Roger Waters 'Us + Them' Tour 2017

A Roger Waters show is so much more than the setlist. It's an immersive entertainment experience. I was blown away at Desert Trip and will happily plunk down the cash to see (mostly) the same show again with a few new tunes.

There's so much goddamn trickery at shows these days, Roger lip synching a few songs doesn't bother me in the slightest. Especially when he's got Jonathan Wilson rippin' licks and the Lucius girls belting their guts out.

Can't wait for October!

 

Anyone else miss Graham Broad?

 

Roger has used canned vocals on tour a whole lot longer than many would think.

I believe the entirety of his solo touring life. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

Yet, it feels like you're poking a hornet's nest.

Based on a number of subtle and not so subtle posts on this forum, I highly doubt this. There seem to be plenty on both sides.

Actually, people have been pretty good at keeping things from straying too far into politics, which is pretty hard considering the artist.

 

You are correct, he's been using vocal assistance since 1984 on a few songs (like Go Fishing and Every Stranger's Eyes). Over the years it's gotten more extensive to the point where most of the vocals currently being sung are prerecorded. It's always been part of Roger's show which in recent tours has favored spectacle over performance.

 

The choice of songs rocked!

 

don't have a coffee, man.

 

I have maybe a strange request if someone could help me out

I'm really pumped to see this show in about a month and decided a bit ago to stop reading anything about it because I want to spoil as little as possible. But...I do have a few "general" things I'm curious about, not regarding specifics of the setlist and production, that I'd kinda like to know. Stuff that could probably be easily answered by just reading this thread real quick, but then the things that I DON'T want to know would be known too...anyway...if someone who has seen the show or is familiar with it would be kind enough to PM, I'd greatly appreciate it.

 

Name one other respected rock act with regular use of canned lead vocals? Not backing vocals like U2 or Motley Crue. I'm asking about LEAD vocals.

Only recent arena level acts I'm aware of are Def Leppard, Madonna and Dolly Parton. Probably some tween pop stuff.

 

Tom Petty has been using canned leads on Free Fallin' for a while now.

Are people really going to a ROGER WATERS show for virtuoso vocals?! I cannot fathom the same people spending money on tickets are the same people complaining about this. It's a show!

 

You don't have to be a liberal to be skeptical or critical of the president - quite a few conservatives are as well.

 

I've enjoyed Madonna/Parton shows with canned vocals I knew about because the banter/antics give you a sense of interacting with the audience. The Waters show Ive seen felt like a bigger budget Aussie Floyd show with access to isolated vocal tracks.

Fans who will pay want a more challenging/setlist. Even politics could have a much better use of the nightly soap box he's earned.

 

It means he can play more shows per week, the Stones have minimum 2 off days between every show.

Assuming the tone-deaf thing is true, an all live show like Gilmour may have lots of off key RW moments.

 

I've never seen Roger, or Dave, or Pink Floyd. The stars never aligned. I am finally going to see him this fall.

And I would absolutely not want the majority or half the show devoted to his new album, which I suspect will not be any good, nor his earlier solo albums, all of which I disliked. Four or five songs is already going to be more than I want to hear. Nor would I want to him to skip over songs from The Wall or Dark Side of the Moon just because he has done them many times before.

At every show, not just casual fans but even people who have known the artist's work for decades are seeing them for the first time, and I'm sorry, but we want a generous helping of the classics. It's just the way it is.

 

With fans like this....ah, what can I say.

 

He was never going to devote 1/2 or the majority of his show to his new album and there was always going to be a generous helping of the classics. But you have to realize, there is also a very large portion of his audience who appreciate deep cuts and new songs. I'm sure it's tricky for them trying to figure out the balance but plenty of artists manage to do so and please fans across the board. It's not as if switching out a few songs would ruin the overwhelming Floydness of the show.

 

The lip-synching thing bothers me. It probably wouldn't be a deal breaker - I still may go see him this summer depending on other factors, but it definitely lowers my opinion of him and would lower my enjoyment of the show.

Personally, I'd rather see bad vocals at a live show than canned ones. Hell, I'd rather have him use auto-tune. At least then it's live and spontaneous, even if it's altered.

 

You're clamoring to hear "Vera"?

Not seeing any variation of Floyd is on you. This is his 4th major US arena tour in 17 years. Millions of fans who saw those 4 tours are hoping for a couple tracks in the vein of Fearless and One of Those Days.

 

Gotta agree here, if you wanna listen to canned vocals you may as well go listen to the records.

 

Was it Phil Lesh who played a broom on a TV appearance because the station wouldn't let The Dead play live? I tried to find the video but no luck tonight. I bet most people here applaud that kind of honesty.

Why does Roger even bother faking it? Why not just walk around the stage while he's "singing"? Why bother opening his mouth and risk catching a fly?

 

and enjoy the great visuals and the flying pig and everything in your listening room

 

it may be "on me" if I couldn't get away from work and kids to see one of the earlier shows, ok.

 

I was debating checking out the phoenix show since i'll be in town that night, but i'm not paying those prices to see a rock legend pull a Britney spears. sync me, baby, one more time.

 

Fair enough but I can't help but feel it's a bit of a con for those you paid their hard earned to see a LIVE performance. Flying pigs etc and other gimmicks come second for me, I wanna see an artist perform.

 

he's still playing the bass and guitar...maybe?? who knows I guess.