Stadio Olimpico

Ticket scan - thanks to Sara

Capacity: 24,000
Concert starts: 9:30pm

Address of venue: Stadio Olimpico, Via Foro Italico, 00194 Rome, Italy. MAP

(Stadium) Website: www.asromacalcio.it/

Roger's show reached Rome last night, and was well received by those present. The set list certainly seems to have stabilised, but it looks like the wheel of fire didn't make a return. As yet, it appears that it has been used only at the Arrow Rock Festival - it was tried out before the show at Lisbon, but reportedly showered the backstage area with burning petrol... which isn't really ideal!

The show now moves to Greece, playing at Terra Vibe Park near Athens. If you are going, have a great time!

All photos on this page from the Rome show courtesy of Charles Marsh. Click on each thumbnail to launch full size picture.

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Charles Marsh

9.30pm on the dot and off starts the genius of Pink Floyd with IN THE FLESH! Wow, what a concert, what a band.

I saw Roger in Wembley Arena 4 years ago but last Friday's experience was unique. The sound was out of this world! You could hear sound effects coming from everywhere. Highlights for sound effects were surely Sheep, On The Run, Happiest Days Of Our Lives and Money. The projections - many new - complimented the show. The fire on In The Flesh and Comfortably Numb also added to an excellent visual show!

The band was great and Dave Kilminster showed everyone that he is one of the greatest Guitarists of our time. Ian Ritchie was also superb on the sax as was PP Arnold on Perfect Sense. She sang really from the bottom of her heart! Well, all the others did a great job too. The audience, mainly Italian, was great. They sang to most of the songs and showed that Waters has a huge fan base in Italy.

And what about the King himself? Well, Roger was really cool, relaxed, and as usual very much near to perfection! He spoke a few times and moved the audience in the intro of the new version of Leaving Beirut. This is a bit different to the demo version which was released, mainly due to the new guitar solos by Snowy White.

Musical highlights were Set The Controls, Sheep and Perfect Sense, though I have to say that there wasn't one single song which I did not like the way it was interpreted.

The show ran until 20 minutes after midnight, and all those who I managed to speak to after the concert had the same feeling as me. Waters still rocks and he still makes PERFECT SENSE!

Can't wait to see him again in Malta on the 10th July!

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Massimo Varrone

Rome was my first Waters gig, and what a blast it was. I'm a big fan, so I'm bit partial, but my girlfriend was there too, she's not an avid floydian fan like me but she was blown away also, so if you don't have a ticket for the upcoming show, I suggest to get one asap!

I watched Gilmour and Co. almost 10 years ago in Turin, was a great show but I felt it a bit cold, detached. Roger now is full of energy, he is clearly happy to be on stage again and the audience feels it.

The sound of the show is awesome, truly a powerful and unique experience. It's like listening to a classical concert, but with electric amplification!

Visually The Fletcher Memorial Home and Leaving Beirut are really moving, especially the latter with the beatiful comic strip.

There isn't a gargantuan laser and lights show like with the other Floyds, but it's still good enough to open the mind of a more casual audience.

There was a couple of minor problem with guitars, readily solved. Have a Cigar, Control for the hearth and Sheep were great, ideal songs to be performed live. All DSOTM went flawless with the amazing female singer and a great performance of On the Run. I've never saw or heard a better version of Another Brick in the Wall, with all the people singing and jumping, full of energy and passion.

A concert that, like good sex, leaves you wanting for more.

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Louis Backer

My friend Chris and I couldn't believe our luck in getting such good seats in the VIP section, simply by taking pot luck through the Italian ticket agency. We were rewarded with an outstanding show.

The band looked fresh and bounded onto stage, to tumultuous and energetic applause from the Italian audience.

The audio system of choice was an L-Acoustics V-DOSC vertical array, with three surround towers. It sounded beautifully clear and with some surprising dynamics, particularly during "On the Run" - simply stunning. The video visuals were superb and suitably complementary to the music. The lighting was as with David Gilmour's current tour show, well thought out and not over-done. As you will see from the pictures, some great pyrotechnics also.

One highlight without doubt was "Have a Cigar", with very powerful vocals from Roger, complemented by some very tight and complex playing from the rest of the band. "Sheep" likewise was outstanding, with some perfectly timed reverse vocal effects leading into Roger's lines. It was a real treat to see and hear these rarely live-aired classics.

Roger and the band were all smiles throughout and looked as if they were having a real ball, spurred on by a constantly adulating and enthusiastic Italian crowd.

Now looking forward to Hyde Park and Magny-Cours, with great enthusiasm!

