Capacity: 15,000

Concert starts: 9pm

Address of venue: Piazza Brà 1, Verona 37121, Italy. MAP

Website: www.arena.it

COMMENTS

David's 2015 tour of Europe moves from one amphitheatre to another, as it arrives in Italy for the first of two shows in the country. The Arena di Verona is another fascinating looking venue for a concert, and we are sure those of you going will have a great time!

The Arena was built in the 1st century (so, almost as old as the Arena Pula which David is visiting two days prior), is still in use today and is internationally famous for the large-scale opera performances given there.

Tickets went on sale Friday, March 6th at 10am UK time, and the DavidGilmourblog.co.uk presale started Wednesday, March 4th for those quick off the mark. For the main sale of tickets, you can use this link: Ticketone.it although please be aware that demand is incredibly high so you might need to be patient and keep retrying, as they seem to be adding tickets for sale progressively.

Our thanks to Mike Ford for sending in the picture of his ticket, which you can see to the right.

The concert promises to be a very special night, in a very special location. The question uppermost on many minds is will we see a change to the setlist tonight? We've had a number of people asking our views on this, but we still think (not that know anything definitive about this) that once the album is out, which is Friday, across the world, the set will change, moving some songs around and maybe including some which are yet to be performed. We shall see...

In the meantime, with much thanks to Riccardo Tripli, here's a shot (click the thumbnail to the left) of how the Arena is shaping up with the stage, on the afternoon of the show...

WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD!

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

Show two of the tour, and the second open air concert; threats of thunder and lightning died down, with the storm of yesterday replaced with perfect conditions. The crowd were reportedly incredible throughout, from the Mexican wave before the show, to the hugely enthused reaction to the entire set, old and new.

The crowd were treated to a set which was unchanged from Brighton and Pula, and as we noted before, we suspect the set will change once the album itself is released and in fans' hands.

We'd love to know how the concert went. Did you go? Let us know what YOU thought!

CONCERT REVIEW by BD CONTRIBUTOR, RAFFAELLA MEZZANZANICA
Yesterday's concert was what I had been waiting for the last 21 years!

I was born in 1974 and, since I was born, I have only been listening to Pink Floyd. My father has taught me that there's only one way to listen to Pink Floyd: in a dark room with your headphones on!

I was lucky enough to attend the last Pink Floyd concert in Turin in 1994 (I still have my ticket), unfortunately the only one for me, but it was such an experience that I still have clear memories of it. When I heard that Mr. Gilmour was planning to go on tour in Europe I told myself I have to be there, no matter what.

I was lucky enough to find my ticket and, on Sunday, my brother and I drove from Milan to Verona. On Sunday night the weather was horrible and I was praying that the day after nothing would happen; everything had to be just perfect.

And it was!!!

I even had the chance to see David arrival at the Arena around 5p.m and to hear them soundcheck Rattle That Lock from the outside while waiting to go inside.

There were people of all ages and they were all excited!

The setlist was a good mix of "classic" Pink Floyd songs and the songs from the new album (from 5AM to Wish You Were Here, from Rattle That Lock to Run Like Hell, Time, Breathe, Astronomy Domine). The stage and the lights were absolutely fantastic.

I like the 'gentle' way and the respect Mr. Gilmour uses while playing his guitar.

Outside the Arena there were thousands of people who couldn't get the ticket but who wanted to be there...

This morning I bought all the newspapers and I was shocked when I found out that on most of them only few words were spent on that amazing event.

If I might I suggest an article written by Giulio Brusati, a journalist of Verona local newspaper 'Lâ Arena'. The article, published today, is titled "Gilmour conquered everyone. At the Arena he unlocked everyone's heart". It is written with the respect which is due to such an artist.

It was an AMAZING, PERFECT NIGHT!!! And David Gilmour is a real SOUND MASTER!!!

You're gonna have the time of your life if you are seeing him live: believe me!!!

CONCERT PICTURES by BD CONTRIBUTOR, ALBERTO DURGANTE (Heyou, Floydseum)

CONCERT REVIEW by BD CONTRIBUTOR, DAVID GAYLOR
On our last trip to Venice in 2006 to see David Gilmour my wife and I endured a postponed concert and torrential rain. Monday afternoon in Verona found us blessed with bright sunshine.

After enjoying the most delicious gelato from Pretto gelateria (Piazza delle Erb), we returned to the ancient Arena.

A large good-natured crowd had been steadily growing since early in the day awaiting the opening of the gates to enter the Arena.

With the knowledge that reserved premium seats were awaiting us we could stroll around the periphery and enjoy the atmosphere of anticipation rather than wait in line with those who were eager to bag the best view from the higher tiers of the Arena steps.

As the afternoon wore on the first sound check could be heard starting. From our comfortable hotel room the delightful Giulietta e Romeo Hotel (super friendly staff and only 89 steps from the venue), we opened the windows wide to catch the familiar and unfamiliar sounds which promised much for later that evening.

