David Gilmour - Live in Gdansk (2008 - Progressive rock) [Flac 24-96]
Live in Gdansk Review by Thom Jurek
David Gilmour's Live in Gdansk was recorded and filmed in 2006 at the Polish city's shipyards, the very same
historic location where Lech Walesa's Solidarity movement began its populist assault on the country's
repressive Soviet-installed regime in 1980. By all accounts of the time it was a truly awesome multimedia spectacle.
But there are strange and sad ironies that accompany this release as well. For starters, it was released in the U.K.
exactly a week after the death of Richard Wright, Gilmour's longtime bandmate in Pink Floyd, and his keyboardist here.
Secondly, it appears during a period of increased tension between Russia and the United States over the latter's
proposed missile defense system to be placed in Poland (by the U.S.) and the country's membership in NATO. But there
is nothing bittersweet about the music to be found on this double-disc package (one of six different packages that
document the event and the tour -- apparently nobody told Gilmour the recording industry was in an economic crisis).
On this version, two and a half hours document the entire concert. Gilmour's band -- Wright, Roxy Music guitarist
Phil Manzanera, keyboardist Jon Carin, bassist Guy Pratt, drummer Steve DiStanislao, and saxophonist Dick Parry --
is accompanied by the Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra, including its 40-piece string section, conducted by
Zbigniew Preisner (who did the arrangements on Gilmour's On an Island album).
While cynics can debate the pretentious of this date forever, everyone else can enjoy an utterly engaging,
entertaining, and sometimes emotionally moving performance of Gilmour's entire On an Island album and a boxful of
Pink Floyd hits to boot. The first disc begins with Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon suite of "Speak to Me," "Breathe,"
and "Time," and comes to a close with the reprise of the opening track. With the orchestra accompanying the band, the
dreaminess and spaciness of the original music miraculously comes through, and Gilmour is in fine voice as well.
The rest of disc one is taken up by an almost totally in-sequence performance of On an Island. The live version of
the album rocks more, perhaps because of the steady presence of Manzanera, who adds extra punch to Gilmour's airy
bluesy one on guitar. This is especially true on "Take a Breath," when his crunchy, crackling power chords come off
like something from his own Diamond Head album; his solo against the counterpoint of the orchestra makes it one of
the set's true rockist highlights. Disc two is comprised entirely of performances of Pink Floyd tunes from albums as
diverse as Atom Heart Mother ("Fat Old Sun"), Wish You Were Here ("Shine on You Crazy Diamond" and its title track),
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn ("Astronomy Domine"), Meddle ("Echoes"), The Wall("Comfortably Numb"), and The Division
Bell ("A Great Day for Freedom"). The performances are not terribly spontaneous in part because of the orchestral
arrangements, but they are flawless (again, Manzanera's presence adds some real muscle) and, given the sheer quality
of the sound, they have plenty of presence and warmth despite being recorded in front of a concert audience.
This set may be strictly for Gilmour and Pink Floyd fans, but as such, for all its packaging pomp (it's green though:
carbon-neutral cardboard wallets for all the different packages), it feels like something historic and beautifully
considered as well as executed. It would have been amazing to be in that audience.
Artist...............: David Gilmour
Album................: Live in Gdansk
Genre................: Progressive rock
Source...............: WEBQ
Year.................: 2008
Ripper...............: &
Codec................: Free Lossless Audio Codec (FLAC)
Version..............: reference libFLAC 1.3.3 20190804
Quality..............: Lossless, (avg. compression: 60 %)
Channels.............: Stereo / 96000 HZ / 24 Bit
Tags.................: -
Information..........: Parlophone UK
Tracklist:
1. David Gilmour - Speak to Me (Live in Gdansk)
2. David Gilmour - Breathe (Live in Gdansk)
3. David Gilmour - Time (Live in Gdansk)
4. David Gilmour - Breathe (Reprise; Live in Gdansk)
5. David Gilmour - Castellorizon (with The Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) (Live in Gdansk)
6. David Gilmour - On an Island (with The Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) (Live in Gdansk)
7. David Gilmour - The Blue (with The Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) (Live in Gdansk)
8. David Gilmour - Red Sky at Night (with The Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) (Live in Gdansk)
9. David Gilmour - This Heaven (with The Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) (Live in Gdansk)
10. David Gilmour - Then I Close My Eyes (with The Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) (Live in Gdansk)
11. David Gilmour - Smile (with The Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) (Live in Gdansk)
12. David Gilmour - Take a Breath (with The Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) (Live in Gdansk)
13. David Gilmour - A Pocketful of Stones (with The Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) (Live in Gdansk)
14. David Gilmour - Where We Start (with The Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) (Live in Gdansk)
15. David Gilmour - Shine on You Crazy Diamond (Live in Gdansk)
16. David Gilmour - Astronomy Domine (Live in Gdansk)
17. David Gilmour - Fat Old Sun (Live in Gdansk)
18. David Gilmour - High (with The Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) (Live in Gdansk)
19. David Gilmour - Echoes (Live in Gdansk)
20. David Gilmour - Wish You Were Here (Live in Gdansk)
21. David Gilmour - A Great Day for Freedom (with The Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) (Live in Gdansk)
22. David Gilmour - Comfortably Numb (with The Baltic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra) (Live in Gdansk)
Playing Time.........: 02:29:00
Total Size...........: 2,87 GB
