REVIEWS
The Camera Eye: Entering the Age of DVD
See exclusive photos from Gilmour's Meltdown 2001 show
RoIO Review
Gilmour's Meltdown 2001
David Gilmour
June 22, 2001
Royal Festival Hall, London
This issue finds RoIO Reviewer Gerhard den Hollander being joined by yet another new review partner, Phillipe van Roy. When Sean Zloch chose to step down from his RoIO Review role, Phillipe was kind enough to step in on short notice and share his views on the Meltdown RoIO with Gerhard and the rest of the world.
Phillipe: Last spring's announcement that David Gilmour would be performing at the Meltdown festival in June intrigued a lot of Floyd fans. It had been 7 years since he had played a full live set, and more than 10 years since his last long solo gig.
Many people from around the world, including myself, bought a ticket online and went to see something special. They weren't disappointed: Gilmour surprised everyone when he played a mostly 'unplugged' set. In my opinion this was the single gutsiest live show in Floyd history. Granted, the Wall shows were probably the most ambitious and artistically successful shows, but those shows were put on with the help of a big backing band and a huge stage crew. This, on the other hand, is just the opposite: one man, his guitar, and his acoustic backing band, stripped of all the usual electronic effects. In short, this was probably the most unique show in Floyd history!
Gerhard: I agree, so far. Put David Gilmour in an intimate location (and compared to the 60,000+ venues of the 1994 tour, London's Royal Festival Hall can be considered an intimate venue), give the man an acoustic guitar and a good backing band, and you get a wonderful, intimate show.
But put said show on a RoIO, and what do you get?
To me, what you get is 15 degrees of utter boredom. Not many electric rock songs lend themselves to an acoustic treatment, and not many electric rock heroes are capable of pulling off an all-acoustic (or almost all-acoustic) show.
The question the listener is asked when being presented with the Meltdown ROIO then is, is the music of Pink Floyd suitable for an acoustic treatment, and the answer is a clear (and unplugged) no.
The music of Pink Floyd is layers of sound laid on top of each other, combining to create a bigger whole. Strip away the layers and you are left with nothing.
Phillipe: Frankly, this recording doesn't do the show justice. When compared to the near-perfect audience recordings of Roger's 'In the Flesh' shows, it doesn't hold up to most present-day RoIOs. This was not due to a lack of tapers, but to the lack of a volume in the hall. It becomes extra clear when the audience is making some noise, which, if you're not careful can make your ears bleed. :-)
The show starts exactly with that noise from the crowd, which is all too happy to see David back on stage. He then starts playing his acoustic guitar and at this point it isn't yet clear whether he's actually playing a song or just tuning his guitar. This changes when he starts making use of his echo pedal creating a nice effect and a vaguely familiar sound: the opening strains of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". At the concert, this was roughly what I was thinking at this moment: "Wait a minute, this isn't..., is it? No, it can't be .... or can it? YES IT CAN!!!" About 5 or 6 seconds after I thought that, the rest of the audience had the same epiphany, which can clearly be heard here. This moment still gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it.
It still amazes me today that Gilmour did a version of this grandiose song with just his guitar and an effect pedal and even makes it work!
Gerhard: But from the first notes of Syd's Theme it is clear that the melancholy and longing from the electric original are lost in the acoustic version.
Phillipe: I thought the vocals were very beautiful: more mellow than on most versions, which makes it even more melancholy. It almost sounds as if he's singing to Syd himself. The return of Dick Parry at the end is also a very pleasant surprise: this man knows exactly how to create the perfect mood for these songs.
Gerhard: Next up is part 2 of the Syd Barrett tribute, "Terrapin". I find it difficult to say something negative about anyone performing a Syd Barrett tune as homage to Syd Barrett (with the exception of the horrible Use of Ashtrays that were the opening act for Porcupine Tree all those years ago) so I won't.
Phillipe: While I do enjoy the symbolism, I have to admit that I'm not a big Barrett fan. So while this true-to-the-original version is nice, it's not one of the highlights of this show.
