Pink Floyd fans who had gathered at the London Palladium on Sunday night for a Roger Waters gig were left in a state of fury and disbelief when the legendary musician spent an entire hour reading passages from his unpublished autobiography instead of delivering the expected musical performance. The debacle, which included Waters using explicit language towards the audience, has sparked outrage among his loyal supporters.
Roger Waters, the former bassist of the iconic rock band Pink Floyd, had initially billed the evening as an opportunity for fans to experience the entirety of his new album, “Dark Side Of The Moon Redux.” However, instead of diving into the promised musical journey, Waters decided to read excerpts from his unpublished autobiography, leaving the audience baffled and frustrated.
The 80-year-old musician, known for his controversial and outspoken nature, went on to discuss personal anecdotes, including an extensive 20-minute segment dedicated to stories about his pets, including a duck named Donald. This unexpected deviation from the promised musical performance left many concert-goers stunned and bewildered.
Adding to the disappointment, Waters did not hold back on his frustration with the audience. He reportedly told them, “If you want to tell stories, tell them in your own time to your own audience in your own f***ing theatre. By the way, if you can show constraint and stop shouting again.” This aggressive interaction only further fueled the fans’ disappointment and anger.
Furthermore, Waters attempted to incorporate stand-up comedy into the show by impersonating figures such as Bruce Forsyth and Max Bygraves, a move that did not resonate well with the audience. Some fans even claimed on Twitter that they were asked to leave the concert during the interval for expressing their dissatisfaction with the performance. One concert-goer expressed their frustration by stating, “£500 to hear a load of old waffle and slung out after the interval. Not good.”
Many others took to social media platforms to vent their disappointment, with one fan criticizing the excessive duration of the event, saying, “60 minutes of music over two and a half hours is barely a concert. The rambling nonsense ruined a wonderful last 50 minutes.”
When Waters eventually transitioned to performing songs, he was accompanied by a massive light-up triangle and an elaborate lighting rig that dominated the intimate Palladium stage. Fourteen backup singers joined him for the musical portion of the evening.
Roger Waters holds a composition credit on eight out of 10 tracks from “Dark Side Of The Moon,” one of the best-selling albums of all time and a hallmark of Pink Floyd’s discography. Prior to the gig, he had expressed his excitement on Twitter, sharing a clip of himself singing on stage.
Waters has been no stranger to controversy in recent times. Earlier in the year, he faced scrutiny from German authorities for wearing a Nazi-style black trench coat with a red armband during his concerts in Germany. He had also drawn criticism for simulating shooting the crowd with an imitation machine gun during performances of his songs “In The Flesh” and “Run Like Hell.”
Additionally, Waters recently visited WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in Belmarsh prison, a move that garnered attention due to his controversial political views and support for Assange. Assange, facing extradition to the United States on charges of conspiracy to commit computer intrusion, has been detained in the London-based prison since April 2019.
In conclusion, Roger Waters’ London Palladium gig on Sunday night left Pink Floyd fans disappointed and furious due to his decision to prioritize reading from his unpublished autobiography over delivering the promised musical performance. The event, marked by explicit language and confrontational interactions, has ignited backlash from fans and renewed discussions about Waters’ controversial actions and statements in recent times.