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Greg Dmochowski

This was the fifth time I've seen Roger (first on this tour) and it was by far the best concert I have attended. Having travelled from canada and all the craziness of travelling around has surely added to the experience for me. I was impressed with my ability to refrain from checking the setlists from previous shows so i am not sure if there are any new additions. Random thoughts on the songs:

Set The Controls had an awesome jam. The soprano sax (featured a few times during the show) was great to hear.

Fletchers was awesome to hear - Snowy White ripped a wicked solo on this (one of the few that Snowy did much to my disappointment)

I enjoyed the new song a lot more than I would have thought. But I'm a sucker for songs in 6/8. I'm sure much has been said about the lyrics etc so I'll spare you that.

Sheep! Oh wow. What a treat to have seen this. Surreal to hear Roger belting these lyrics.

Great Gig: the female singer (not PP Arnold or Katie Kissoon) absolutely rocked. I was very, very impressed with her performance especially after hearing some less than stellar versions from the David Gilmour tour.

  

The whole Dark Side set flew by in a blink of the eye. The only thing that I wish was different would be more Snowy on the lead guitar and Andy Fairweather-Low as well. Those two guys are magnificent guitar players and it was a shame they didnt rock out. And it was also slightly too bad that there was not much jamming or difference in the solos. I wonder if Roger make a point of telling them to stick to David's stuff. But having said that, the entire show was just surreal for me.

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Rob Shorrick

Was in Rome last night for the Roger Waters gig.

The gig was very professional, excellent sound and very good band. Can’t name all of the band members but the female guitarist (name unknown to me) took the Gilmour lines from key numbers very well.

I thought it was a deliberate and possibly respectful decision that the guitar lead on ‘Shine On’ was not played, but the track went virtually straight into the vocal. Sheep was great (haven’t seen that since ’77 on the Animals tour).

 

One question I do have was about the production. The show was an arena size show, put on in the first third of the Olympic Stadium. I would guess around 15,000 there. Lighting was good, but not fantastic. Most of the films were from very old Floyd tours (probably original Dark Side stuff etc). There were no lasers! Having expected a dramatic visual show, was slightly disappointed by this.

However, very good, worthwhile going – he’s still a professional.

SHOW REVIEW

By BD contributor, Sergio Lombardi

The Stadio Olimpico (Curva Sud) was sold out, filled with a huge crowd supporting Roger Waters. I’ve attended the Rome show in the V.I.P. area, where U.S. actresses Rosanna and Patricia Arquette and Italian Prog singer Sofia Baccini could be spotted.

Great expectations from everyone in the audience, which supported with great warmth every moment of the show.

Roger was in a great shape and in a good mood. This show is rather challenging for anybody on the stage!

Since a Pink Floyd reunion is rumoured everyday, here is my opinion: as from Roger’s side, I see no great peace signals to David Gilmour. I am sure the choice of “In the Flesh” as opener it is not random (its lyrics say: “Pink isn't well, he stayed back at the hotel And they sent us along as a SURROGATE BAND We're gonna find out where you fans really stand”). To continue, the footage on “Set the Controls” displays some old Floyd clips with Syd and WITHOUT David. Not to mention SOYCD rendition, where guitar solo in pt. 1 before Syd’s theme has been CUT.

We loved the setlist, a pity “The Gunner’s Dream” is not performed anymore.

During the “Dark Side” performance, the Moon was the link between songs, so you had a green moon before “Money”, a red moon, a yellow moon and so on…

About the clips: I noticed that Roger showed the original clips from 70’s shows, such as the footage from Crystal Voyager on “Great Gig in the Sky”. Unfortunately, the clips have not been restored since then, so in my opinion their low-res and poor colours do not hit the audience properly. I did not like the “Time” clip, showing how to make and smoke a joint. In some vintage clip the super-villain George W. Bush was inserted. Anyway, the new clips where touching (Leaving Beirut), or awesome (Perfect Sense).

The Band has been great! The guitarists have played Gilmour’s solos in faithful renditions, except Comfortably Numb final solo, played by Dave Kilminster close to original, interluded with Snowy White improvising. Jon Carin was so busy with his keys and string instruments, that he missed a synth solo on “Any Colour You Like”.

Apart this, everybody has been faultless. You could only say there was very few jamming, but I think this is due to Roger’s direction, guessing the audience wanted to hear the classics in the original versions.

Since similar experiences are unconsciously compared, after this fantastic concert my mind ran to the unforgettable Pink Floyd dates in Rome on 1988 and 1994. From multimedia side, Pink Floyd’s light show and videoclips have a superior impact. About musical contents, I can say that notwithstanding David’s voice and guitar are very hard to replace, Roger’s show rendered a Pink Floyd vision very strong and complete, touching deeply hearts and minds of Roman audience, which will not forget easily that Friday night!