The next song, however, most definitely is. Back in June when he started playing this I was lucky that I was sitting down, otherwise I might have fallen over. :-) Pretty mindboggling that he played "Fat Old Sun" almost 30 years after its last live performance. I was in tears at the Festival Hall because I was fortunate to witness this piece of beauty. Although this version isn't as long or dynamic as the live versions from '70-'71 it is nonetheless very sweet, with a very nice, laid back, summery feeling to it.
Gerhard: This song used to really come to life (no pun intended) during the live shows, and that mainly because of the excellent instrumental break/extended jam in the middle. Reduced to its acoustic self, the song is about as entertaining as the studio version: that is, not at all.
Phillipe: The tune also introduces David's band: a 9-piece choir, an unknown 2nd guitarist (Neil MacColl) and drummer (Nick France), and two familiar faces: Michael Kamen on piano, and Chucho Merchan on upright contrabass, known from his work with Gilmour in Pete Townshend's band Deep End back in 1985. The backing choir is an especially nice addition to this group, giving a nice, warm feeling to the overall sound.
This is very well demonstrated in "Coming Back To Life", as the choir takes over the role of the synths in the intro beautifully. Gilmour is also in good form, playing the opening solo on his acoustic guitar unlike the 1994 live versions. I've always thought this was one of the most underrated Floyd songs so I was very happy to hear this, mainly because it's such an emotional song.
Gerhard: I've never liked this song, and I like it even less now.
Phillipe: Dave does screw up one of the lyrics in the early goings, but then again, it wouldn't be a Gilmour show without a wrong lyric here and there, would it? :-) This is also the only part in the show where the audience starts clapping along. Fortunately, this would be the only time.
Next is one of the absolute highlights of the evening: "High Hopes". This is arguably the best Waterless Floyd song, and one of the best from their entire career.
Gerhard: But this version is semi-electric, and more or less proves my point that Pink Floyd unplugged is simply not possible.
Phillipe: I felt that this version was quite stripped-down. The part of the orchestra is played here not only by the choir and Kamen's clarinet, but also by cello-player Caroline Dale, who does an absolutely marvelous job. As a result, the atmosphere of this song is quite novel. The ending solo, played on a tiny lap steel guitar, is also a delight.
Gerhard: I'm with you there. The slide guitar at the end saves this song, and provides (for the RoIO listener, at least) the first highlight of the disk.
Phillipe: Another highlight--one of the things that caught a lot of attention from fans--is the interplay between Dave and the audience between songs. An example: at this point Dave tells an anecdote from the last time he played in the Festival Hall, in 1969 (!) when he was almost electrocuted. Could someone please check their copy of Harvested's 'The Massed Gadgets Of Auximenes' to find when this happened exactly? :-)
Another comes a bit later, when an audience member shouts, "When's the next Floyd album?" "Who gives a f*ck?", Dave shoots right back. With this line I finally realised and accepted the fact that there indeed won't be a new Floyd album. At first this was a bit hard to swallow, but after I while I grew to accept and even appreciate it: now I can finally get on with my life without "waiting for Godot" anymore, and I was quite relieved about that. That is, until Gilmour's second show in London last January when he announced "High Hopes" with the words: "This is from the last Pink Floyd album (pause) ... (with a huge grin on his face) so far."(huge roar of applause from the audience).
The strangest song of the show is definitely "Je Crois Entendre Encore", a song from an opera by Bizet called The Pearl Fisher. I had never heard this before, but it's one of my favorite songs now. Absolutely beautiful! Who would ever have thought we would have Dave singing French opera songs? This song also shows that his voice was very fragile for this show: although he was able to reach the high notes, his singing lacks quite a bit of power. I couldn't imagine him singing/screaming old classics like "Time" and "Money", and most certainly not "Run Like Hell". So a new, full-blown Floyd tour seems less and less likely.
Another reason for that is that there aren't any new songs ready. The only new song of this show, "Smile", is most definitely not a 'Floyd' song. It's simply a much too personal song and too mellow.
