Knebworth 90:  "YOU ARE THERE"

Date:    Mon, 16 Jul 90 16:27:18 BST
From: J R Fletcher 
Subject: Knebworth and The WALL
To: ECLIPSE@BEACH.CIS.UFL.EDU

Hi,

   Sorry this is a little late, but I thought I'd put a word in or two about
Knebworth (cos i 'appened to be there...)

   Just as a brief opener, a quick review of the also-rans who appeared through
out the day. It opened with Tears for Fears (who weren't bad for an eighties
100% pop group), during which, it rained quite a bit, and the floyd project-
-ion screen which was suspended horizontally above the stage filled up with
water and (due to the wind) periodically tipped water onto Roland Orzabell
(sp?). The sun eventually shone, and we went on to Status Quo (who proved that
they really are still rocking after all these years), Cliff Richard & the
Shadows (don't ask me how it went, i went for a drink at this point!!!),Robert
Plant & (eventually) Jimmy Page (Robert plant solo stuff was good, but paled
into insignificance when Jimmy Page came on to absolutely roar his way
through some Zep numbers! Incredible), Phil "his Baldness" Collins & Genesis
(I pass no comment other than one. NAAAAAAFFFFF!), The Supergroup (Clapton,
Knopfler, and John) (quite good actually - excellent rendition of Sunshine
Of Your Love!), and Paul (How can you sleep?) McCartney & wife (who were now
running well into Floyd Time (The supergroup had overstayed their alloted
welcome too). He was OK, and did do an all too brief rendition of Strawberry
Fields Forever)

   And then the Floyd (version 6.0)....

 Whilst we were waiting for the floyd to sort the stage arrangements out, we
were given a real treat! On the Video screens either side of the stage,
they played a (quite) brief history of the Floyd! Not, only
did they show loads of photo footage of Syd, The floyd in the sixties, floyd
in the seventies (including the promotional film of the Pig floating over
Batersea power station for animals), and the eighties floyd (including the
complete promo for Learning to fly) but it was also all put together in the
same style as the eighties floyd's live promo films. I guess it had again
been filmed by Storm Thorgesson (sp?) - it included the same guy that's on the
cover of MLOR, and in the Videos for Signs of life, and On The Run. In all
it was an excellent little biography, quite funny at times, and certaintly
showed how the floyd had evolved through the years (no mention of Rog though)
 The big shock during this film was that, as the rain returned once more, they
took down the screen from the projection disk, leaving only a ring of lights!
I've yet to find out the official reason for this, but I hazard that it was
due the fact that the stage area had now become one hugh wind tunnel, and it
would have been blown out anyway...
 The initial shock over (what no vids?), and after Dave Dee (remember him?),
the organiser had come on to tell people climbing on speaker stacks around
the back of the audience, to get down ("or no show!") The stage went black,
and attempt was made to fill the stage with smoke (useless, it was just blown
straight away..) and the familiar synth sound of Shine On came wind buffeted
throught the stage speakers (i was near the front). Dave's Guitar made it's
timely entrance, and i settled back to the '87-'89 version of Shine on. Candy
Dulfer did the Sax bit (last seen with Dave A. Stewart), and played around
Scott parry's vers., rather than copy it straight. From shine on to Great Gig.
Clare Torry tried her best to scream against the wind, but went out of tune
quite a bit. When it had finished Dave approached the mike, clutching an
acoustic, and spoke to the masses. It was obvious that the stage area was
extremely windy and damp, and Dave, had a little trouble battling the wind
to give an all too familiar message ("thanks for coming!"). On to Wish, and the
first real Floyd success of the day. It went down a treat. Next came a bit of
a surprise, as the lasers cranked up, and Dave grouched his way through the
opening strains of Sorrow (didn't think they'd touch the MLOR). It went
quite well, baring a small bit of popping and crackling as rain hit the
electrics. Then the familiar ringing of the cash register, brought on the usual
'spontaneous' Money Jam. It definately woke the crowd up a bit, who had
mostly been quiet upto now (there was a surprising large amount of floyd
fans out there!). The lasers cranked up once more for Dave's party piece -
Numb. Now that woke the crowd up! And it kept them hot for the closing piece
(surprise, surprise) Run Like Hell! Fists in the air, flares on the stage,
and fireworks in the nights sky! Incredible.
 In all the floyd performance was much the same as the recent live shows, with
the added interest/delight of Candy Dulfer and Clare Torry. The music was
good, but was mared by the wind and the rain. The light show was
excellent, despite the lack of screen. In all, I enjoyed every bit of it!
But then I had been standing around for 11 hours.....

 Quickly onto the Wall...I have my tickets, and I have a German phrase book
(..the ultimate tourist....). The press have been very quiet about it over
here and the only details lately have been about the list of stars appearing
(sinead, etc) and the support acts (the Cheiftans and The Hoppers). No
news of broadcast in the UK, and no news of Dave & Co. being there (they said
they wouldn't.....)

 Sorry to go on, definately time to go.....

 J R Fletcher