner, you will see from the pictures, I could only see half the stage, cut from left backside to right front corner).

It was a terribly warm summer afternoon (35°C) and a thunderstorm struck as Laurent Voulzy took the stage which meant people ran for shelter instead of watching. The rain stopped minutes before Roger (they had to clean up the stage) and it was more breathable after the rain, although very humid (Roger was obviously having a hell of a sweat).

The show was predictable, same songs and same comments as previous reviews, except for Leaving Beirut which looks like having be reworked again with two stunning solos from Andy and Snowy (Andy sounded like Clapton from Pros and Cons on the intro solo).

Roger after Wish You Were Here said 'Toute la soirée est pour Syd evidemment, surtout cette chanson' ('The whole evening is for Syd obviously, especially this song'). Roger was obviously moved and when he looked at the picture of Syd on the backscreen he paused for a long while. (That is what I figure since I could not see the back screen).

Roger was doing lip sync on 'Fletcher' astutely filmed from a distance with no close ups, so that the trick was hidden...

The Ferrari team entered the stand during 'set the controls', which caused a semi circular motion from the heads of half the audience. They stole the show for a minute (why the hell did they come up dressed in their red pyjamas???) They left before DSOTM!!!! It was either time for bed or a knowledge of music limited to Pavarotti and Zucchero.

Nick played perfect on DSOTM and was obviously enjoying his time (and the racing atmosphere).

Finally, the passing away of Syd dampened a few spirits during the whole event as you can imagine.

SHOW REVIEW

By Brain Damage contributors, Kathy and Mike Sumsion

We have just returned to England after attending the FABULOUS concert at Magny Cours. We've never experienced anything quite like it before, the sound, lighting and effects were magnificent. The enthusiasm and professionally performed perfection astounded us.

The traffic queues, the electric storms and the rain before Roger arrived, were soon forgotten but the memory of the concert will live forever.

SHOW REVIEW

By Brain Damage contributor, Martin Green

This was the show that kicked the whole 2006 touring thing off. When we booked it was seemingly a one-off extravaganza, and even the subsequent addition of a date in London didn't dampen our enthusiasm for the 1,000 mile round trip from...London!

And we were not disappointed. Because we'd ordered a ticket for the main camping area we arrived at lunchtime on the Friday, ahead of the main pandemonium that the gig-goers unfortunately suffered later in the evening, so we had plenty of time to get set up and 'prepare' for the show once we'd persuaded them to let us in (we were not supposed to get into the campsite with only a gig ticket!).

The stage was the biggest I've ever seen for an outdoor gig, and the sound system was simply stunning - crystal clear and very loud. We were positioned in the "Pelouse or" to the front and left of the stage where there was loads of room and great sight lines, as well as being in the vortex of the quadraphonic sound.

The setlist had no surprises, we missed the dedication to Syd having not picked up Roger's French, but otherwise we were swept along in a cacophony of glorious sound.

Highlights: the quadraphonic sheep, Perfect Sense and the floating astronaut, the introduction of Nick Mason, all of DSOTM which was utterly spellbinding, and finally the extraordinary flame throwers from the roof of the stage during Comfortably Numb. My God, I remember the flames at Floyd's London Arena gig being pretty fierce, but these burned our faces even though they were hundreds of feet away.

Downsides: the heavy handed security men. Also, I was kind of hoping for a big firework display, having read about the team that did the Paris Millennium fireworks being involved with the show - guess they were responsible for the flame throwers!

All in all it was a truly magical experience - the best gig I've ever been to (out of about 400). Can't say fairer than that.

SHOW REVIEW

By Brain Damage contributors, Louis & Daniel Backer

Having staked out the best vantage point for six terribly hot and latterly, very wet hours, we were rewarded with another stunning show. The sound system was exemplarary, I counted 96 flown cabinets just on the front of the stage and that didn't include the surround system, hidden sub-bass, or the multiple quad-sound systems around the arena, it sound stupendously and trouser-flappingly good!

