IMAX Experience
For as legendary as Pink Floyd's studio discography is, their live material is almost as iconic. Live records like "Pulse" and Is "There Anybody Out There?" are marvels to listen to. But amongst their legendary live shows, one stands as their most iconic. Their empty concert at the Pompeii amphitheater in 1971.
To me, this is by far the peak of their early years. And if it weren't for their masterpiece Echoes being released earlier on Meddle, I'm almost tempted to say it really marks the beginning of their golden era.
With the release of the new remastered version of these tracks and the movie itself. I couldn't pass on seeing it at a theater. The experience was absolutely incredible.
The concert is completely faithful to it's original release. Perhaps some people were expecting new material or different camera angles, but I believe the "don't fix what ain't broke" approach is best here.
What we have here is a completely remastered and polished version of the original concert, alongside behind the scenes looks at the recordings of Dark Side Of the Moon, along with interviews with the band members, and a quite humorous look into them having dinner. Drummer Nick Mason's insistence of wanting pie without crust may have been the peak of the movie.
I was aware these scenes existed, but I'd actually never seen them, so it was a super nice treat to get alongside a concert I was already aware how incredible it was.
Aside from the restored video, we have completely remixed audio from Steven Wilson, and though I'm writing this prior to the release of the album in streaming services, so I've yet to hear with good quality headphones. I have to say, the mix was enormous in the cinema. Everything was crystal clear, but still translated the raw energy displayed on the screen.
There really was nothing like watching this in the big screen. For those who had the privilege of seeing this in theaters, I'm sure you will agree.
I will take this as a chance to talk about the concert itself, even it is very well known amongst Floyd fans. I myself only really discovered them a couple years ago, and I'm sure every day there are new Floyd fans being born who have discovered it recently.
The idea for this concert was conceived by director Adrian Maben as an anti Woodstock. A concert where no one would attend. Where the silence and emptiness of an absent audience would create as much an impact as the massive crowds of a concert.
The ruins of Pompeii could not be a more perfect place for this concert. The way the visuals marry the audio is astonishingly fitting. The songs were from Floyd's back catalog, all written before this concert was even conceived, yet if you told me they were all written specifically for it I wouldn't bat an eye.
One of the reasons why I admire this concert so much, is because there was a significant risk and bravery in the songs they chose to perform.
When you look at the set, aside from Echoes, it consists of extremely long instrumental tracks. This alongside with the premise of the empty concert could have gone massively wrong. On paper it sounds like the most pretentious artsy thing you could imagine. Yet it somehow just... really works.
The highlight of the concert is without a doubt both parts of Echoes, which bookend the concert. If I'm being honest, I think I prefer this version of the song over the original. You can just feel the energy so much better, especially during the jam session at the end of part one.
There are so many moments here that feel like they could have been the climax of the entire concert. Roger Water's screech in Careful With That Axe Eugene is blood curdling, especially when you see him doing it, it genuinely looks like he's in pain.
Or how about one of the most iconic moments in all of rock? The gong scene in Saucerful of Secrets. The entire song is just a trip, almost bordering into abstraction. You see David Gilmour messing around with the slide on his guitar, and Rick Wright just... slam the piano without any direction, almost like a toddler or a cat.
The only thing keeping the song together is Nick Mason's drums, a constant drum fill that becomes an ostinato, a repetitive short piece on top of which elements keep changing.
This chaos lasts for a good three to five minutes. And in the midst of it you have Roger walking up to the gong and just smashing the ever loving crap out of it. The image of his silhouette is one of the greatest things I have seen.
I do think by the time we get to Set The Controls For The Heart of the sun, it does start to hit you how long some of these songs can be. It's definitely the best version of the song, but it's not one I come back to.
The only part that really interested me was seeing the break in the middle. When Rick is just messing with his organ, fiddling with different knobs and effects. It's so cool to see this as it's happening. It really solidifies that so much of their music is made through experimentation.
The pace picks back up in One Of These Days, a much shorter and driving tune and a much needed break from the longer experimental songs. The highlight member here... one could say the only member, is Nick Mason. Who's drumming is so good they decided "Hey, how about we don't record any other member for this song?"
Despite the weird directorial choice, it makes sense to focus on him, as it's by far the most involved he is in any of these songs. I love that they left when he dropped his drumstick. It's really cool to see the human side of these performances.
Finally, Echoes part 2 is just as good as part one. I love that it parallels several shots they established in part one, like the empty seats and the long zoom in/out.
There is not too much more to say. I think this is one of the best concerts to be put to film, it's rocking, experimental, and completely littered with very old school artsy choices only a band like this in the 70s could've made.
Ranking
Echoes, Part 1
A Sacucerful of Secrets
Echoes, Part 2
Careful With That Axe, Eugene
One Of These Days
Set The Controls For The Heart of The Sun
Mademoiselle Nobs
Rating
9/10