Dave Gilmour 3/10/15

The previous Gilmour concerts at The Albert Hall were classic gigs and I was amazed to find that they were nine years ago - they still live strongly in my memory so I had guessed they were more recent. Like last time he was showcasing a new album and he kicked off with three tracks from the album including the excellent 'Faces of Stone'. Even just three tracks in the gig was beautiful with his inimitable, ethereal, imperious and impeccable guitar front and centre, and with an excellent band backing him including Phin Manzanera on guitar and some great drumming from Steve DiStanislau. Track four was the first of a surprising number of classic Floyd tracks, 'Wish You Were Here' and the level of the gig moved up a notch from beautiful to superb. After a couple more tracks from his most recent two solo albums he then played two tracks from 'Dark Side of the Moon' and the second of those 'Us and Them'took things up yet another gear and I had a strange feeling I was at a classic Floyd gig. Everything was just purring along from backing singers to keyboards, bass and drums and DG's guitar just got better and better. A brilliant version of 'In Any Tongue' from the new album and then the classic 'High Hopes' finished the first set on a roll. I was wondering whether it could get any better in the second half and then it did with 'Astronomy Domine' as an opener. Now it definitely felt Floydian and the back projection and lighting was keeping up particularly on 'Shine on You Crazy Diamond' which followed. Ditto the 'cartoon' to accompany 'Fat Old Sun' from Atom Heart Mother which was next up. A few more tracks of newer songs including 'On an Island' and 'Today' and then a couple more Floyd numbers and the second set was over. The encore was just perfect - a couple more classics from 'Dark Side of the Moon' - 'Time' and 'Breathe' were followed by an astounding version of 'Comfortably Numb'. Meanwhile the light show just took off with nets of green followed by staccato patterns of red and then white perfectly fitting the song and the transcendental guitar. Goodnight to gig of the year.