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Pink Floyd - P-U-L-S-E CD (album) cover

P-U-L-S-E

Pink Floyd

Psychedelic/Space Rock


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Guillermo
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars The first time that I watched parts of this video was in late November of 1994. I was almost asleep (I had to work the next day), when at 11 P.M. one of my brothers called me by the phone saying: "Hey, a Pink Floyd`s concert is being broadcasted now in the T.V. !" . I said thanks to him, and I prepared quickly a Videocassette to record it. Unfortunately, I only recorded the Encores of this concert. But my brother bought the VHS of this concert when it was released in mid 1995. So, I went to his house to see it in his "home theatre" Hi-Fi system. For my surprise, parts of the concert were again broadcasted in another T.V. channel in late 1997. There are some differences between the VHS and CD versions of "P-U-L-S-E": they didn`t include in the CD the songs "Take It Back" and "One of These Days", but they included in the CD "Astronomy Domine", "What Do You Want from Me", "Hey You" and "A Great Day for Freedom". I think that there were commercial reasons to release some different songs in the different formats, as the Pink Floyd`s fans would like to have all the songs. So, IMO, it was more like a marketing trick. Another difference is that the CD, cassette and L.P. versions of "P-U-L-S-E" have songs recorded in different venues, while the video was filmed in Earls Court in London in 20- October-1994.I was a bit disappointed that they didn`t include "Take It Back" in the CD version, but I was glad to see that they included it in the video.The video has very good sound and images, even if David Gilmour and the rest of the band obviously looked "older".The live performance of "The Dark Side of the Moon" is very interesting and well played. "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" has images of a young man (maybe representing Syd Barret) and his life as a musician.In "Keep Talking", David Gilmour appears playing the "Talk Box" while playing the guitar solos."High Hopes" has nostalgic images of youth. All these images were presented in the circular screen in the back of the stage.I remember that this video was also released in the Laser Disc format. I recently saw in the Internet a DVD version of this video, but some fans say that this is in fact a bootleg version, and that the band is going to release the official DVD version of this video in the next months.
Report this review (#35923)
Posted Thursday, June 9, 2005 | Review Permalink
phoenixirl01@
5 stars P-U-L-S-E - Live from the Earls Court is a masterpiece of live music. The effects and the bands passion for what they do steal the show. Timeless classic that no true Floyd fan will ever tire of. Definitely a must have in any Floyd collection.
Report this review (#38447)
Posted Monday, July 4, 2005 | Review Permalink
Cluster One
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars In light of the success of the recent Live 8 reunion concert put on by the FLOYD, I finally dug up my old VHS version of the 1994 "P*U*L*S*E" concert from Earl's Court. To my surprise, the concert is/was as good now as it was ten years ago, plus there is actually video footage of Rick Wright playing keys, unlike Live 8 ;-).

Complimenting the fantastic setlist (a little different than the Double-CD audio version of P*U*L*S*E but still containing the full Dark Side of the Moon) the show frequently boasted an all-original silent film sequence developed by Storm Thorgerson (of Hipgnosis fame). FLOYD is truly a multi-media extravaganza and Thorgerson's work on Mr. Screen only adds to the multi-sensory experience that is FLOYD. Pay particular attention to the excellent film sequence during 'Time' with its many references to Division Bell symbols.

The best way to describe the music and video from this concert is that it almost figuratively 'washes' over you. Words like ambient, surreal, and atmospheric can all properly describe the effect the multi-million dollar lazer-light show, video sequence and music have on the viewer. One of the biggest, most expensive musical tours ever, the 1994 Division Bell Tour grossed over 100 million USD and required 3 different complex stages, one for the last city's show that took a while to be torn down, one stage for the current city's show, and another stage being set up in a city to be visited next. The logistics required to stage these concerts were of galactic proportions! A veritable PINK FLOYD army of trucks (and even an airship!) criss-crossed North America.

I had wanted to wait until "P*U*L*S*E" was released on DVD before I reviewed it, but after multiple official release dates came and went, I gave up on that idea. One day soon, "P*U*L*S*E" will be released on DVD with lots of 'bonus features' and camera angles etc, until then enjoy this excellent out-of-print VHS version if you are lucky enough to own it.

An excellent concert film that gives the viewer the best feel of what the modern FLOYD show looked like, without actually being there. 4.5/5 stars, if only because it is still missing Roger Waters' scowls onstage.

