TICKET SCAN TO GO HERE

Capacity: 2,007

Concert starts: 8pm

Address of venue: 842 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90014, United States. MAP

Website: www.laorpheum.com

COMMENTS

Due to the critical success of the four initial shows in May 2018, held in tiny venues in London's Camden and Putney, Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets announced a full European tour for September that year. The expanded shows for the full tour were even more highly acclaimed, and it came as no surprise when further dates for 2019 were announced. The insatiable demand for more dates, in more locations, has resulted in the band carrying on from where they left off, with shows for 2022 taking the music to new fans, as well as those who have already experienced the show, eager for more - particularly with the halt to concerts due to the Coronavirus pandemic!

Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets brings together some familiar names, all great musicians: joining Nick are Gary Kemp and Lee Harris on guitars, Guy Pratt on bass, and Dom Beken on keyboards. Kemp is best known for his work with Spandau Ballet, Harris as having played guitar with The Blockheads (Ian Dury's band), Pratt needs no introduction, and Beken is principally known for his work with The Orb, and Transit Kings (with Pratt). The band will be playing early Pink Floyd songs.

This is a unique opportunity to experience Pink Floyd's celebrated and significant early body of work played live including songs from albums 'The Piper At The Gates of Dawn' and 'A Saucerful Of Secrets'.

The regular sale of tickets started on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 5th, via Ticketmaster, and the venues themselves.

UPDATE, 28th December 2021: In a not overly surprising move, bearing in mind the current global situation with Covid-19 and the Omicron variant, which is spreading extremely fast, the January/February 2022 Saucerful Of Secrets tour of the US and Canada has now been postponed. Rescheduled dates for the Fall (Autumn) of 2022 will be announced, and ticket holders are advised to hold onto their original tickets and await further information from the venue and/or ticket company where they purchased their tickets.

UPDATE, 21 March 2022: The revised touring schedule has been announced, and this concert is one of the shows to have moved to a new date in the Fall of 2022. For rescheduled shows that will be taking place at the same venue, all previously purchased tickets will be valid for the new date. For all shows being moved to new venues, customers will be automatically refunded for their purchase and offered an exclusive presale opportunity for the new venue and date. Further information will be sent directly to the original ticket holders by email shortly, and for any additional ticketing inquiries, fans should reach out to their point of purchase.

WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD!

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

Show twenty-four of the North American tour, with just four more to follow, saw the band in Los Angeles, California for a show that we hear went down a storm with the audience, which included Julian Lennon and Stewart Copeland. Did you go to this show? Let us know!

The band now travel to Santa Barbara for the last of three back-to-back shows in California, where they are performing four shows in total.

CONCERT REVIEW by BD CONTRIBUTOR, Theatrice Westbrook

I had heard rumours that this would be called the “Echoes” tour, still not quite believing that that piece would be performed. As on the last tour, the band breathed fresh new life into not only the classic original, game-changing, pivotal Syd Barrett songs, but also the renowned classic (and some obscure) post-Barrett Pink Floyd tracks. This was my second experience with the band, the first in 2019 at The Wiltern Theater. I was excited for this namesake tour but had to deal with some hurdles first.

I purchased my ticket the day before the show. Due to a Ticketmaster site glitch (yes, them again, but on a much smaller scale), I ended up with two tickets instead of one and could not find anyone to attend with me. I contacted my bank later for a possible credit card refund, process is pending. As an ongoing precaution and with a recent exposure (negative!), I attended the show masked.

The show was at The Orpheum Theatre this time. The Orpheum is an amazing theater, among several historic landmark movie palaces in Downtown LA. My friend ushered at these theaters as a teenager. They became rundown in the ’70s and ’80s. We went to a couple of movies at my friend’s old theaters in the ‘80s. You could still see the grandeur as the rats raced across our feet. Eventually, through the efforts of the Los Angeles Conservancy, Bringing Back Broadway initiative, Broadway Theatre Group and the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation, several were refurbished as entertainment venues, in line with the revitalization (or in some spots gentrification) of downtown LA. The theater itself is a work of art.

Next hurdle, audience behaviour. My last concert emerging from the pandemic - the Eagles at The Forum - was quite an ordeal (pandemic, parking, the audience), though the show itself was excellent. Due to that experience I was a bit anxious about the crowd tonight. Luckily, no such drama this evening, and a much smaller venue. Overall, everyone was chill, with the exception of a few shouts here-and-there.