Sheep was magical - even more powerful than Rome - with Dave Kilminster extracting the highest and purest notes I've ever heard from any guitar. The musical tightness was even better than earlier shows and the band's energy and enthusiasm was delivered in spades. Roger's singing voice was in fine form, though he was (understandably) a little croaky on speech.

Graham Broad is a power station of a drummer and appears to be turning into Neil Peart (Rush) - Careful with those Floyd classics, Graham!!

During the long wait, I spoke to the English video director who said that the crew were having a great if tiring tour and that it hadn't been without its' hairy moments - I never forget these guys, they're the ones who make it happen.

A 1000 mile round trip, two nights in a fetid motel, baked in the heat, deafened beside the F1 race-track, hassled by a French security chappie for taking photo's - It was entirely worth it!

SHOW REVIEW

By Brain Damage contributor, Marc van Ackere

Belgian national living permanently in France, I took this golden opportunity to see Pink Floyd (or what is left of it) live and hear what is my number 1 album of all time (Dark Side of the Moon) being performed on stage. When I was a student, special sound effects did not allow the full power of this music to come through on stage, you just boosted the volume of your stereo as high as the windows could take, and enjoy ...

Today the Fench capacity for organisation must have dipped below the Greek's, we joined the traffic queue on the motorway at 5.15 pm, 4 miles from Magny Cour's gates. We were still motionless when Laurent Voulzy (Laurent Who ? Nice chap, but who cares when you are looking forward to PF) got on stage, and had just inched forward to the main road exit to the circuit at 8.30 pm ...

Cops told us there was nowhere to park, so paying spectators were left to simmer in their cars until departing F1 fans vacated parking slots, car by car .... wow, talk about forward planning ; why is this country moving backwards so fast ?

We reached our drenched seats (one and a half pitlanes away from the stage, and completely off-center, good enough for capitalists spending in excess of 165 Euros per seat) just as Voulzy got into his last song ... so no need to start thinking about polite words to express our wishes for a full ticket refund, and got ourselves out of the traffic jam mood and into the Dark Side of the Moon mood ....

Brilliant performance, right up to expectations, good mix of songs in the first half, short break, and a magic second half !

Just one dark cloud to make it only near-perfection ; Why does Roger need to bore us all with his political views ? Ok, he's has an unforgettable time in Beirut half a decade ago and still cannot get over it, but does this justify supporting Saddam Hussein and his fascist dictatorship ? Or was Roger possibly trying to get brownie points with the French audience ?

SHOW REVIEW

By Brain Damage contributor, Patrick Birchem

Yes we were there too, with our CENTENARY TICKETS, we came from Luxembourg to Magny-Cours!

It was a fantastic event. Rog, his voice, his guitar, the band, the show, the video projection, the general atmosphere, and of course the playing of the full album THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, really great.

Since 1988 when I saw PINK FLOYD live at Mannheim/Germany/Maimarktgerlande the last time this has been a very great event for us, many thanks to Rog & Band and of course to Nick Mason and Snowy White (from Pink Floyd).

SHOW REVIEW

By Brain Damage contributor, Antoine

Amazing, said a fan after Pigs in Montreal, 1977 - so I said the same thing after the first part. C'est formidable!

I saw the Portugal show, and the show in Holland, but this one for Syd was better. The sound was super! Strong and comfortable.

The second and third part c'etait tres tres bien, beautiful... Great Gig - the song and the girl: a dream. The solo on Money - a good idea with two guitars. The end, very Comfortably...

After this and before David in Vienne, we hope for beautiful DVDs from this tour.

For Syd. Thanks Roger.

SHOW REVIEW

By Brain Damage contributor, Robert Wilson

Ever paid twelve quid for a pint? Easy done in gay Paris.