DVD review - 27 July 2006 The P-U-L-S-E DVD had one of the top three best first week's sales in the U.S. of any music DVD in history. The hunger for Floyd material amongst the band's fandom is still insatiable. As always, the band and production team have not disappointed, and good thing, this release has been years in construction... From its high-quality digipack, to the ethereal Storm Thorgerson-designed menus on the DVD's, one realizes straight away that this Floyd product exudes quality right down to its tiniest of details. The total running time of both DVD's is just over 4 hours!

P-U-L-S-E has something for every level of Floyd fan, including never before seen video-bootleg footage of songs not released on the earlier 1995 VHS offering: 'What Do You Want From Me?', 'On The Turning Away', 'Marooned' and my all-time favourite 'Poles Apart'. Unfortunately the 1994 tour opener 'Astronomy Domine' was not included.

Bonus features include music videos, photo galleries, tour stuff, detailed digital album artwork and even the entire collection of screen films (including those designed by Thorgerson specifically for their landmark Division Bell Tour) that played behind the band on "Mr. Screen".

Oh, and then there's the concert itself. It has been remastered, restored and presented in its original 4:3 aspect ratio. The video quality is SO good, that as one Floyd fan site says "you can even see the [individual] hairs on David's arms in certain shots" (quote taken from www.brain-damage.co.uk) And for audiophiles, the new 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround mix can be heard on two different audio streams/bitrates. Audio geeks rejoice!

A veritable goldmine of material for Floyd fans everywhere, and the benchmark for quality for all music DVDs to come.

Report this review (#39111)
Posted Monday, July 11, 2005 | Review Permalink
erik neuteboom
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars I have seen the tour and I own the video so I was thrilled when my neighbour invited me to watch this so eagerly and long awaited 2-DVD set. He owns a huge widescreen television and a sensurround system, this enabled us to watch and listen in the optimal visual and audio possibilities !

While watching Pulse I got mixed feelings, again because during the concert I had the same experience. On one hand the Dark Side Of The Moon rendition on DVD 2 is awesome and also the other tracks from the Water-era are great, this is Pink Floyd at their best, accompanied by mindblowing visual like the semi-circle with the countless light bulbs, the sophisticated light-show and the exciting screen projections. But on the other hand I have to admit that the post-Waters era is not my cup of tea, to me it sounds too clinical and while watching the songs on especially DVD 1, often my attention slips away or the music even fail to generate any excitement. Of course, this is subjective but to me the difference between the songs from the Waters-era and the post- Waters-era cannot be hide behind mindblowing visuals. My conclusion: a splendid DVD with lots of interesting bonus features but this 2-DVD set is no more than an excellent addition, it gets 4 stars because I rated Pink Floyd At Pompeii and Roger Waters-In The Flesh with 5 stars, these are really masterpieces!

Report this review (#85043)
Posted Friday, July 28, 2006 | Review Permalink
Cygnus X-2
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars What is there to be said about the Pink Floyd live experience. It is a visual spectacle unlike any other live band ever. Now, in 1994 Pink Floyd release its final studio album in the Division Bell (7 years after the disappointing A Momentary Lapse of Reason) and released the live album of PULSE in 1995 along with a video of the same concert. For the longest time acquiring a copy of this video was a rare chance, and the announced DVD of this concert had been in the works for many years. After not fulfilling the expected date of December 2006 for release, the DVD was released in early July of 2006 will less hype about it (because people looking to buy it were already anxious for it). So you might be asking yourself, if I have the live album for it what's the point in owning the DVD? I'll tell you why, the presentation. If this were presented in any other way than it was I might have just said if you own one don't bother with the other, but this DVD is different. But it's more than just the concert, there is a lot to offer on this new reissue. I'll get more to that later.

Anyway, the video is split up onto two discs with the first disc being made up of the non-Dark Side of the Moon songs and the encores (so everything that was played before DSotM and the encores is on this disc). It opens with the classic concert version of Shine On You Crazy Diamond. Now I will mention this many times throughout this review, but I will say that the visual presentation that they put forth is just out of this world. From the abstract videos courtesy of Storm Thorgerson to the phenomenal lighting show (which is probably the most dynamic and expansive lighting rig I've ever seen) this show has a visual flare that is unlike any other video I have. I don't really have to describe what goes on musically because if you want that read my review of the live album counterpart. I will make an assessment of this, though. The real treat of the first half is the inclusion of One of These Days, the epic instrumental (save one line of dialogue) getting a phenomenal rendition and Guy Pratt performing incredibly well at the fantastic bass line that that song has. That rounds out the concert portion of the first disc. Also included on the first disc of this colleciton are the screen videos for three of the pieces played during the concert, as well as some rare bootleg footage of pieces that weren't included on the video, the best of these being Marooned. Also included are the music videos that accompanied the songs Learning to Fly and Take it Back, and while they are both pretty ridiculous vidoes they are nice inclusions.

