Why am I doing the Wall again now?I recently came across this quote of mine from 22 years ago:
”What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us to understand one another better, or will they deceive us and keep us apart?”
I believe this is still a supremely relevant question and the jury is out. There is a lot of commercial clutter on the net, and a lot of propaganda, but I have a sense that just beneath the surface understanding is gaining ground. We just have to keep blogging, keep twittering, keep communicating, keep sharing ideas.
30 Years ago when I wrote The Wall I was a frightened young man. Well not that young, I was 36 years old.
It took me a long time to get over my fears. Anyway, in the intervening years it has occurred to me that maybe the story of my fear and loss with it’s concomitant inevitable residue of ridicule, shame and punishment, provides an allegory for broader concerns.: Nationalism, racism, sexism, religion, Whatever! All these issues and ‘isms are driven by the same fears that drove my young life.
This new production of The Wall is an attempt to draw some comparisons, to illuminate our current predicament, and is dedicated to all the innocent lost in the intervening years.
In some quarters, among the chattering classes, there exists a cynical view that human beings as a collective are incapable of developing more ‘humane’ ie, kinder, more generous, more cooperative, more empathetic relationships with one another.
I disagree.
In my view it is too early in our story to leap to such a conclusion, we are after all a very young species.
I believe we have at least a chance to aspire to something better than the dog eat dog ritual slaughter that is our current response to our institutionalized fear of each other.
I feel it is my responsibility as an artist to express my, albeit guarded, optimism, and encourage others to do the same. To quote the great man, ” You may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”
- Roger Waters, 2010TOUR DATES
The North American, 2010 leg of Waters' tour includes:
Sept. 15: Toronto (Air Canada Centre)
Sept. 20: Chicago (United Center)
Sept. 21: Chicago (United Center)
Sept. 26: Pittsburgh (Consol Energy Center)
Sept. 28: Cleveland (Quicken Loans Arena)
Sept. 30: Boston (TD Garden)
Oct. 5: New York (Madison Square Garden)
Oct. 8: Buffalo (HSBC Arena)
Oct. 10: Washington DC (Verizon Center)
Oct. 12: Uniondale (Nassau Coliseum)
Oct. 15: Hartford (XL Center)
Oct. 17: Ottawa (ScotiaBank Place)
Oct. 19: Montreal (Bell Centre)
Oct. 22: Columbus (Schottenstein Center)
Oct. 24: Detroit (Palace of Auburn Hills)
Oct. 26: Omaha (Qwest Center)
Oct. 27: St Paul (Xcel Energy Center)
Oct. 29: St. Louis (ScotTrade Center)
Oct. 30: Kansas City (Sprint Center)
Nov. 3: New York (Izod Center)
Nov. 8: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center)
Nov. 9: Philadelphia (Wachovia Center)
Nov. 13: Fort Lauderdale (Bank Atlantic Center)
Nov. 16: Tampa (St. Pete Times Forum)
Nov. 18: Atlanta (Philips Arena)
Nov. 20: Houston (Toyota Center)
Nov. 21: Dallas (American Airlines Center)
Nov. 23: Denver (Pepsi Center Arena)
Nov. 26: Las Vegas (MGM Grand Garden Arena)
Nov. 27: Phoenix (US Airways Center)
Nov. 29: Los Angeles (The Forum)
Dec. 1: Los Angeles (The Forum)
Dec. 6: San Jose (HP Pavilion)
Dec. 10: Vancouver (General Motors Place)
Dec. 11: Tacoma (Tacoma Dome)
Dec. 13: Anaheim (Honda Center)
The European, 2011 leg of Waters' tour includes:
Mar 21, 2011 Atlantico Pavilion Lisbon, PT
Mar 25, 2011 Palacio de Deportes Madrid, ES
Mar 29, 2011 Palau Sant Jordi Barcelona, ES
Apr 1, 2011 Mediolanumforum Milan, IT
Apr 2, 2011 Mediolanumforum Milan, IT
Apr 8, 2011 Gelredome Arnhem, NL
Apr 12, 2011 Sports Arena Budapest, HU
Apr 15, 2011 O2 Arena Prague, CZ
Apr 18, 2011 Atlas Arena Łódź, PL
Apr 23, 2011 Olympiski Moscow, RU
Apr 25, 2011 SKK Arena St. Petersburg, RU
Apr 27, 2011 Hartwall Arena Helsinki, FI
Apr 30, 2011 Telenor Oslo, NO
May 4, 2011 Ericsson Globe Stockholm, SE
May 7, 2011 Parken Copenhagen, DK
May 15, 2011 O2 Arena London, UK
May 17, 2011 O2 Arena London, UK
May 18, 2011 O2 Arena London, UK
May 20, 2011 Manchester Evening News Arena Manchester, UK
May 21, 2011 Manchester Evening News Arena Manchester, UK
May 23, 2011 O2 Arena Dublin, IE
May 27, 2011 Sportspaleis Antwerp, BE
May 30, 2011 Bercy Paris, FR
Jun 3, 2011 SAP Arena Mannheim, DE
Jun 6, 2011 Hallenstadion Zurich, CH
Jun 10, 2011 Colorline Arena Hamburg, DE
Jun 15, 2011 O2 Arena Berlin, DE
Jun 18, 2011 Esprit Arena Düsseldorf, DE
Roger Waters band officially announced:
Drums:
Graham BroadGuitars:
Dave Kilminster, G.E. Smith, Snowy WhiteKeyboards:
Jon Carin, Harry Waters (Roger’s son)Lead Vocals:
Robbie WyckoffBacking Vocals:
Jon Joyce, Mark Lennon, Michael Lennon, Kipp Lennon
