Roger Waters unleashes ‘The Wall’ in Grand Rapids: Brick-by-brick highlights of the ‘Mother’ of all rock concerts

It makes perfect sense.

That Pink Floyd visionary Roger Waters at one time studied to be an architect before pursuing his music career really paid off with the crowning achievement of his impressive music career: Touring the compelling, over-the-top production of “The Wall.”

After all, when you’re designing a wall that can be torn down and rebuilt night after night while supporting stunning visuals as it crisscrosses the globe, it probably helps to have a background in blueprints.

But as the bassist and singer dramatically displayed at Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena on Wednesday night, it also behooves a visionary to understand what it takes to entertain, educate and energize a diverse throng of nearly 11,000 some 33 years after your band first unleashed this epic and edgy double-album on an unsuspecting world.

Waters proved once again – two years after I first witnessed this spectacle at the Palace of Auburn Hills – that he’s found the blueprint for rock ‘n’ roll success: Take a dark theme with a sort-of-hopeful ending, then add heaping amounts of glitz, special effects and artistic flash (courtesy of those amazing characters created by artist Gerald Scarfe) along with top-notch musicianship and nonpareiled sound quality.

And voila: You’ve got one of the most memorable concerts in rock history.

Not only that, but you’ve got a rock show that attracts one of the most diverse audiences age-wise you’ll ever see — kids, teens and 20-somethings in Pink Floyd and Rogers Waters T-shirts mingling with graying boomers and hippies.

Read my full review here at GRNow.com, along with a set of fabulous photos by Paul Jendrasiak.

But as a bonus, here are highlights, show tidbits and even some video snippets from Wednesday night’s two-hour show, because this sort of astounding, live masterwork deserves extra attention:

GOLDEN BRICK NO. 1: The show’s opening set of songs had it all: plaintive vocals, striking visuals, pyrotechnics, and yes, a plane soaring in from the back of the arena and crashing into one end of the stage in a ball of flames. What more could you ask for?

GOLDEN BRICK NO. 2: Consider it a bit of artistic genius: The first song of the second set, “Hey You,” was performed entirely by the band behind the fully constructed cardboard wall. It was a ‘Now you see ’em, now you don’t’ sort of thing. But you could certainly hear ’em, loud and clear. In fact, the show featured some of the most exceptional sound quality to ever grace an arena.

GOLDEN BRICK NO. 3: The double whammy of the tear-jerking “Bring the Boys Back Home” (with video of soldiers being reunited with their kids) followed by “Comfortably Numb,” with guitarist Dave Kilminster playing the part of David Gilmour in unlcorking what’s considered to be one of the best rock guitar solos of all time. He did this while standing atop the wall, with Roger Waters staring up at him from far below, probably in awe of his Gilmour-like ability.

GOLDEN BRICK NO. 4: “Run Like Hell,” with the band garbed in military uniforms in front of the wall, gave fans that “space cadet glow” with riveting, thundering musicianship.

MOST GOLDEN AUDIENCE REACTION: During and after “Comfortably Numb,” and not surprisingly, when huge sections of the wall got knocked down at the end of the night. Nothing like a little destructive fun to get some applause.

MOST UNUSUAL GOLDEN MOMENT: Ok, I have no way to confirm this, but the timing and location make sense. Music aficionado Richard Kelley and his 15-year-old guitar-playing son, Chris, were in primo seats waiting for the show and he tells this tale:
“When we caught up with the kids, our younger son Chris asked me, ‘Dad, what does Mr. Waters look like?’ I explained that Roger Waters was handsome with a somewhat longish face, hair similar to my own but longer and grayer, slight of build, in good shape and likely wearing a black t-shirt and black jeans. Chris said, ‘That sounds right.’ to which I replied, ‘Why do you ask?’
At this point Chris held up a red guitar pick emblazoned with the hammer logos on one side and the other side simply said, ‘Roger Waters – The Wall.’ Chris was dressed in a well-worn T-shirt imprinted with a montage of electric guitars. He was standing next to aisle 25 (between sections 121 and 122) just a couple rows up from the floor when a stranger, as described, came briskly down the stairs, stopped just long enough to say, ‘Excuse me’ handing him the guitar pick and then continuing, in a half trot, down to floor where he made a quick right and disappeared into the backstage area. This happened about 7:30 p.m.
I couldn’t believe it was Roger Waters but Chris HAS the pick (as described) and when the show started, he swore it was the same guy. Weirdly enough (as Sink knows), Chris is quasi-legendary for collecting guitar picks from rock and blues idols.”
Well, I guess you can add another brick, er, pick to the collection, Chris.

Email: jsinkevics@gmail.com