The second disc is the most faithful to the live album as it remains unchanged in the set. So the first thing played is the entire Dark Side of the Moon album, visually it's a blas to watch with highlights being during On the Run (usually a boring song) because of the video played and the plane crash into the side of the stage at the end. Other moments that peaked my interest were the stellar performance of Us and Them and the conclusion of Eclipse where the entire show visually comes to a stunning conclusion. The encores are breathtaking as well with the ripping Comfortably Numb hitting a special moment during the beginning of Gilmour's second (and fantastically extended) guitar solo. Run Like Hell is also a blast to watch with the marching beat of it fully realized by the backing vocalists and it all comes to a great conclusion with the flurries of fireworks at each end of the stage (which is magnificently crafted and built). The bonus features on this disc feature alternate screen videos for the concert as well as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony which also includes a performance of Wish You Were Here with Gilmour, Wright, and Billy Corgan (of the Smashing Pumpkins).

Overall, the reissue of PULSE (which has a drastically different cover than the one that you will see along with this review) has everything a Pink Floyd fan could ever want. A killer setlist, some fantastic visuals and a plethora of bonus materials. Sure Waters wasn't present, but this disc more than shows that the Floyd did not need him to produce a high-quality show. On the contrary, this video fares better than Roger's video of In the Flesh-Live (which was a fantastic video, mind you). Highly recommended. 4.5/5.

Report this review (#86120)
Posted Tuesday, August 8, 2006 | Review Permalink
richardh
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars What is there to be said about this that hasn't been said before? Not a lot.So in few words as possible my thoughts:

You get the whole of Dark Side Of The Moon performed better than the original studio version especially the orgasmic 'Great Gig in The Sky'. You get essential Pink Floyd tracks like Comfortably Numb,High Hopes and Wish You Were Here performed brilliantly. You get a master light and laser show. You get perfect sound.

Is there any reason for not getting this? Other than cloth ears and poor taste in music...absolutely none!!

Report this review (#87698)
Posted Saturday, August 19, 2006 | Review Permalink
5 stars My God...

If Roger Waters had preformed in this Concert with David Gilmour it would without a doubt be the greatest concert ever.

Don't be fooled into thinking the music sucks just because they use intense light shows, a giant screen and powerful lasers. Many bands use this technique to disguies there lack of musical talent

Not the cases with David Gilmour's Pink Floyd. For starters, if this band were to preform on the sidewalk with no fancy lights or massive stage, they would still be awesome

Now imagine that, only this time they are playing in the glow of an amazing light display that is constantly evolving and changing with the music. Then you have a huge screen displaying videos during thier long instrumental sections.

The stage show makes the music more powerful and enhances the complexity of it all, not just masking noise.

Even if you sat in this farthest row, you would still leave thinking it was an amazing concert

