LIVE IN GDAńSK

Only one year after the release of the Remember That Night DVD, came this double live CD with a show from the same tour (also available with a DVD with parts of the show). The set list has changed only very slightly and most of the song selections are identical to the previously released DVD filmed and recorded in the Royal Albert Hall in London. Like the Royal Albert Hall concert, the present show, recorded in Gdansk, Poland, also starts with the same segment from Dark Side Of The Moon (Speak To Me, Breathe (In The Air), Time and Breathe (In The Air) (reprise)), followed by Gilmour's latest solo album On An Island played in its entirety. This takes up the whole of disc one. On An Island was a fine album, but the second disc of this live album is where the real interest lies as it is filled with Pink Floyd classics including two of my all-time favourites: High Hopes and Echoes, the latter of which makes up 25 minutes! We also get Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Fat Old Son, Wish You Were Here and Comfortably Numb all of which were also featured on the Remember That Night DVD. Astronomy Domine was not part of the DVD's main feature, but it was included as a bonus feature. In fact the only song present here that was not also on the DVD is A Great Day For Freedom, played exclusively in Poland. This is a moving song and one of the highlights here. On the DVD, on the other hand, you get further songs not featured on this CD, such as Coming Back To Life, Arnold Layne (with David Bowie) and a few others, as well as documentaries and other extras.

One relevant difference between the two live releases is that guests David Bowie, Robert Wyatt, David Crosby and Graham Nash have been replaced with the Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra. But otherwise the line-up remains identical with David himself on guitar and vocals, Steve Di Stanislao on drums, Guy Pratt on bass, Jon Carin on keyboards, Phil Manzanera on guitars and David's Pink Floyd-colleague Richard Wright on keyboards. For Pink Floyd fans it is, of course, extra interesting to hear Wright, especially since he passed away shortly after this event. The performance is highly professional and very enjoyable, if a little predictable. The orchestra does not add much to the proceedings but there are a few passages where they can be heard.

You probably see where this is going; I'm going to claim that Live In Gdansk is a very good, but ultimately unnecessary release. However, if you prefer CD's over DVD's or have a special interest in Rock-band-meets-symphony-orchestra- releases, then Live In Gdansk might be preferable over the DVD. There is indeed very little to distinguish the two and having one of these live recordings in your collection is indeed highly recommended, but having both of them is strictly for fanatics only!

Live In Gdansk is a fine live release in its own right, but given what was already on the market at the time of its release, it is hardly essential.

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