By: David Schultz

Since leaving Pink Floyd more than two decades ago, Roger Waters has expended an enormous amount of energy asserting his rights to the music and legacy of Pink Floyd, often framing David Gilmour, the guitarist who replaced Syd Barrett early on in the band's career, as the usurper to his throne. Over the course of his battles, Waters has brought his former band mates into court over the use of the Pink Floyd name; toured in direct competition with them when he lost his case and even buried the hatchet for a day to perform a "Hell Froze Over" set at the Hyde Park Live 8 show. Waters continues to mark his territory on his recent tour, playing a fulfilling 2 1/2 hour show weighty with Pink Floyd classics. Last week, Waters' tour came through New York City for two sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden.

Even though Waters has a full slate of solo material, with the exception of "Perfect Sense Parts 1 and 2" from 1992's Amused To Death, he essentially put on a Pink Floyd show featuring Dark Side Of The Moon in its entirety. The heavily publicized and much anticipated Dark Side second set did not disappoint. With a curious smoke cloud developing over the allegedly smoke free arena, Waters faithfully and flawless reproduced Floyd's landmark album almost note for note. On songs like "Brain Damage/Eclipse" and "Time" it was pure auditory candy; for "On The Run," complete with trippy video effects, it was difficult to tell what was live and what was wasn't. Giving the psychedelic masterpiece an added bit of authenticity, an extra drum kit was brought on stage and Waters made a special point of bringing out Nick Mason to join the band. Waters freely roamed the stage during the instrumental portions while his band capably handled the beloved material. Ian Ritchie replicated Dark Side's jazzy and ethereal saxophone riffs on "Money" and "Us And Them" and Dave Kilminster expertly echoed David Gilmour's ingrained guitar solos. As it's not exactly dance material, the crowd sat enraptured in their own head space, erupting at the set's close.

Smartly arranging the set list, Waters touched on Floyd's major (and minor) periods. The Wish You Were Here run through "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," "Have A Cigar" and "Wish You Were Here" were causes for delight, but the Final Cut selections dragged and seriously paled in comparison. Succumbing to the irresistible urge to start the evening with a joyous so ya . . thought ya . . . might like to go to the show," Waters wryly opened with "In The Flesh" and "Mother." He returned to The Wall for the encore, finishing the night with "Another Brick In The Wall, Part II" and "Comfortably Numb." For "Another Brick In The Wall," Waters brought out a Harlem boys choir and danced in step with them while everyone sang along to Floyd's sole chart single; the audience blithely ignoring the wisdom of singing "we don't need no education" along with a group of school children. For the devotees, Waters honored the recently departed Syd Barrett with A Saucerful Of Secret's "Set Controls For the Heart Of The Sun" and during "Sheep" unleashed Floyd's most identifiable non adobe-related icon, the inflatable pig. In addition to the glowing red eyes, Waters added a slew of anti - Bush slogans to the puffed up porcine's rump.

Waters' band kept their end of the bargain but were given very little room to stretch; the audience yearning to hear the Floyd classics they grew up listening to and not modified or improvised arrangements. Every guitarist surely dreams of headlining Madison Square Garden, having the crowd hang on every note and receiving adoring applause at the close of every solo. Waters' guitarist, Dave Kilminster, had the opportunity to live out those fantasies, adroitly duplicating David Gilmour's solos from all phases of Floyd's career. While Kilminster deserved appreciation for his guitar skills, he seemed to portray a sense of knowledge that the vigorously raucous cheers were for the absent Gilmour's work.

Waters provided a little bit more than simple nostalgia. Strongly opposed to the ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, Waters unsubtly made that point crystal clear. After introducing "Leaving Beirut" as the "controversial song of the evening," Waters related that the song derived from an experience in Lebanon where an Arab family welcomed him into their home after their car broke down. Insuring that his message wouldn't be lost, he bludgeoned the audience over the head with it: showing a graphic novel depiction of the incident he had just described with the song's lyrics superimposed over the artwork. The song, which forgoes Waters' usually sharp songcraft in favor of a jazzy, noirish 50ish doo-wop beat, lives and dies on its politics. Coming so shortly after the 5th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, the song, which takes unveiled shots at George Bush and Tony Blair, received a mixed reaction, a smattering of cheers, some noticeable boos and quite a bit of general indifference from those who don't like politics mixed with their Floyd. Waters conveyed more powerful emotion later in the show, letting the words of "Bring The Boys Back Home" making a stronger, if not more subtle point.

Waters' own war over "Which One's Pink" may engender some bruised feelings and frayed nerves amongst the musicians who could lay claim to that title. However, as long as the battles are fought on stages with guitars for swords and drums as cannon, it will be Floyd's audiences who emerge as the winners.

Labels: Pink Floyd, Roger Waters