If there is one live show to own on DVD, it's this one

Report this review (#88139)
Posted Thursday, August 24, 2006 | Review Permalink
tszirmay
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars My God is right! Though not necessarily a stubbornly faithful Floyd fan, you got to give them the credit of doing more with their revenues than buying castles, powdering their noses with crates of Jack Daniels (hello, Ozzy!) and constantly in the gossip columns . Floyd has always devoted massive attention to artwork, to sound quality (both live or in studio) , created a much maligned movie "The Wall" that has serious merits while staying away as much as possible from the MTV video disease. You got to applaud these efforts simply because this DVD is arguably one of , if not THE, best live visual concert you will ever see. I was recently sitting in an aisle seat going to Seattle from Montreal on a late night flight and the sheer number of people looking away from the dull showing of Mission Impossible 3 (Ciao Tom) and asking me what in gods name was I watching on my laptop (with earphones), was almost scary. Even the attendants came over to check out where all the bright explosions were coming from (security check???) . Mind you the cowboy three rows back wasn't very impressed when I told him it was Pink Floyd , he looked more like a Floyd Hogg fan, ya'all ! But he sure was intrigued by "them there flashin' lights"! But the lush packaging, the photos, the camera work , the inclusion of " bootleg" renditions that are polar opposites of the "Approved" product clearly demonstrate that they are 1- devoted to their craft 2- respectful of their fans 3- will never sell their souls to the Rock Devil and finally , they have a sense of humour. For those who wrongly accuse live floyd of providing a verbatim , note per note rendition of the studio, please take an ear to this version of "The Great Gig in the Sky" arguably their finest moment and see how different hues they adapted to this rather orgasmic piece. Secondly, if there is one band that you would want to hear perfection from , it's Floyd, can you imagine them making reggae version of Comfortably Numb? Yuck!!! (and I like Reggae) . The musicianship is what you would expect , simply impeccable,with a smiling yet serious David Gilmour (not always the most flippant of rock stars anyway!). What's there to bitch about ? everything is a progster's delight, even Sean Trane, prog's version of a nihilist Lester Bangs (eh oui , mon brave Hugues ) would grudgingly admit that this is a DVD nec plus ultra. All the great tunes are here , in particular the bombastic and reptilian "One of these days" . Awesome nervous laughter when you see and hear this!!! Frankly a Nice Pair of discs to unleash on unsuspecting airline passengers, you should try it out and see the reactions. Sorry, gotta give all 5 general's stars here.
Report this review (#88147)
Posted Thursday, August 24, 2006 | Review Permalink
mor7mx@hotmai
5 stars This is the best music DVD of all time. It's not only the kick-ass concert, but also the extra features that it contains that make this product a milestone. This concert is the culmination of Pink Floyd's career since the 60's with Syd Barret, it's a masterpiece from wherever you want to see it.
Report this review (#95459)
Posted Sunday, October 22, 2006 | Review Permalink
3 stars Well that LCD has stopped blinking, which is just as well. I bought this listened to it once or twice and then put it away. The Pink Floyd are always a good live band but I have never been that convinced by their material. Like the LCD that came with the release they are slightly ahead of their time but ultimately boring. I enjoy a Floyd night about twice a year but its usually Ummagumma or Meddle that i put on.

19-06-12

These day's I appreciate the Floyd a lot more than when I wrote this review. Even so I don't like pulse much, far preferring them with Rodger in the band. It took me almost 30 yrs to fully get into the Floyd, so who knows maybe one day I will start to like the Gilmore lead era..it's possible.

Report this review (#101631)
Posted Tuesday, December 5, 2006 | Review Permalink
Chris S
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
4 stars I can comment on the video release only. It is again of high quality like it's predecessor Delicate Sound Of Thunder. The difference here is Division Bell material included and the DSOTM in it's entirety. The visual effects as one would expect are stunning, especially the aeroplane smash at the end of ' On The Run'. ' Sorrow' is great too from Momentary Lapse Of Reason and the nostalgix ' High Hopes'. As usual The Floyd do it in style and Pulse delivers. It is a pity that after 1994 they called it quits for studio releases ( Gilmour did anyways) so after Delicate Sound Of Thunder and Pulse releases, we have nothing else to expect other than solo efforts and Live 8 reunions. The last great live show of Pink Floyd.
Report this review (#103009)
Posted Wednesday, December 13, 2006 | Review Permalink
Easy Livin
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
5 stars Worth the long wait

Well, it certainly took long enough for the DVD version of "Pulse" to be made available, but it was well worth the wait. The concert has of course been available on CD and VHS video for some years, but at long last we have it in full 5.1 surround sound, and digital video.

To preserve the quality, and to allow space for about 90 minutes of extras, the gig is split over two discs. Disc one consists of a cross section of songs from the history of Pink Floyd from "One of these days" ("Meddle") through to several tracks from last Pink Floyd album ("The division bell"). Roger Waters does not perform here of course having left the band long before this 1994 gig in London, UK took place. The line up is however augmented by a further five instrumentalists and a trio of female backing vocalists. The renditions are faithful recreations of the album tracks, although "Shine on you crazy diamond" is an abbreviated composite version of the complete piece. Two tracks, "Hey you" and "A great day for freedom" appear to have been dropped from the CD version.

Disc 2 consists of "Dark side of the moon" in its entirety, with a wonderfully enhanced run through of "Money" plus three encore songs. Of these, "Comfortably numb" is naturally the show-stopper. "Dark side of the moon" though sounds remarkably fresh and new, the band's enthusiasm for the piece being clear and unequivocal.

Visually, the gig is quite stunning, with an ever changing light show, and every special effect you could conceivably imagine. The way the concert is presented here sets a standard for others to aspire to when creating live DVDs.