Friday 14th of July. Outside the Gare de Lyon, Paris. Bastille Day. 10 a.m. On that day, 217 years ago, the people of Paris stormed the local gaol and changed the country for ever. Luckily 14th July was already a national holiday so none of them missed their work.

It's said that on Bastille day Paris is the place to be, so it seemed a shame to be leaving but we had a far more pressing matter to attend to. Later that day Roger Waters was due to perform and he would do so about 150 miles South of the capital.

We had just scored some supplies for the journey and caught a bit of the air force fly over, which was impressive, albeit in an in-yer- face kind of way, before heading into the station and continuing our journey by train.

We had arrived in this beautiful city two days earlier. That part of the journey had been pretty straightforward, providing you find things like almost missing the flight, getting ripped off by Ryanair for wanting to take a guitar, a two hour delay because the cockpit door won't lock and then charging about crowded tube trains in an unfamiliar city, with fridge-sized rucksacks and a guitar, trying to find an elusive hotel straightforward. I do so I didn't anticipate any problems on this leg of the journey either. Indeed, it fell together nicely. We'd spent the previous two nights at lovely little hotel where the only concerns were having to share a bed with a pal and whether our refilling of the mini-bar water bottles from the tap would go unnoticed. During those two days we had our only extensive blether with a native. She overheard our West of Scotland accents and asked us which language we were speaking - in English. So we all got drunk on ridiculously over-priced lager.

We used the journey to Nevers to sample some more local beverages and were in fine spirits when we arrived. The concert itself was held at Magny-Cours formula one circuit, about fifteen miles from Nevers. As well as being Bastille day, it was also the first day of the three day Grand Prix meeting and the 100th anniversary of the competition.

We had no idea how we were going to get there so were delighted to find a bus waiting outside the station. A little more vin en route before being dropped off at the entrance to the circuit and the mood lifted yet further.

Not being a fan of motor car racing, I'd never been to a place like this before so I wasn't prepared for either the huge size of the complex or the unfeasibly loud racket made by the cars whining round, which eventually induced some mock fist wagging and "my man's on the night-shift" type shouting. Carrying luggage, gassed, in hot sunshine, for about two miles fair melts you. Eventually we pitched up and bounced into the gig.

The stage was set on the grass, with a seated area to the side, at a rather odd angle; glad we were standing. We arrived reasonably early and the area in front of the stage wasn't too busy so we found ourselves a nice wee spot on the grass and proceeded to get mashed and royally sunburnt.

Just as the support act, whom I've since found was Laurent Voulzy but had no idea at the time, came on stage, it started lashing down. To a backdrop of thunder and lightening he and his band ran through an excellent set, culminating in one of the longest medleys I've ever heard.

Roger came on stage to In The Flesh and I was immediately absorbed in the wall of sound created by the amazing rig. I salute the dedication to sound displayed by these guys. Every Pink Floyd, David Gilmour or Roger Waters concert I've been to has featured unbelievably good sound. Don't know how they manage it so consistently but they do.

The opening set featured the usual line up of Shine On, WYWH, etc. but I was surprised to hear Sheep. The song was performed beautifully and totally blew me away. Apparently Roger dedicated the evening to Syd's memory during the opening set but I missed it due to my terrible French. I actually left the gig wondering why he hadn't mentioned Syd.

We were also treated to a wonderful renditon of Perfect Sense.

The second part of the show was Dark Side Of The Moon, the whole of Dark Side Of The Moon and nothing but Dark Side Of The Moon. Nick Mason appeared on drums. And it was astounding. I love Dark Side Of The Moon. I must have listened to it as often as any other album in existence. I know every word. I know every little noise. It was reproduced perfectly. 45 minutes or so of absolute bliss. I've seen Dark Side Of The Moon performed live once before, at Earls Court during the Floyd 1994 tour. It was the best gig I'd ever seen at the time.

My initial thoughts are that this was even better but, as luck would have it, a DVD of that 1994 concert has just been released so I'll score it and check.