It was such a treat to walk to the Arena and join the queue of those waiting for entrance. It was a cosmopolitan crowd and French, German and British accents could be heard in addition to the Italians.

Entry was swift although it was a little surprising that the security check for handbags was absent. There was the usual crush for those wishing to purchase t-shirts and memorabilia but staff were well organised in showing those with reserved seating to their seats. We were in row 10, probably amongst the best seating of the venue.

Waiting for the show to start and keeping an anxious eye on the weather we were kept entertained by the audience's determination to take photographs of themselves and each other with the stage backdrop and by the determination of the staff to not permit those without the correct ticket to venture near to the stage.

Keeping to time the band arrived on stage and to howls of "Davide" from the enthusiastic audience the show began.

It was an excellent polished performance full of power, emotion and drama and the crowd listened respectfully and intently to the new Rattle That Lock material before whooping at the familiar sounds of the old but with all songs being met with wild enthusiasm.

The accompanying videos and light show ensured that the stage was visually as well as musically exciting. The audience were as appreciative from the start to the end. It was a truly magical highly charged atmosphere.

Two of the new tracks "Faces of Stone" and "In Any Tongue" were absolutely stunning and are destined to become crowd favourites. David and the band appeared to thoroughly enjoy the show and his guitar playing pierced the night air with his performance being one of his best.

It was a wonderful show in the most magnificent of settings and certainly one of our most memorable concerts. The proximity of the hotel to the venue was a huge bonus, not forgetting that ice-cream! If you get the chance, check out this venue for music, it is brilliant.

CONCERT REVIEW by BD CONTRIBUTOR, BRION HOKE
My name is Brion Hoke and I was lucky enough to see the David Gilmour show three times. Once in Pula, Croatia, in Verona, Italy and in Orange, France.

It was quite a journey. To make a long story a little shorter - I flew from Detroit to Amsterdam then to Venice. I rented an Alfa Romeo and drove through Slovenia and into Croatia. I arrived in Pula around 4 the day of the show - September 12th.

It was a sunny day and the coast of the Adriatic in Croatia is really nice. Before I left I had met Damir Barisic on Facebook. I had a ticket for the show in Pula that I bought from some ass that sold it for $300. It was a general admission ticket. Damir had promised to sell me a ticket for the show in France for face value. He had purchased several knowing that so many people are out to make big bucks. He had it in mind to sell the tickets at a fair price to real fans. Not only did Damir come through with a ticket for the show in France - when he saw my general admission ticket for the show in Pula - he pulled out a 20th row ticket and said with a smile, "you are sitting with us." The venue was amazing. As I entered the ancient stadium I saw David Gilmour giving an interview that I later saw. In it he said, "I wanted to give fans a night to remember and the venue really adds to the memory." There is no doubt about that =- it was a show that I will never forget. The people of Pula were amazingly nice as well. Thanks Bojan Sumonja for the great artwork and for a nice conversation.

After the show in Pula I drove to Verona. I did not have a ticket for the show in Verona but I was not deterred. I walking around beautiful Verona for hours with one finger in the air and repeatedly said, "I just need one!" It was a few hours but finally Rafael Ortega from Oregon and a Nike Football rep saw me with that one finger in the air. He came up to me and said, "I have been watching you for the past hour and my wife did not come on the trip. I have an extra ticket, do you want it for 60 Euro?" The sound was amazing - I felt like I could dive into a pool of sound. The band was really hitting its stride. They seemed to really have a great time together on stage. I really enjoyed the new videos that accompanied The Girl in the Yellow Dress, Rattle that Lock and In any Tongue.

I then drove to Florence. The show in Florence was help at an old racetrack. This was not really a very special venue and it was very close to Rome. The street prices were 300-1,000 Euro so I decided to skip this show and get some sleep.

I then ran into a problem. I stopped in Pisa for a few photos of the Leaning Tower and the Keith Haring piece there. I parked for a short time in a public lot. My car was broken into and my luggage was stolen. Luckily I had my passport, my cash, and my ticket for the show in Orange. I have the clothes on my back, a broken window and a seven hour drive.

The show in Orange was the best of the three because it was so intimate. I sat on a stone slab with some German guys, a couple from Grenoble, France. With no videos, the show was about the music and that made it even more intimate for me.

I was so lucky to see these shows. I truly love 5 AM - I listen to it every morning and it says to me - Just have a great day! I am 48 and The Boat Lies Waiting also forces me to look at my own mortality. It surely is a beautiful song.

YOUR HELP NEEDED! We want to cover David's concerts the best we can, to share the experience with everyone, especially those who won't be able to attend the shows. We'd love to see ANY pictures, tickets scans, reviews, newspaper reports, and anything else you come across for this show - we look forward to hearing from you!