Gerhard: Even though I've played this disk at least a dozen times during the writing of (and preparation for) of this review, neither "Je Crois Entendre Encore" nor "Smile" has managed to latch onto my synapses and leave any lasting impression on me.
Phillipe: Oh, I don't know. "Smile" is very nice as a DG solo song, though I would rather have had "Murder" or "You Know I'm Right".
Maybe another reason why "Smile" doesn't come off that well is because it's wedged between two stunningly beautiful songs. After "Je Crois Entendre Encore" we now get "Wish You Were Here", and although this is certainly the least 'different' version of all the songs on this show it does show that this is one of the best songs ever written by anybody. And this arrangement is just perfect.
Gerhard: It is more or less the same as usual... but less so.
Phillipe: Maybe I just appreciate this even more now because I have to listen to an awful commercial radio station at work. It plays the mediocre Wyclef Jean cover three to four times a day. At first I thought that cover wasn't that bad, but now I notice how Wyclef Jean was able to completely cut away all the emotion from it.
This Meltdown version, on the other hand, is pure bliss.
Gerhard: "Comfortably Numb" with guest vocals by Robert Wyatt is once again more or less electric. A passable version, but nowhere near the moment of guitar glory it can be.
Phillipe: The heavy mood in the 'Roger' verses isn't created by an orchestra or heavy guitar, but just by piano and cello. Strange also because Robert Wyatt (who should get a medal for being able to persuade Gilmour to perform for this show) does the vocals in a most-unorthodox way. What surprises me is that Wyatt doesn't sound like he's that familiar with the song (he also had to peek at a lyric sheet when performing this). Nevertheless, his singing makes it a very dark and interesting version, and Gilmour's verses come as a real relief to hear. No one can sing this part like David.
Another strange factor is that the band has to continue playing a few bars after the vocals end so Dave can switch from his acoustic to his electric guitar to play the solos. This is another sign that the David Gilmour of today not necessarily interested in playing the perfect show anymore. Unfortunately the solos are disappointing: much too short and lacking all the power we're used of him. That was one of the only disappointments in this show.
"This song has got nothing whatsoever to do with me except that I like it". That's how he introduces Richard Thompson's "The Dimming Of The Day", and it sums it up well: a very nice song and something that you wouldn't immediately expect from Gilmour. But it fits in great with the rest of the setlist. Dave again shows that can sing very emotionally when he wants to.
Gerhard: "The Dimming of the Day" is also the dimming of my listening pleasure. And it does fit in with the rest of the show. The remainder of this disc is more or less an indistinguishable sea of acoustic guitar playing with some singing. Looking at the track list, I should have heard "Shine On part II", "A Great Day for Freedom", and "Hushabye Mountain". So be it.
The recording left me severly underwhelmed.
Phillipe: Oh, no you don't! The second portion of "Shine On" begins with a wind sound effect (not created by tape or synth, but by a barrel-like object being turned around by the drummer). When I first heard this I thought, What? How on earth is he going to be able to perform "One Of This Days" with this band?!? But I soon discovered my error. This was even better! Gilmour does give us a nice taste of his guitar power in this piece. Very nice how he also plays the synth part of the solo in the intro.
And the duet with the cello after that is marvelous as well: you can't really notice when Dave lays down his miniature lap steel guitar and straps on his 'normal' guitar. The vocals are the exact opposite from the beginning of the show: now in full force, with the choir backing him up also. The song again ends with a beautiful Dick Parry sax solo.
After a few minutes we get the encores. I agree with Gerhard here: "A Great Day For Freedom" is a bit of a disappointment. On The Division Bell this song is mainly just a prelude to a beautiful, screaming guitar solo. But as in "Comfortably Numb", the solo here is a bit lackluster. On the other hand, the choir once again does a great job on recreating the synthesizer sounds. But I would much rather have had "On The Turning Away", which would also have fit nicely into this setlist.
The show ends with "Hushabye Mountain", a brief, lovely lullaby. Again, something you wouldn't expect, but on this show it works as a very nice way of saying goodnight, which Dave exactly does at the end.
