Live at Pompeii [LP]

by David Gilmour

Overview

David Gilmour's two concerts assembled for Live at Pompeii mark the first time that the amphitheater has hosted a rock gig since Pink Floyd played there in 1971. They didn't play for an audience, however, they were filmed for Adrian Maben's documentary Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii. Gilmour's gigs -- some 45 years after Floyd -- bests their gig historically: It hosted a paying audience assembled from all over the globe, and it was the first time an audience had occupied the site since 79 AD. This double-disc set is the movie's soundtrack. Pompeii was just one of the historic sites Gilmour played on the tour, others included amphitheaters in Verona and Nimes, Circus Maximus in Rome, a chateau in Chantilly, and five nights at London's Royal Albert Hall, none of which held quite the weight of history like this one. Accompanied by a sextet that included keyboardist Chuck Leavell, bassist Guy Pratt, and a trio of backing vocalists, the repertoire is heavy on material from the guitarist's Rattle That Lock -- the album he was touring at the time, 2006's On an Island -- and Pink Floyd material in all of its incarnations. The sound is excellent, and Gilmour is obviously inspired. One of the many highlights is an electrifying performance of "One of These Days" at the close of disc one. The only song here that was also performed in 1971, it features Gilmour just tearing it up on slide guitar. Most of the rest of the first disc spends its real estate on tunes from Rattle That Lock, all of them more kinetic and impassioned than their studio counterparts -- especially the gorgeous take of "Faces of Stone." There are also excellent versions of Pink Floyd's "Great Gig in the Sky" (preferable to the one Roger Waters tours) and "Wish You Were Here." "Money" is also included but its workmanlike run-through could have easily been left off without consequence. Thankfully, a nine-plus-minute version of "High Hopes," from the band's 1994 album The Division Bell, offsets it. Disc two boasts a 12- and-a-half minute version of "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Pts. 1-5)" as an opener. Its gradual pace over an extended intro creates expectation and delivers in spades. It's followed by "Fat Old Sun" from 1970's Atom Heart Mother. Its breezy acoustic lyric base gives way to a heavier yet more lyrical electric guitar solo than the original. "Coming Back to Life" (The Division Bell) is imbued with energy and cautious optimism as it gives way to a screaming take of "On an Island." The final three tracks are all Floyd classics: "Run Like Hell" (The Wall) with excellent improvised guitar pyrotechnics, a dynamic "Time"/"Breathe (In the Air)," and the majestic closer "Comfortably Numb," which sprawls over ten minutes. Live at Pompeii might be better served with its video counterpart due to the stunning visuals created by Marc Brickman, but on its own, this set offers ample pleasure. ~ Thom Jurek

Product Details

Release Date:	09/29/2017
Label:	Columbia / Sony Music
UPC:	0889854649715
Rank:	6261

Tracks

Disc 1

1. 5 A.M.
2. Rattle That Lock
3. Faces of Stone
4. What Do You Want From Me
5. The Blue
6. The Great Gig in the Sky
7. A Boat Lies Waiting

Disc 2

8. Wish You Were Here
9. Money
10. In Any Tongue
11. High Hopes
12. One of These Days

Disc 3

13. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pts. 1-5)
14. Fat Old Sun
15. Coming Back to Life
16. On an Island
17. Today

Disc 4

18. Sorrow
19. Run Like Hell
20. Time/Breathe (In The Air) (Reprise)
21. Comfortably Numb

Album Credits

Performance Credits

David Gilmour   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals
Steve DiStanislao   Drums,Vocals
Chester Kamen   Guitar,Vocals
Greg Phillinganes   Vocals,Keyboards
Bryan Chambers   Vocals
Guy Pratt   Bass,Vocals,Double Bass
Chuck Leavell   Vocals,Keyboards
Louise Claire Marshall   Vocals
Joao Mello   Guitar,Saxophone
Lucita Jules   Vocals

Technical Credits

Polly Samson   Creative Director
David Gilmour   Mixing,Producer
Damon Iddins   Engineer,Assistant
Andy Jackson   Mixing,Audio Master
Gavin Elder   Art Direction