Hollywood Bowl: Night One

In the week that David Gilmour announced that he would be playing Pompeii, the world’s oldest amphitheatre, it seems appropriate that he opens his North American tour with a concert in the world’s largest natural amphitheatre, the Hollywood Bowl. The famous white shell of the venue shone in the early evening sunshine as the capacity 16,000 audience crackled with anticipation to see David and the band, after an absence of 10 years, take to the stage. It was the first time that a concert had played at the Bowl in March; normally the concert season starts in May.

Under a pyramid of light in the night sky, the concert opened with 5 A.M. and soon the first of Marc Brickman’s pixel mapping on the exterior shell of the dome was revealed as the birds from Rattle That Lock fluttered and flew from the perimeter out into the audience. Marc deployed 30 projectors to create stunning lighting effects using the dome as his canvas: Money had cascades of coins pouring down the sides of the bowl; Astronomy Domine was a psychedelic coloured bubble explosion; and Run got even more crazy with coloured shapes running riot across the perimeter of this historic venue. And then there were the spectacular fireworks, shooting out from the roof of the bowl; such was the power of the display that the clear night sky clouded over with the smoke.

A further treat was in store for the Hollywood audience with the appearance of the great David Crosby, singing A Boat Lies Waiting, On An Island, and Comfortably Numb.

David and the band played a blinder; but, last night, the show was equally about Marc Brickman’s stunning and very beautiful lighting effects … for one more night only.

Last night’s setlist was…

First Set: 5 A.M.; Rattle That Lock; Faces Of Stone; Wish You Were Here; A Boat Lies Waiting; The Blue; Money; Us And Them; In Any Tongue; High Hopes.

Second Set: Astronomy Domine; Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 1-5); Fat Old Sun; Coming Back To Life; On An Island; The Girl In The Yellow Dress; Today; Sorrow; Run Like Hell.

Encores: Time/Breathe (reprise); Comfortably Numb.