Roger Waters: The Wall Live, Vancouver BC, May 26 2012

I’m not really one for “classic rock.” The genre is still alive and, in 2012, producing music that at some point in the farther future may well considered “classic;” it seems a bit early to be proclaiming music that will stand the test of time. Thirty years is not a long span; we’re still within the lifetime of three of the four musicians who comprised Pink Floyd when The Wall was released in 1979. One of them, Roger Waters, brought a crack band (with no other members of Pink Floyd) and a frankly astonishing stage production to Vancouver a few days ago for a show at BC Place, at which the entire album, originally two LPs, was performed.

In great physical and musical shape at 68—he sings and plays bass—Waters managed to humanize the whole heavy album; he was clearly having a great time. It’s been ages since I heard this music; I was sixteen when it was released, so it brought back a lot of memories. In general Floyd hasn’t aged as well for me as some of the other bands of the era, but there’s some great music here. I was always surprised that critics didn’t seem to notice how the album stood out from the rest of the band’s work: it is not only more musically varied than their three preceding releases, never mind the less conventional work that preceded those, but also has some really tuneful compositions: not just the hit “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2” (I prefer parts 1 and 3 myself), but “Mother,” “Hey You” (performed here behind a completed wall so the band was totally hidden), and “Comfortably Numb.” Not to mention a few good rock tunes, “In the Flesh,” “Young Lust” and “Run Like Hell.” And not all the rest is filler. Even “The Trial,” a sort of show tune, worked pretty well as Waters mimed and performed various voices.

The themes of the work have, by Waters’ own admission, been broadened from his own original alienation and dissatisfaction with superstardom, and there were a lot of effective and affecting themes of exploitation and commercialization depicted visually. The sets and visuals are breathtaking. It’s almost impossible to describe in words the scale or indeed the beauty of the sets and in particular the images and animations projected on the wall and on the screen behind it. For once, exorbitant ticket prices seemed justified: it must take an awful lot of people and effort and money to pull this off and cart it around the world.

The crowd seemed a bit less enthusiastic than I would have expected, especially given the quality of the show and performance. But one thing I found interesting was that in the age of the Internet the general population seems better informed than I believe they would have been twenty or thirty years ago: clearly everyone knows who Roger Waters is, while during Pink Floyd’s heyday it would only have been the hardcore fans—like me—who knew the members’ names. If this show returned (I missed it in 2010), I’d go see it again; and I can’t say that for many concerts. On the other hand, I’m not that much more likely to go back to this music regularly now. Even if I still had my vinyl copy from ’79 (sadly, lost in a divorce), I don’t have a record player. But I did call up a few of the tunes on YouTube in the days following the show. At any rate, thank you Roger and all involved for a great night.

Photos © 2012 Stella Regina

Piping Shrike Barossa Valley 2008 Shiraz

Clear, medium ruby red colour. Appealing medium intensity red fruit, black pepper, and oak aromas. Dry, medium-plus acidity and tannins, and medium body. Cherry, both red and black; raspberry; and again black pepper spiciness in the mouth. Almost-medium length. Pretty straightforward but appealing; overall good. 14% alcohol. $28 at Kits Wine Cellar (a gift from my father). Piping Shrike has no web site that I could easily find.

2008 Piping Shrike Shiraz

Layer Cake Shiraz 2010

In the glass this is clear, medium-plus ruby with hints of purple. Clean, medium intensity nose of plum, black cherry, and a bit of oak. Dry, medium acidity and low tannins; medium-plus body. Black cherry and spice are what appeal here but they are almost overpowered by a fairly strong medicinal quality. Good length but one-dimensional, and a bit of a sickly sweetness in the finish. Overall good, but not terribly enjoyable. 14.1% alcohol. Not good value for price at almost $34 (Crosstown). See Layer Cake Wines.

Layer Cake Shiraz 2010

 

Mt Billy Southern Fleurieu Circe 2005

Deep ruby red with a thin garnet rim. Appealing medium nose of black cherry, spice, and oak with some hints of sweetness. Dry, medium-plus acidity, and medium body. Medium level of soft but prominent tannins; the heat from the 14.5% alcohol is apparent and works well to bolster the flavours here. Which are black cherry, liquorice, and ripe plum, along with cedar and spice. Nice complexity; rich, powerful, deep. Good length with wood and pepper coming to the fore. Overall very good; recommended.

$35 at Kitsilano Wine Cellar. See Mt Billy Wines (warning: Flash site).

Mt Billy Southern Fleurieu Circe 2005

Emiliana Adobe Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Clear, pale lemon-gold appearance. Clean, medium intensity grapefruit, lemon, hints of ripe tropical fruits, and a touch of grassiness. Dry, high acidity, and medium body. Mainly citrus in the mouth, with some appealing floral-spice notes. Not much length. 13% alcohol. Overall good, especially at the price—just over $16 at Crosstown—though pretty straightforward. Cheap and cheerful, as they say; but it’s tempting to say that the flavours of this wine are more forward due to the organic production, as I find is often the case: I have to search out more organically produced wines.

See Emiliana Organic Vineyards.

Emiliana Adobe Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Blue Mountain Pinot Noir 2010

Clear, medium ruby red with a hint of purple. Clean, medium intensity nose of cherry and oak with some vegetal overtones: straightforward but appealing. Dry, medium-plus acidity, and light tannins; medium body. Cherry and sour cherry, some appealing wood notes, and spices. A medium length finish; not complex but nicely balanced. Overall good; recommended. 14% alcohol.

$30 at Crosstown. See Blue Mountain Winery (warning: some Flash).

Blue Mountain Pinot Noir 2010