Roger Waters in concert at the Accor Arena in Paris: we were there, we tell you

Nearly five years after his last concert in the capital (it was in June 2018 at Paris La Défense Arena), Roger Waters made his grand return to the City of Light on the occasion of his"This Is Not a Drill" tour, facetiously named by the artist, his " first farewell tour ".

For this great British artist, co-founder of Pink Floyd, one concert was not enough at theAccor Arena. So, two shows were necessary to satisfy the very large demand of the numerous Parisian fans of Roger Waters. And we had the chance to attend the second Parisian performance of the artist, on Thursday, May 4, 2023. And we might as well tell you right away, but our eyes and ears were very largely filled.

It is necessary to say that Roger Waters had put the small in the big, as for scenography. It is thus a central and rectangular stage which occupies a large part of the pit of Paris Bercy this Thursday evening. The concert hasn't started yet, but many people are intrigued by the huge screen that divides the stage in four parts, while the artist's voice resounds in the speakers, telling us how much time is left before the show starts.

But before vibrating on some of the most beautiful rock songs of the 20th century, Roger Waters wanted to clarify the situation. It is on the giant screen overhanging the stage that we learn that he will indeed play in Frankfurt on May 28, the German court having finally decided in favor of the artist, while the German municipality wanted to ban his show, judging it anti-Semitic. Another announcement from the English musician and singer, and not the least:"If you say to yourself 'I like Floyd, but his comments on politics bother me', well, fuck off to the bar".

After this clarification, it is at 8:30 pm sharp that the artist and his musicians(Jonathan Wilson and Dave Kilminster on vocals and guitar, Jon Carin on keyboards and guitar, Gus Seyffert on bass, Robert Walter on keyboards, Joey Waronker on drums, Seamus Blake on saxophone, then Shanay Johnson and Amanda Belair on vocals) burst on stage.

And the tone is quickly set, since the show starts with a Pink Floyd classic, " Comfortably Numb ". But for this"This Is Not a Drill" tour, the proposed version is more stripped down than the original, ideal to start the evening gently.

Of course, many other Pink Floyd hits gave rhythm to this second concert of the artist at theAccor Arena in Paris. From the sublime " Wish You Were Here " to " Have a Cigar " through the incredible " Sheep ", the memorable " Money ", the bewitching " Eclipse ", the incredible " Us and Them ", the phenomenal " The Happiest Days of Our Lives " without forgetting the mythical " Another Brick in the Wall, Part " played in the first quarter of an hour... Fans of Roger Waters and the legendary British band are in heaven.

But Roger Waters also took the opportunity to perform some solo tracks, such as " Déjà Vu ", " The Power that Be ", " Is This the Life We Really Want? or the unpublished and sublime " The Bar ", which he dedicated to Bob Dylan, his wife Kamilah, andhis brother John, who died last year.

• To be read
• The Who in concert at Paris La Défense Arena in June 2023
• Metallica in concert at the Stade de France in May 2023
• Beyoncé in concert at the Stade de France in Paris in May 2023

As for the stage design, the famous screen dividing the stage was quickly raised, allowing all the musicians to appear and diffusing numerous ultra neat and cinematographic images. Throughout the evening, messages often very politically committed are also projected on the giant screens: Roger Waters takes the opportunity to denounce police violence (citing among others the tragic fates of Adama Traoré and George Floyd), wars, capitalism, nuclear danger, the policy conducted for many years by the Americans to the point of calling the various American presidents"war criminals", but also to support Julien Assange or to demand more rights for refugees, Palestinians, trans people...

And then, of course, there is this drone in the shape of a sheep that hovers over the heads of the audience when the song " Sheep " is played, or this giant inflatable pig with glittering red eyes - so characteristic of the Pink Floyd universe - that flies over the room.

As for Roger Waters, he may be approaching 80 years of age (he was born on September 6, 1943), but he is far from being an extra. Sometimes dressed in a long black raincoat, and his famous armband with the effigy of the hammer symbol of " The Wall ", sometimes on the bass, on the guitar or on the piano, Roger Waters seems at times to find a second youth.

A youth that we are also happy to see again when the beginnings of Pink Floyd are shown on the big screen, and where we can see in photos and video all the former members of the band (except David Gilmour with whom he is in conflict). The only drawback: Roger Waters sometimes tends to talk a little too much, creating some length between each song. But this concert, which wants to be an incredible musical experience, was undoubtedly worth the detour. A master stroke, when Roger Waters and his musicians gather around the piano to offer the audience a sumptuous cover of his song"The Bar". Thrills guaranteed.

In the end, we leave this concert of a little more than 2h30 (including 20 minutes of intermission) with the feeling of having lived a mythical concert and another time, when the rock of the 70's was at its peak. A trip back in time that will remain engraved for a long time!

Setlist

Part 1
Comfortably Numb
The Happiest Days of Our Lives
Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2
Another Brick in the Wall, Part 3
The Powers That Be
The Bravery of Being Out of Range
Broken Bones
The Bar
Have a Cigar
Wish You Were Here
Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI-VII, V)
Sheep

Part 2
In the Flesh
Run Like Hell
Déjà Vu
Déjà Vu (Reprise)
Is This the Life We Really Want?
Money
Us and Them
Any Colour You Like
Brain Damage
Eclipse

Reminder
Two Suns in the Sunset
The Bar (Reprise)
Outside the Wa