Gerhard: I still think that the music of Pink Floyd is simply not suitable for an acoustic treatment. Like I said earlier, not many rock heroes are capable of pulling off an acoustic show. Case in point: MTV unplugged. Some of the worst music of the nineties was the acoustic renditions of classic rock anthems.
Phillipe: This concert certainly wasn't a rock show. You can call it 'unplugged' or 'chamber rock music' or whatever you want. I just have 2 words to describe it: "ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL". It's safe to say Gilmour surprised everyone with this show, some in a good way and some in a bad way.
I'm certainly most pleasantly surprised: he gave most of the songs a fresh new arrangement and almost all of them worked perfectly. The unknown songs were a treat as well; very nice of Dave to introduce them to us. I will forever cherish this concert! Maybe not the best show I've ever been to, but certainly the most beautiful. If you like the quiet, melodic part of Pink Floyd, you'll certainly enjoy this!
Gerhard: Phillipe and I obviously have rather different opinions of this show. You, our readers, are probably a bit confused, and perhaps irritated by the reviewer with whom you disagreed. Or maybe you are enthralled by the review that matched your opinion of this show perfectly.
Whichever is the case, please do let us know.
The fact that two people can give such a different review of the same RoIO raises the all-important question: should you seek out a copy of this disk?
The answer is "Yes, of course you should", if only because:
- It is a rare and very unique recording (or, more precisely, it's a recording of a rare and very unique show).
- It will certainly help you put all your other Floyd albums in perspective (because this may be the most stunningly beautiful recording you have, or the most boring).
- It is being spread for free among fans.
- It will be a nice thing to compare with the official recording of the January 2002 shows that will be released (on DVD if memory serves me correctly) sometime this year.
The Camera Eye
Entering the Age Of DVD
We knew this was inevitable. With the arrival of DVDs to replace our VHS tapes it was only a matter of time until the first Floydian VoIO DVD found its way into circulation--and this is a good one.
David Gilmour's "Meltdown" performance on June 22, 2001 at the Royal Festival Hall in London was videotaped with a digital camcorder from the upper right balcony looking down on the stage. While the videotaping of the show was not unexpected, it was pleasantly surprising to find this show surface as a DVD.
The camerawork is excellent. There are some great close-ups but the camera operator makes the best video from his camera angle; the full stage and musicians are the focus. The camera captures the ambience of this stripped down "unplugged" performance perfectly. The colors are bright and vibrant. There is no camera obstruction to speak of.
The menus are highly organized and impressive with a sound sample of the first few notes Gilmour plays at the show. The main menu includes pictures of Gilmour and Robert Wyatt. Options include a track-by-track song listing, and bios of the performing musicians.
Bonus footage includes a soundcheck as Gilmour, his backing band, and Wyatt (off camera) rehearse "Comfortably Numb". Unlike the main show, this footage is shot just left of center from the balcony.
The second clip of bonus footage shows Gilmour arriving and quickly signing autographs one week later on his way in to perform at the Hammersmith Odeon on July 29, 2001 in a tribute concert for Lieber & Stoller.
This video deserves, and receives, the highest grade that should be given to a camcorder video; it's easily a "B+". The audio is also exceptional for a camcorder and is well deserving of a "VG-E" grade.
VIDEO QUALITY RATINGS
A - Broadcast quality
B - Very good, typically a well shot, low generation single camera recording
C - Fair, watchable but with defects, color distortion, or loss of clarity due to high generation
D - Poor, difficult to watch
Videos are compared to broadcast quality standards. All videos are subject to loss of quality through multiple generations. Single camera recordings may be dark, obstructed, unstable, out of focus and distant. "B+" is the top rating for a single camera video though on rare occasions an exceptional single camera video may receive an "A" or "A-".
AUDIO QUALITY RATINGS
E - Broadcast quality
VG - Average audience recording
G - Difficult to listen to
Audio is compared to FM broadcast quality standards. Audio audience recordings may lack clarity or include excessive crowd noise. "VG-E" is usually the top rating for an audience recording.