The set comes with numerous extras, including "Bootlegging the bootleggers" which focuses on the band's more recent songs, as do the two videos for "Learning to fly" and "Take it back". There are also separate showings of the screen films from the gig, and alternative versions of 5 tracks. For audiophiles, the option is included to play the audio at 640kbps instead of the standard 448kbps. How noticeable the difference is will depend entirely on the quality of the equipment used.

Waters or no Waters, this is the definitive Pink Floyd live presentation.

Report this review (#110379)
Posted Friday, February 2, 2007 | Review Permalink
progaardvark
COLLABORATOR
Crossover/Symphonic/RPI Teams
4 stars I only have the VHS version of Pulse because I am one of those people that don't immediately get the newest technological gadgets, instead waiting for the price of them to go down and have all of the bugs worked out of them. I now have a DVD player, and maybe someday will get the DVD version of this because the extras do look like their worth the trouble. Anyway, this review is for the VHS version only which contains just the footage of the concert at Earls Court in London.

First I must say, take some time off from other projects before watching this because the running time is about 2 1/2 hours. Pulse is probably the best live video of Pink Floyd available, however, video can't quite grab the essence of actually being there. I saw them in Philadelphia during the Division Bell tour and must say that no video recording device can really capture the essence of their light show, and particularly the sound. This is where "your own eyes" really are far superior than today's (or 1995's) technology. The video often gets overwhelmed when the stage lighting hits certain angles with respect to the camera positions. Your eyes can distinguish this much better, although there are moments at the end of Run Like Hell in which even human eyes are overwhelmed.

Musically, this is basically a track-for-track run of the corresponding Pulse CD released the same year, with the exception of Astronomy Domine, What Do You Want From Me, Hey You, and A Great Day for Freedom. On the flip side, Take It Back is not on the CD but is on the video. The sound is quite good, even for my not-so-impressive TV. I'm sure it's a much more enjoyable viewing on a larger screen. The band members' performances are quite well done, even though they tend to stand or sit still throughout much of the show. But Pink Floyd was always like this. They let there visual imagery and light show take front stage with the band mostly hovering about in the darkness playing their instruments. Now that they're a lot older (back in 1995), it's probably even more so.

This is most definitely a must-have purchase for Pink Floyd fans. For others, if it had more of their older material than the Division Bell and A Momentary Lapse of Reason stuff, I would say it would be a masterpiece. Otherwise, it's an excellent addition to your prog video collection and definitely worth four stars.

Report this review (#135330)
Posted Wednesday, August 29, 2007 | Review Permalink
Matti
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars My first review for this band I've digged for 20+ years. Technically this DVD that appeared in 2006 is probably the most perfect (ionistic) one I've come across. And it's very luxurious about its contents; the video version pales completely in comparison. Oh, if only I loved the music of latter-day Floyd too, I'd be in heaven when putting it on my DVD player. But songs like 'Learning To Fly', 'Take it Back' or 'Coming Back To Life' leave me quite cold, and the expensive lightshow of the concert can't hide that fact. While the second disc has the legendary Dark Side Of The Moon performed in total, the first one has, quite naturally, emphasis on the two Gilmour-led albums' material, especially when the extras are concerned (2 videos and bootleg shootings of four songs. 1-minute TV ad of P-U-L-S-E is very fine, and the screen films on disc 1 include also 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' - WOW!). The highlights (disc 1) are no doubt 'Shine On' and 'One Of These Days'. The stage show in general is a bit hollow and clinical in its pomposity. Everything's so goddamn measured, if you know what I mean. And the three dancing background vocalists in their white dresses could have been given time off the stage. But the screen films improve things a lot whenever they appear. They all are very well done and very 'Floydian' visually.

Disc 2 is free of post-Waters stuff and is pure enjoyment to any fan, I believe. So, even if you don't much care for the music of latter- day Floyd, this set is absolutely worth buying in all its luxury and perfection.

