Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets played at The Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis on Wednesday night April 3rd, 2019.
I have never seen Pink Floyd, nor David Gilmour or even Roger Waters live (I hung out and listened to his show outside a couple of times though, after failing to get a cheap ticket).
And it's pretty well documented my love for Pink Floyd's music and especially a lot of songs and albums released before The Dark Side of the Moon (both Syd and Dave).
I have seen the Australian Floyd a few times and witnessed the local MN band Soap play the complete Animals twice.
But to finally being able to see Nick Mason and his band Saucerful of Secrets, was well anticipated.
And his band included Guy Pratt on Bass and Vocals. Pratt who I maybe think of 1st for his performance on the S/T Toy Matinee album, but also among a large discography, some live Floyd (Delicate Sounds and Pulse), and The Division Bell, On an Island, Rattle That Lock and The Endless River.
Gary Kemp, yes, of Spandau Ballet, who Sang many of the lead vocals and rhythm guitar parts.
The lead Guitarist and Keyboardist I had not heard of, but both made great impressions.
The performances were probably better than I would expect. Nick still can play and it was noted how this was the 1st time he had played in Minnesota since the 1994 concert at The Metrodome, which I still regret missing (I could only see 1 show that Spring, and it was Rush).
Nick joked "We're not the Australian Roger Waters" (or "The American David Gilmour Band"?).
Many of the songs had a lot of punch and volume to them. Some jams included like Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun of course. Lucifer Sam, Childhood's End, which 20 years ago would have been an even bigger thrill for me. I still enjoy it, but maybe not as much as when I 1st discovered my love for OBC.
Still, the version they played of that tune was both like it, but also faster or heavier I suppose, And the keys added something new to it.
Atom Heart of course was a big deal as well, even if it was kind of abridged and the keyboard part I love was only present in spots.
Nick also had intermittent video clips in the background, which were shown over a large wall with the Saucerful of Secrets tour logo. I wonder if it was intentional to try and capture the distorted/limited at-the-time, in-and-out clips that overlay-ed that backdrop artwork.
In other words, the clips were seen, but not all that clearly.
And some of the tunes of course have official videos (Arnold Layne and See Emily Play come to mind), but were not shown/used.
As far as a set list? I can't deny, while a bunch of tunes I favor, they did do (Remember a Day, Childhood's End, Atom Heart..even without an Orchestra of course), there are a handful of tracks I would love to see. And by some chance they do another tour of the States and come to MN of course, maybe they could play
(Summer'68, Cymbaline, Apples and Oranges, Paint Box, Pillow of Winds, The Gold It's in the..., Wut's the deal, Flaming, Julia Dream, Corporal Clegg... these along with others may need to go on a Top 10-30 Floyd songs list; also I should plan to make a list of Artists/Bands I enjoy who have a clear Floyd influence).
also a bit of good karma: I bought a "Syd" t-shirt and ended up losing it after the show. It was in a plastic bag on the floor in front of me, but nowhere to be found after the concert. But the security people found it or another one in the same size and gave it to me. For someone whose lost shirts (Ours and dredg hoodies, Pain of Salvation shirt, and even a couple of hats; Vennart and Genesis) including a Local Natives shirt when I bought 2. Leaving the show with a shirt I paid for and lost, was a huge relief.
Set List
Interstellar Overdrive
Astronomy Domine
Lucifer Sam
Fearless
Obscured by Clouds
When You're In
Remember a Day
Arnold Layne
Vegetable Man
If
Atom Heart Mother
The Nile Song
Green Is the Colour
Let There Be More Light
Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
See Emily Play
Bike
Childhood's End
One of These Days
Encore:
A Saucerful of Secrets
Point Me at the Sky
