Pink Floyd: P. U. L. S. E. Live at Earls Court

This is the best live music video I have seen. Yes, I have seen all those "unplugged" videos, and so on. This is one that I often (once a week?) put on as background "music" while I am reading. About 10 minutes later I am looking at the video more than reading. Another 5 minutes and I watch the rest of the video, discarding the reading material. I cannot wait for the DVD version to come out so that I get a better picture and stop wearing out my VHS tapes!

It's terrific to see Pink Floyd playing well together in their mega-dynamic way here in the PULSE concert, now remastered wonderfully for a DVD set. They go through many of their hits, most notably all of Dark Side of the Moon, and seeing the band go through Shine on You Crazy Diamond is as amazing as it gets from the group (a great opener that is hard to top). And overall the core of the musicianship of David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright do gel together at times. But then there's the thing of it being such a HUGE event live, lasers and special videos on a big screen behind them included, that they have to work that much more harder to keep up with the theatrics. They're up to task, but there's something missing from it all too, and not just the obvious (Roger Waters, who is now doing his own version of this show more or less on his Dark Side tour). Maybe it's me putting it too much into perspective; seeing the film that preceded this one some twenty years before, Live at Pompeii, PULSE isn't as forceful and tremendous even on such a scale as playing in Earl's Court to who knows how many people.

I guess this is my way of saying that the concert, for me at least, is not a flawless one like Pompeii comes close to (even if that is, by turns, not in the same style of performance as in PULSE). And in comparison with many of the classic Floyd songs of the 70s, the newer work (with a couple of exceptions like Learning to Fly and Keep Talking) sort of falls up short, with a song like High Hopes one that I fast-forward past. But this aspect of the concert is not very detrimental, just a minor liability for more die-hard old-school Floyd fans. In terms of just capturing the band live, and the band with its immense ensemble of back-up players and singers, the director gets it all down without a hitch. If it also has a little added historical value to it too, it may also be because, unless something happens in the next few years (and in 2006 both Gilmour, with the occasional Mason and Wright in tow, and Waters went on their own solo tours), this might be the last time Pink Floyd are seen live on video.

Anyone familiar with Pink Floyd concerts would agree; this band has the best traveling shows ever. I saw P.U.L.S.E. live in New Orleans, at the Superdome and have never seen a better concert.

The show is visually fantastic; choreographed laser light show, huge circular video screen, and the Pigs. With all this going on the band seems hidden, you barely see them on-stage. Which makes the video perfect. P.U.L.S.E. captures both elements of the show, you don't miss any of the performance while getting to see the band perform.

It's not as good as being at the concert. However, you will never miss another Pink Floyd tour, after you see it.

If you like it try: "Live at Pompeii", "La Carrera Panamericana", "Pink Floyd London '66-'67"

It's been nine years since this one first hit the airwaves and it STILL holds the crown for most spectacular stage show. The spitfire, the lasers, the dancing pigs...oh yeah and the worlds largest ever disco mirrorball which while looking spectacular enough by itself does something UNBELIEVABLE at the end of Comfortably Numb.

Great performances from the band and the session musicians. Guy Pratt is without doubt one of the greatest Bass players who lived and Tim Renwick can fingertap better than anyone.

My ONE complaint is the dissapointing ammount of Division Bell material played. I understand they couldn't play as much of it as they were doing Dark Side live but still......

Two American shows were also filmed on the tour one of which was a NON Dark Side performance so we can but hope said concerts will appear on the DVD when it FINALLY comes out next year. Otherwise this is perfection.

The lightning system. The songs. The sound. A band that decides to hide beneath the complex riggings and supports (what a welcome relief!). Perfection, indeed. This is the best concert video footage I've ever seen in my life. The moment I saw it I could not stop watching it (it was too late at night, and I wanted to get some sleep) for all the right reasons.

Suffice to say, I don't think I'll ever see a concert as incredible as that one. The moment when they play the encores (Wish you were here / Comfortably Numb / Run like Hell) qualifies as the stuff dreams are made of. Laser lights, explosions, a huge rose hanging from the ceiling with a disco ball inside, huge reflectors onstage, a dancing circular screen, a dancing light stage, lights at the bottom flashing messages and to the music... I couldn't have imagined a more complex light show. Or better tunes. Or better playing.

Wow. 10/10.