“Trump is a PIG” was one of the huge messages that was fed to the audience by the legendary Roger Waters, the creative inspiration behind most of the great Pink Floyd music of the seventies and early eighties.
The gig was at the 3 Arena in Dublin and this earth moving show was an attack of all of the senses including, incredible songs, brilliant musicians, a colossal visual show and a master craftsman who despite being the tender age of 74, brought everyone on a special journey for some of the most special few hours of my life.
Throughout the show Roger Waters challenged the audience to think about the big issues that we face today including Trump, dictatorships, poverty, pollution, Israel and our oceans and to “RESIST”!!
He stood on the stage, angry, with both middle fingers of each hand raised in a big “fuck them” gesture – we need to RESIST all of the crap around us.
It’s been 47 years since Roger Waters wrote the lyrics to “Us and Them.” there should be no “us and them” as we are all “ordinary men” (and women!) – when this politically charged songwriter originally wrote these powerful songs there were huge issues in the world.
What has changed and are we making any progress I wondered?
At one point after one of the songs, towards the end of the gig the crowd applauded and didn’t stop. The cheers got louder and didn’t stop, louder and louder. Roger Waters looked mesmerised as he looked out at the adoring crowd in awe and beat his chest in appreciation of the love and appreciation- everyone in that audience on that night knew that what they were witnessing was something very special.
The finale was the monumental ‘Comfortably Numb’ and overcome with emotion I felt tears pouring from my eyes – I first heard this song in 1979, when I was just 14 years of age.
It moved me then just as it moved me now.
As the gig came to an end pink ticker tape descended on the audience with the powerful message ‘RESIST’ written on both sides.
I kept as many of these as I could – the message was an important one.
I’ve been to some of the most brilliant gigs but I think this was quiet possibly the best that I have ever witnessed.
Coming away from the gig I asked Dee how she felt about it – she felt “angry” , the kind of positive angry that we were challenged to carry with us by Roger Waters.
We have to RESIST, be angry and call out the crap that we witness all around us.
Of course it is Donald Trump, but it is also the stuff on our doorsteps, the homeless we see on our streets every day, the cervical cancer fiasco, the Maurice McCabe cover up, the thirst for power and the very selfish “I’m alright Jack” society that we are living in.
If you see it, don’t be passive anymore, call it out and start shouting..
RESIST !!
Greg
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