Roger Waters A Concert Review	September 29, 2006 First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre Tinley Park, IL A Review by The Dude on the Right

But money wasn’t the message of this evening with Roger Waters, and as much as it was billed as "The Dark Side of the Moon Tour," a different buddy of mine called Stu put it this way - it seemed this was to be an evening where Roger Waters could find as many songs as he could to blast the shit out of President Bush. And he did, and even with the political preaching, only a few seemed to care.

As the show didn’t start as "sharply" on time as the tickets said it would, things preceded with a view of an old radio and a person outside of the picture drinking and smoking and trying to find stations not playing Abba. Then, eventually, the show started, opening with "In the Flesh," and continuing through "Mother" and "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun." But reflections on the legacy of Syd Barrett didn’t last long, as things quickly turned to commentary in music about the wars countries are getting into nowadays, with images comparing many of today’s leaders with those many regard as tyrants, dictators, or generally bad men. Roger did it using songs like "Southampton Dock," "The Fletcher Memorial Home," "Perfect Sense (1&2) (from "Amused to Death), and "Leaving Beirut." And things were really pushed to the top during "Sheep" where the concert folks brought out a pink, inflatable pig, scribbled with many a message about folks in power, and then it "surprisingly" got loose, rising into the night sky. I really wanted to head to the car, follow the pig until it crashed so I could put it on eBay, but my friends threatened to beat the crap out of me because Roger Waters didn’t play "The Dark Side of the Moon" yet. So I waited for the intermission to find out if I was dying.

And you know what, thanks to the dude’s who couldn’t stop talking in front of me, I still don’t know if I’m dying.

Yup, it was time for a full-blown version of "The Dark Side of the Moon," and for the most part you know all of the songs, all of the lyrics, except one line for most people but probably not for those of you reading this review, and that is the whisper during "The Great Gig in the Sky." It was the only gauge I could give if Roger Waters did a true version of "The Dark Side of the Moon," but I can honestly say I don’t know if it happened, and it was one of the things I was looking forward to, ruined by the youngin’s who couldn’t shut up. But even without my fulfillment, with the full-blown surround sound, both for the folks in the pavilion and those in the lawn, "The Dark Side of the Moon" was great.

"Dark Side" done, it was encore time, and what better time for some more political issues and video montages than during "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II," "Vera," and "Bring the Boys Back Home."

And as "Comfortably Numb" seemed to end after what I believed was the curfew for the venue, and wondering if Roger Waters would be fined for running late or violating US airspace, it was great to see him back on stage, singing anthems and rarities I have always loved.

Early reviews seemed to bitch about Roger Waters taking this concert tour into a bash on President Bush, Prime Minister Tony Blair, and his trying to make a political statement, but for those of them bitching, I do have a question: "Have you listened to the message in the music of Roger Waters since, well, forever?" He has always questioned people in power, he has always questioned why people go to war, he has pondered his thoughts that, for the most part, the human race is destroying itself, and he makes no qualms about stating his beliefs. But as concerts goe, I haven’t seen a Roger Waters show yet where you can ever say he doesn’t give the music everything he has to give, whether that is in his singing, his playing, or his just making sure his band is at the top of their game, and that band, and his back-up singers, were great.

Enough rambling. It was great to see Roger Waters again, and he didn’t disappoint. The music was great, he knows how to put on a show, and he does his best to mix things up every now and then and make you think. Pink Floyd might not get back together, but Roger Waters is doing his best to keep the feeling alive, and toss in his political beliefs. If you don’t agree with him, at last enjoy the music you know you love.

It’s "TWO, COLD, RAINY, BUT WONDERING WHERE THAT BIG OL’ PINK PIG ENDED UP THUMBS UP" for this Roger Waters’ show. He’s still got it.

That’s it for this one! I’m The Dude on the Right!! L8R!!!