WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD
So, I was yesterday at Paris' concert, and wow - I was literally blown away. Back to the year 1970 that I have never known !
So touching to see this 4th member, who has never been in the light, who was just the guy to play drums and be the "glue" between the other 3, finally get some time in the sun, in a very decent and fun manner... The group's leader can't be seen much, he is hidden at the back in his drum kit.. and that's so nice ! Only a 5-piece band, similar to DS' OL/MM tour, with the same energy, playing the early classics that Roger and David wouldn't play anymore ! Roger stated that he would not want to play Interstellar Overdrive for hours ? That he would never want to play Atom Heart Mother not Saucerful of Secrets anymore ? Well Nick is doing them, in shortened versions so that it doesn't take hours but so that you get the essence of it ! David wouldn't want to play the Nile Song when Guy suggested him in 2006, stating "you will have to play it in another band ?" - "Well, I am in another band now, so I can" Guy teases gently. Nick's teasing is amusing as well. He started by saying "we're not the David Gilmour Australian show, not the Roger Waters Floyd experience... Just Nick Mason's Saucerful of secrets !". Hilarious. Then, just before paying a mind blowing version of Set the controls for the heart of the sun (rawer and even better than Roger's versions if you ask me), he goes like: "One of my best friends is a man by the name of Roger Waters. One thing that Roger was not so good at is... sharing (laughs in the venue). For 52 years, I had to watch him play the gong alone. Well now finally... It's my turn" *Gong*.
Nick also was careful to pay due respect to the dead, Rick and Syd, and altough I am not that a fan of Barrett's area of Floyd, I felt so proud to hear Arnold Layne, See Emily Play, Bike and even Vegetable Man ! A fabulous setlist revisiting almost all every forgotten hits, save for Echoes sadly... But let's admit that playing Echoes without David nor Rick would have been kinda complicated.
Only (slight) complain, the vocals were a bit too soft to be heard well. Other than that, hats off to Nick, Guy, and the excellent 3 others - they made me enjoy the show even more than David or Roger, because it was so refreshing and chatty - like MK in the OL/MM tour, a long gone atmosphere...
Nick really reminds me of John Illsley - the loyal number 2, or 4, that has finally deserved to shine a bit, his own time in the sun. Wholeheartedly recommended ! Don't miss this wonderful little tour !