Report this review (#137954)
Posted Thursday, September 13, 2007 | Review Permalink
debrewguy
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
2 stars First, let me state that I have no problem with a Waters-less Floyd. But now onto the blasphemy. I found it extremely long to sit through the whole thing. The music is great, but you could just as well have put the studio albums on for the most part. But watching this on 32 screen does not thrill me. I'm sure that in person at the show, it would have been mind blowing. The stage presentation would be breath taking. But bring it down to your average TV, and it loses that eye appeal. If you have a sufficiently big screen, fine. Or if you are a big Floyd fan, great. But I've had a few of friends agree with me that the concert doesn't translate well to a smaller screen.
Report this review (#163455)
Posted Saturday, March 8, 2008 | Review Permalink
Sinusoid
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars Pink Floyd on tour in the '90s; no Roger Waters, but there are a cast of backing musicians that fill more holes in the songs like a studio version would. One notable guest member is that of Dick Parry, the original saxophonist on ''Money''. This two-disc DVD set features two different set lists. Disc 1 is more of a DIVISION BELL promotion while Disc 2 has entirely classic material including the perfomance of DARK SIDE OF THE MOON in its entirety. It's one of the amazing Pink Floyd shows to watch with all of the bells, whistles, pigs, lasers and exploding planes filling the stage like no other show could.
Report this review (#185271)
Posted Friday, October 10, 2008 | Review Permalink
ZowieZiggy
PROG REVIEWER
5 stars It took the band an awful lot of time to release this DVD. I even thought that it was never going to see the light.

One of the few regrets I have in my musical life is to have never seen the Floyd on stage. I've seen them all in their vintage years (Genesis, Yes, ELP, Van Der Graaf, Led Zep, Purple, Sabbath, Santana, Tull - but much later for this one) but no Floyd on my agenda.

I could have done it during the "Animals" tour but I was not into prog any longer at the time. The second occasion was their "Pulse" tour. But the band played in one of the places that I really don't like: a huge field where 65.000 people can fit with muddy circumstances when it rains and a total and chaotic traffic situation before and after a show.

My cousin Marco was attending the Belgian leg of this tour and he told me that it was his best visual experience. Too bad for me?

I will only review the new parts which weren't available on the VHS tape released some fifteen years prior to this new and expanded version.

I first wanted to review this work for my 1,500th, then 2,000th review. Finally I did for this special 2,500th one.

One thing is for sure: the booklet (even if very short and not very informative) is useful in terms of navigation into the DVD. What I'm not really enthusiastic about are the "Screen Films" featured. The problem is that when you look at these (which is not very useful), you can't get back: you physically have to stop the play and go back and launch the DVD again or to watch the whole track. Same applies to "videos" part as well as

After this section, one can get hold of "Bootlegging The Bootleggers" which comprises of some unreleased tracks so far (although "What Do You Take From Me" was released on the audio version (1995). Taken out a French concert (since David is introducing the first song in French), it features fine light show effects and it covers the post Waters period which I consider quite worthwhile unlike the majority of PA reviewers. "Marooned" is pretty poignant and the visuals are so superb!

This is an excellent DVD which should sit in your collection (even if some parts as "Tour Stuff", "Videos" and "Screen Films" are not very useful. But they are considered as "features" on the main menu. So, let's not be too critical here. Still, there is a very funny pictures available during "Brain Damage". Most of influential politicians are featured while the lyrics mention "The lunatics are on the ground?": Thatcher, Major, Clinton, Reagan, Saddam, Arafat etc.

The alternate screen version for "Speak To Me" is also excellent and superior to the best known one. Maybe too scary and politically incorrect to show these pictures. The "Behind The Scenes" footage also offers an interesting angle on the tour. One really realizes the huge size of this project.

The "Hall Of Fame" ceremony is also quite moving. First of all, the words from Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins) and then the ode to Syd "Whish You Were Here". Actually, Billy says it all: every time that we think of a dear who has passed, this song is such a fine remedy. I'm thinking very much at you Febus, my French prog friend.

One more thing: the great SOYCD which opens this DVD set is a unique visual representation. It is magical not only to listen but also to see it. This must have been indeed quite an experience to live. Needless to say that the whole of DSOTM is awesome and that "One Of These Days" is gorgeous. Did I mention that the version of "Us & Them" is memorable, that "Time" is sublime, but that I miss "Astronomy Domine"?

Five stars. A great Floydean experience.

Report this review (#249880)
Posted Tuesday, November 10, 2009 | Review Permalink
Flucktrot
PROG REVIEWER
4 stars I'm so glad to own this concert, and so disappointed to have missed it live. Fortunately, this has to be the next-best thing. Numerous friends of mine who could care less about Floyd's music are mesmerized by the fantastic visuals and lights. There are plenty of different camera views to get a sense of each member's contribution, and the music just wonderful. I've seen multiple Floyd tribute bands who have tried to re-create parts of this show, and while admirable, they have shot themselves in the foot, because I can imagine only a few acts to be able to pull off something this huge (you know, the U2s of this world).

I like the fact that it's not just a list of hits, but rather a commitment to dig deeper in places (of course, Dark Side) and deliver the true spirit of the music. Guy Pratt does fine covering bass and occasional vocals, and Dick Parry still "has it". Nick and Rick are dependable as always, although very workmanlike.