The stage was in the Floyd tradition in miniature, as on last tour. Much was already available for viewing online, but still cool to see in person. Every seat in this grand theater granted clear view of the stage, including Nick’s new DW drum set with the iconic Hokusai waves painted on, similar to the Ludwig set from the ‘70s; the giant gong; a large scrim backdrop with waves and Mt Fuji; and (visible from my balcony seat), the guitarists’ huge pedalboards, Guy enclosed by two. Images and lights were projected onto the scrim (3 sections), some reminiscent of the light shows of ’67. The double-bass drumheads were lit from inside and changed colors throughout the show.

After the taped sound effects which included wind, radio broadcasts and animals, “One of These Days” started the show off with a bang. I expected a perfunctory performance, yet was shockingly surprised. The light show was off the chain, of course, as the band exploded. Lee Harris was buzzsaw-sharp on lap steel, and continued to shred all night long. (Later during the band intros, Nick gave props and introduced Lee as the guy who’s idea it was to start this band.) Guy Pratt added extra dimension to the song when he extended the echo-bass interlude into something so tasty it reinformed the piece and set the mood for the whole evening. This unexpected treat upped the game.

Nick Mason appeared comfortable as the evening’s MC, in his so-British but just-short-of dead-pan humour, just as on last tour. (He’s really low-key funny!) He explained his gong-neglect during his Floyd tenure (later in the show); gave a shout-out to Syd, with some backstory on the older tunes, particularly the historical controversies of “Arnold Layne” and “Candy and A Currant Bun”; and highlighted the fact that no other bands -- including Pink Floyd, solo Floyds, nor any of the tribute bands -- have performed “Vegetable Man” live except this one (“The Saucers”). (Note: Pink Floyd did perform the song at the BBC in Dec 1967. Guy also noted later that of all live recordings of “One of These Days”, he and Nick have played on the majority, and two were at Pompeii, separately.)

Mason pounded that custom DW set. Always a joy to watch him execute his style, laid back in the groove, sometimes slightly behind the beat. Mason was truly into playing tonight, extending the pre-climax jam on “Set The Controls”, and stretching out the tom-toms intro before the “re-emergence chaos” on “Echoes.” The performance of “Set The Controls” was one of the best versions I have ever witnessed or heard, since its inception.

Gary Kemp was spot-on as lead singer and guitarist, switching up guitars on cue. His guitar skills are impressive. He also spoke of the dearth of Spandau Ballet T-shirts spotted in the audience, as well as the “Rockonteurs” podcast that he and Guy host. Kemp introduced Peter Medak from the stage, director of the film “The Krays” in which Kemp starred with his brother Martin. Guy Pratt continued to fill his role as band member, bass player extraordinaire, singer, onstage foil. He was really animated tonight (and per videos, throughout the tour), moving and jumping to the music. There was no negative heckling to his announcement of Pink Floyd’s support of Ukrainian Humanitarian Relief with the song “Hey Hey Rise Up” (as was reported at the Tulsa OK show). Guy mentioned that this was the limit of political talk tonight, and that no would have to ‘go off to the bar’ (poking some fun at Roger Waters’ current pre-show announcement.) He also added extra percussive instrumental touches as on last tour, along with a new one - bass pedals, which he used on “Echoes”, to my utter delight. (Shades of Mike Rutherford and John Paul Jones!)

Dom Beken added and expounded on Rick Wright atmospheres all night, at times signaling, at times knocking or shaking, and vibrating the whole theater. Sound overall was incredible. As on the last tour, “stereo only” - no iconic Pink Floyd quad-sound system. Yet the mix was quite effective up in the balcony. The theater has multi-channel speakers on the sides and rear walls, apparently only for movies. Sound was clean and clear. (I realized afterward that, in the balcony, we may not even have gotten the full bass effects.) Dom Beken asked and took a pic of the audience at the end of the show. These he posted onto Facebook from several shows.

I stayed behind for several minutes after the show to marvel at how quickly and proficiently the crew broke down the stage. Hats off to them.

Overall an excellent performance, the band on top of their game. Playing was confident, with several highlights throughout the evening. Dropped from the last tour were “Interstellar Overdrive”, “Green Is The Colour”, “Let There Be More Light”, “Point Me At The Sky”. Additions: “Candy and a Currant Bun”, “Burning Bridges”, and “Echoes”; this time around an intermission was added. A real throwback -- one for the Way-Back Machine, and a wish-come-true for many, I’m sure -- was to see “Atom Heart Mother” and “Echoes” in the same set after decades.

