18 illinoisentertainer. com november 2025
“ They were both my sisters. They were both murdered by the state,” he says solemnly.“ Like all victims of state violence, they must be remembered.” Many other names are drawn from the news cycle and history. George Floyd’ s crime is listed as“ being black.” Frank’ s death is listed as the result of“ being Jewish.” Amused to Death song“ The Bravery of Being Out of Range” is a spiritual successor to Pink Floyd’ s“ Sheep” and the Police’ s“ Murder by Numbers.” Every American President since Ronald Reagan has been named onscreen as a war criminal. Barack Obama’ s photo is superimposed with the text“ Normalized drone strikes.” Donald Trump’ s photo is accompanied by the words“ Even more drone strikes than Obama.” Waters shifts to the piano for the meditative swing of the new song“ The Bar.” The song’ s subject is described as a place to talk, exchange ideas, and even look after one another. Screens reflect the song’ s lyrics about a Lakota Sioux character who protected her homeland at Standing Rock in the Dakotas.“ We’ re now going to turn back the clock,” says Waters next.“ We’ re going to drift back through the mists of time to an earlier age when I was singing my songs in a different band.” The group then dives into the lurching funk of Pink Floyd’ s“ Have a Cigar.” Gus Seyffert digs into Waters’ old bass line with a deep groove while his boss sings and plays rhythm guitar on a battered Stratocaster. Kilminster uncorks another extended solo. The acoustic guitars of“ Wish You Were Here” are accompanied by an onscreen story about the time Waters and star-crossed schoolmate Syd Barrett took a trip by rail in 1963 to see Gene Vincent and The Rolling Stones perform on the same concert bill. On the way home, the pair agreed to start a band in college. The crowd sings the chorus with gusto.“ When you lose someone you love, it does serve to remind you,” say Waters’ words projected overhead.“ This is not a drill.”“ Shine On You Crazy Diamond” begins with Robert Walker’ s spacefaring synthesizer solo and Jon Carin’ s gritty pedal steel guitar solo. Waters returns to his familiar role as bassman, locking in with drummer Joey Waronker’ s powerful fills. The former Walt Mink drummer’ s presence throughout the film is colorful when appropriate, and unfailingly steady. It’ s interesting to think that Waronker is currently plying his skills on a less nuanced, stadium-sized scale with Oasis. Saxophonist Seamus Blake improvises around the part made familiar by Dick Parry. Waters introduces Animals’ slinky“ Sheep,” explaining that the album was an homage to George Orwell. He implies that the books 1984 and Animal Farm were prophetic texts for the current environment of encroaching fascism. An inflatable sheep prop drifts through the air. On screen, an army of sheep don karate uniforms and learn to fight back against their pig and dog oppressors. The show’ s most controversial moment comes when Waters dons fascist
regalia for“ In the Flesh.” Red-and-black banners bearing the crossed hammers logo from The Wall unfurl throughout the arena. Pink Floyd’ s famous flying pig balloon appears, emblazoned with the message“ steal from the poor, give to the rich.” As the song concludes, Waters turns a machine gun on the crowd and fires.“ Give money to the oligarchs, for they are our leaders,” says Waters in character. The segment’ s powerful theatrical imagery is clearly meant as satire and political criticism. However, it’ s also the principal source of the complaints that threatened to cancel the tour. Earlier in the show, the screens had carried a defiant message stating that“ the powers that be” had attempted to shut down the band’ s European tour.“ We will continue to resist,” the statement concluded. After a bristling“ Run Like Hell,” a pair of songs follow from Waters’ most recent album, Is This the Life We Really Want?“ Deja Vu” addresses the collateral victims of military violence, general apathy, and a lack of accountability while also seeking solidarity in the support of human rights. The title cut follows suit, listing the causes of societal ills. Its pointed language laments the apathy that enables“ a nincompoop” to become the president. Both songs amplify Waters’ s disinterest in escapist nostalgia. Although the material from Dark Side of the Moon is rooted in heavy thoughts, the mood lightens as the band lashes into all of the familiar album’ s second side. Jonathan Wilson takes the lead vocal for“ Money” and intertwines his guitar solos with Kilminster. Cathedral organ and Blake’ s moody saxophone drift soothingly as Wilson sings the melancholy protest song“ Us and Them.” Dancers from different world cultures appear in celebratory footage during“ Any Colour You Like.” Johnson and Amanda Blair create ecstatic harmony during the closing of the Dark Side of the Moon song“ Eclipse.” Lasers recreate the pyramid symbols from the iconic album cover while screens show its famous heartbeat pattern. Emotional fans can be seen weeping as the final notes fade. Waters then returns to his message, introducing“ Two Suns in the Sunset” from The Final Cut. He informs the crowd that the current threat of annihilation is even more acute than during the Cold War. The song’ s pulse follows the ominous ticking of the Doomsday Clock. The band gathers around Waters’ piano to toast the audience and reprise“ The Bar.” Waters notes his debt to Bob Dylan’ s“ Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands” and beloved family members for the song’ s inspiration. The song concludes with the touching“ Outside the Wall” coda to The Wall. The band then parades offstage to end the concert, as Waters sends gestures of affection and gratitude into the room. For a show focused
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