However, what this really feels like to me is a big send-off for Dave, as if he had decided long before that this would be the last big stadium tour, and that he was going to do it on his terms: big, ambitious and visually gratifying, but somehow intimate and endearing at the same time. I think that has a lot to do with Dave as the leader: he smiles, he directs, and when appropriate, he just lets it rip. And I think after this he looked back upon his effort and felt pride and relief, and walked away from this kind of production for life. That's what I call grace and class, and Dave has always represented that for me.

Of course, the main show is great, but the best is saved for last, as the three encore songs are just fantastic. Special mention must be made for Comfortably Numb, as the visuals are simply extraordinary: during Dave's solo, the strobe-lined screen is lowered over Dave, and then the enormous disco ball above the crowd opens, creating perhaps one of my favorite live moments in rock. Fantastic stuff.

All in all, a wonderful show, and an equally satisfying DVD, with real extras (i.e., not simply a couple of last-minute throw-ins). A must-have for Floydians, and worthwhile for anyone who likes Floyd or enjoys rock shows with incredible visuals.

Report this review (#291251)
Posted Tuesday, July 20, 2010 | Review Permalink
Finnforest
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
3 stars There is no Pink Floyd without Roger, but...

...for the Vegas version of Pink Floyd (ie, The David Gilmour Band) this is a reasonably entertaining DVD for fans who never got to see the real thing. Like the latter day Grateful Dead or Rolling Stones, at some point during the stadium tours it became as much about cashing in and appeasing brand-starved fans as anything to do with vital rock/progressive rock. Albums of new material were simply product to promote during the tours, and to both fan and artist alike the new original material was barely relevant. In the Floyd's case this was especially true given the loss of their primary creative mind Waters, and yet even for someone who believes this is something of a charade, I admit that cashing in can be fun.

The show's first half starts in grand fashion with "Shine On." While I love the track, I already have disdain for the execution which seems to speed it up and beef it up, altering the very important dreamy subtlety of the studio track. This is a problem I have with Gilmour dating back to The Wall shows. I truly prefer the studio versions of the tracks because of the way Dave insists on altering the laid back Floyd mellow-vibe with more blues-rock bravado that to this listener doesn't work. I think he corrected this to large extent on the Island solo tour, returning his vibe from an almost 80s Dire Straits feel back to the Floydian realm. After a good chunk of post-Waters material which makes it glaringly obvious how impotent the New Floyd were at composition, they close with a predictable "Another Brick in the Wall" and a modest "One of these Days," with almost no spirit from the days of space rock. The lighting and lasers are beautifully done and add much to the scale of the event.

The second half features an entire performance of "The Dark Side of the Moon." This is more rewarding that disc 1 with Gilmour's velvety vocals and smooth lead guitar close to the mark, while the ladies on backing vocals do an amazing job with "Great Gig." It is so nice to see Rick Wright there enjoying himself and lending his sensitive voice to the Dark Side songs. "Money" enjoys a rousing version where some of the most improvised jamming occurs. The bottom line is this: how much you'll care about Pulse will depend a great deal on how relevant you find the post-Final Cut version of Pink Floyd. If you think it's just as good, Pulse will be a must-own DVD for you. If like I, you find the post-Final Cut Floyd to be a nostalgia act capable of delivering entertainment, but hardly a vibrant progressive rock band, then Pulse falls under the "good but not essential" rating.

As with Yes, Zeppelin, the Stones, the Who, and Genesis, here in 2010 I really cringe at the thought of more reunions and tours under these monikers of the past, with young accessory musicians shouldering the fullness of the sound, while the hype and recreating rock-show moments overshadow the very essence which made the important late 60s-mid 70s work so important. Call me a killjoy, I won't deny it, but I hate to see my favorite bands relegated to this.