He finished with an encore including, predictably, Comfortably Numb as the finale, accompanied by huge flame throwers which toasted your face from ten rows or so back. Nick remained on stage till the end, knocking lumps out of the drums.

Ultimately, this gig is right up there with the best I've ever seen. At least top ten, possibly top three. Greetingood? Yes, greetingood; there were tears.

The rest of our trip threw up some fun too but I'll save that for later.

SHOW REVIEW

By Brain Damage contributors, Louis & Daniel Backer

Having staked out the best vantage point for six terribly hot and latterly, very wet hours, we were rewarded with another stunning show. The sound system was exemplarary, I counted 96 flown cabinets just on the front of the stage and that didn't include the surround system, hidden sub-bass, or the multiple quad-sound systems around the arena, it sound stupendously and trouser-flappingly good!

Sheep was magical - even more powerful than Rome - with Dave Kilminster extracting the highest and purest notes I've ever heard from any guitar. The musical tightness was even better than earlier shows and the band's energy and enthusiasm was delivered in spades. Roger's singing voice was in fine form, though he was (understandably) a little croaky on speech.

Graham Broad is a power station of a drummer and appears to be turning into Neil Peart (Rush) - Careful with those Floyd classics, Graham!!

During the long wait, I spoke to the English video director who said that the crew were having a great if tiring tour and that it hadn't been without its' hairy moments - I never forget these guys, they're the ones who make it happen.

A 1000 mile round trip, two nights in a fetid motel, baked in the heat, deafened beside the F1 race-track, hassled by a French security chappie for taking photo's - It was entirely worth it!

SHOW REVIEW

By Brain Damage contributor, Philippe Picavet

"I had a dream..." seeing Pink Floyd live! Well, last Friday it was not Pink Floyd for 100% but as I will see David Gilmour's show in Firenze in August, I will almost make my dream come true in seing the 4 members of the band in less than 1 month.

We drove from Belgium to Magny-Cours to see Roger Waters, Nick Mason and DSOM! on a summer evening with the stars shining in the french sky. There was a lot of emotion, Roger dedicated the show to Syd and gave so much energy and feelings throughout the show that this evening was very special.

The rhythm and sound given by his bass guitar was just perfect! Each song was perfomed by a band playing together very well and enjoying each moment with the audience.

The audience was a mix from all generations and each one couldn't fail to be impressed by the quality and performance with an excellent sound. The quadrophonic effects were very powerful and added to the magic of the moments!

The visual effects met expectations and each song had a dedicated light set and visuals. I was sometimes surprised by the extra "rock band "effect on some songs: Set The Controls For the Heart Of The Sun, Have A Cigar, Sheep, Another Brick In The Wall (Pt 2).

After two and a half hours of real emotion and pleasure we went back to the car and drove back to the hotel, full of images and a dream come true.

SHOW REVIEW

By Brain Damage contributor, Dave and his guilty part

Hearing first part in the car, thanks to the cops - we just heard Laurent Voulzy for a few minutes. On arriving at the site we had to spend 54 euros on 6 beers (more incredible than the show I think).

Waiting 5 minutes rolling a joint, and then "EIN ZWEI DREI..." fantastic beginning (payes tes frissons as we say in French), here is Rog, full of energy. It was incredible for us to see this authentic legend on stage in front of us; amazing version of "Set The Controls" (what a surprise to hear this old Floyd song) and first part going so fast so good, only one dark side during "Mother" - Dave's solo was interpreted by the girl (a little bit radio edit I think) and Rog beginning on "Shine" a little bit loud.

Second part: DSOTM. Fantastic. Each second of the show was magic, thanks for the travel Rog and what about Nick (the intro of Time!!!) and all his set was perfect - a legend too.

Encore was crazy with explosions, fire on stage and of course Comfortably Numb...

We'll never forget this show (for me the best I've ever seen really). Please come back as soon as possible.