To hear audio only of the show could be a bit deceiving, as in reality it’s really a bunch of OG’s, “old dudes” throwin’ down hard onstage with much experience, and lots of energy and relish. The same energy was put forth as on last tour, except this was less of an experimental outing. Part resurrection, part nostalgia, part tribute and homage. This tour was a continuation of the last, in admirable respect to Syd, but also to the music with which the band had to reinvent itself after Syd’s tragic and untimely downfall. Had it not been for Ticketmaster’s screw up - and not excusing that glitch nor their current controversy - this show would have been worth the price I paid for both those tickets.

Other highlights:

• “Arnold Layne” - Starting off the show with some of the original tracks. The band jumped right in; Guy added The Who’s “5:15” riff mid-song while jamming with Lee. Pop-y song with clever, creepy lyrics, indeed. Mainstream 1967 wasn’t quite ready for that…
• “Obscured By Clouds” / “When You’re In” - As on last tour, shortened version. Dom Beken was on it, the intro was spot-on. This abbreviated live version is still effective, as it was in 2019. Clouds were projected onto the rear scrim. My seat neighbor, who said he was unfamiliar with much Floyd music and was dragged to the show by his friend, liked this one.
• “Candy and A Currant Bun” - Song is a perfect example of 1967 psychedelia, the epitome of ’67. High controversy surrounded the song. Nick Mason stretched out his “vocal debut” (”Drive me wild”) with stutters and echo. Nice ‘60s-style jam in the middle. Not much audience response to the line (and original title), “Let’s roll another one!” Shows you had to be in deep to know the history of this song. (Though an old fan, I didn’t know all the particulars.) My seat neighbor dug this one, too.
• “If / “Atom Heart Mother” / “If” (Reprise) - Those familiar with the setlist knew what was coming, but first Gary’s fingerpicking and singing were flawless, with Guy’s accompaniment, on “If.” Then Gary whipped his Strat out, segueing into a hammering AHM, a total joy to behold. (Tasty acoustic was also added to AHM. Kemp’s fingerpicking fit those passages like the proverbial glove, classical, jazzy smooth and slightly funky.) The synth voice choir movement was spellbinding. For anyone wondering what the Floyd sounded like in 1970, this abbreviated medley could serve as the perfect sampler.
• “Astronomy Domine” - A particularly tight, powerful version, with excellent lighting. Played with ass-kicking authority.
• “Childhood’s End” - Sounded like slightly slower tempo than on last tour, which makes it much more effective. This song was played flawless and with conviction, my favourite from that particular LP.
• …. a sonar ping as 3 graph-lined globes appeared on the blackened rear scrims. With each of 3 pings, the globes enlarged. I told my seat neighbor, “This is going to be a long one.”
• “Echoes” - Finally. Witnessing a Pink Floyd member perform this song. Magnificent. Never thought “Echoes” would be performed ever again, nor would I see it. (Missed Gilmour in 2006.) I was singing through my pesky mask, as I did throughout the Eagles concert last year.
• Lee did the “seagulls” sounds holding his gold-colored Strat up horizontally and twisting a knob (as seen online.) Unclear if he actually used Gilmour’s method to achieve the effect, but this was very dramatic. Along with Nick’s extra motivation and drive, and leadership, and Guy’s addition on bass pedals, a tour-de-force for sure. The song went out as it began, yet in reverse, diminishing sonar pings and shrinking globes, into darkness. Bravo.
• “A Saucerful of Secrets” - The opening “Something Else / Syncopated Pandemonium” may have been a bit shorter tonite than on last tour. Roadie brought out a cymbal briefly to the edge of Nick’s drum riser, Guy took 3 hits then it was whisked away. (Must’ve been a ‘tribute’ moment.) Keys were on fire. Gary ended with the guitar solo, as on last tour. A fitting way to end the concert, as my bias would have it. “Bike” actually ended the show, on a high note.

After two years’ delay, multiple rescheduling and cancellations due to worldwide pandemic and armed conflict, the tour finally rolled on. What next for the group? One interviewer posed to Nick the idea of “Eclipse”, pre-DSOTM release 1972 versions being performed. Nick expressed curiosity and interest. Though a loophole and sounding very interesting, this would basically kill the raison d’être of the band, wouldn’t it? Debatable. Remains to be seen.

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