Report this review (#306490)
Posted Sunday, October 24, 2010 | Review Permalink
5 stars I don't want to over state this, but this DVD is a Masterpiece, visually, sonically and performance. I am getting up in years almost 40 years of age, I dont get goose bumps to much any more, But by the time the female background starts doing here wailing vocalese from Dark side of The moon , I am completely engrossed and realizing this is one of those special occurrences, The last time was seeing Brian Augers band a few months ago in a small club, completely ripping the roof off the place. Roger waters is know where to be found. and didn't care a bit. this dvd gave a pink floyd skeptic a reason to reassess their legacy , at least my own opinion. WOW !!!!!!! what a great dvd.
Report this review (#397441)
Posted Thursday, February 10, 2011 | Review Permalink
BrufordFreak
COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars Quite simply, one of the finest audio and video recordings of a concert of such iconic music that I've ever been privileged to watch (and own). I mean, being able be present at a Pink Floyd concert has always been so prohibitively unlikely due to the band's rare tours or live shows or the tremendous expense of attending such a concert, I feel so fortunate to be able to own such a wonderfully produced rendering of this tour/concert and it's amazing sound and show. At times I feel compelled to stand and wave my lighter, scream or clap with the rest of the audience--as if I'm really there. And to be able to witness and hear the full-length live reproduction of the entire Dark Side of The Moon album and then finish off with the extended version of "Comfortably Numb" (which has got to be one of concert music's all-time highlights) and the rousing "Run Like Hell" is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences! (Well, not really: I can watch my DVDs anytime I want to). Isn't life grand?
Report this review (#424170)
Posted Tuesday, March 29, 2011 | Review Permalink
5 stars Probably my favorite show of all time.

15 years have passed and "Pulse" is still epic. Perhaps whether or not the biggest concert of all time. But to me he is masterful. I'm obsessed with this show since I watched when I was still very young.

The melancholy notes of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" to the grand finale with "Run Like Hell", this DVD surprising. Waters is not here, but so what? Who needs it? Goodbye, Roger!

Although it has been long time since I've watched it, it remains unforgettable. But what I like in "Pulse" is not the music itself, but the special effects - the memory of the plane crashing into the end of "On the Run" (as it is nice to know that they played "Dark Side of the Moon "in full!) remains vivid in my memory!

5 stars!

Report this review (#480472)
Posted Monday, July 11, 2011 | Review Permalink
AtomicCrimsonRush
SPECIAL COLLABORATOR
Honorary Collaborator
5 stars Pink Floyd Shine On in Earl's Court, London.

This concert is the one that really put Gilmour, Mason and Wright's Pink Floyd back on the map as at the time of release they were touring and promoting "Division Bell". The DVD cover graced stores in 1995 with the twin eyeballs balancing, representing the enigmatic illustration on the CD cover. The packaging is terrific featuring a booklet with many colourful photos.

This remarkable performance begins with 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' for 13 wonderful minutes. The light show is bound at first to the circular dish showing scenes from the Pink Floyd film archives that are seen in the live shows. The "Division Bell" songs contained include 'What Do You Want From Me', 'Keep Talking', 'A Great Day For Freedom' and the brilliant 'High Hopes'. The film used for this is the promo clip with surreal dream imagery. 'Learning to Fly' sounds terrific live, especially the middle section and we see a beautiful sparkling light effect over the massive crowd. It is nice to see 'Sorrow' live and Gilmour is a study of concentration with a huge intro solo and the whole song is here at 10:30. "The Wall" is well represented with the mandatory 'Hey You' and 'Another Brick in the Wall: Part Two'. The piece de resistance here is the awesome 'One of These Days', which is not on the CD. Perhaps it is best seen than heard live with the incredible eyeball searing light show. The enormous semi circular video screen is ablaze with glorious lights circulating over the band and crowd. It is an awesome sight and definitely ranks as one of the moments of the show. During the infamous echo solo section the video screen shows an elliptical laser effect and the ugly pig soars overhead.

The second part of the show is the entire "Dark Side of the Moon" concert and one cannot complain listening to this treasure in any format. The live version is certainly masterfully executed. Sam Brown, Claudia Fontaine and Durga McBroom are the girls who power out 'The Great Gig in the Sky'. They look fantastic and get arousing ovations after every section. 'Money' clocks 8:46 and is as amazing as ever with huge sax solo from the incomparable Dick Parry.

The encore of the concert consists of 'Wish You Were Here' and two "The Wall" classics. 'Comfortably Numb' is always a treat in the live arena and Gilmour's stellar lead solo is incredible. During this solo a large chandelier creation descends and opens to reveal a swirling array of dazzling lights. It certainly is an unforgettable sight. The concert ends with 'Run Like Hell', with huge blinding lights that rotate across the stage, and there ends a brilliant show. There are other live DVDs of course, but this is the pinnacle. The DVD is definitely the way to experience the concert though the CD still encompasses the true genius of the legendary Pink Floyd. I give the CD 4 stars, and the DVD 5 stars. That is a fair assessment as the full audio and visual experience is unbeatable.

Report this review (#538294)
Posted Saturday, October 1, 2011 | Review Permalink

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