by Gianmarco Caselli –
An epic concert for a very limited number of people, just under two thousand, which saw Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets perform – the band of Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason active since 2018 – at the Teatro Grande in Pompeii on July 24 last.
An epic concert for everyone: for the city, for the relatively few spectators, and also for Mason himself who received the honorary citizenship of Pompeii that same day.
For the uninitiated, it must be remembered that in the early 70s in the amphitheater of Pompeii the documentary film Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii was made with the full band (obviously without Syd Barrett). Guitarist David Gilmour also returned to Pompeii in 2016 for two concerts. For this reason, the return to the excavations is important for everyone, musicians and spectators. Many fans came especially from abroad to attend this unique event produced by D’Alessandro & Galli
Mason is the only Pink Floyd to have been present in the band from the first to the last album , and he is the one fans probably love the most, both because he is the historical memory of the group and, above all, because he is the one who would most wanted a reunion made impossible by the quarrels between Gilmour and Waters also fueled by the incendiary outbursts of Polly Samson against Waters, seen by many as the Yoko Ono of the situation… and in this regard, how can one fail to notice during the concert some fans wearing the blue T-shirt with the writing “Who the fuck is Polly Samson? ”.
The event
Mason himself felt the importance of this appointment and also said it during the concert: “It’s a special occasion: I brought my wife, my daughters and three grandchildren with me so that they could witness this moment.” The link with the previous event in Pompeii is visible as soon as he enters the first notes of the spectacular One of these days by placing a recognizable black hat on his head: “the same hat from the film . ”
The ex Pink Floyd speaks little, but he has a truly natural relationship with the public and says he is sorry that he was unable to bring the rest of the band with him and that he lost his mustache . And speaking of jokes, the moment in which he pretends to receive a phone call from Roger Waters who asks him if he knows where his gong is and he replies that he thinks he saw it at David Gilmour’s house is spectacular.
The concert
It almost goes without saying how spectacular the concert was. The band offers Floyd songs before The Dark side of the moon with video projections on the ruins behind the stage, and if the lineup is always the same as Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets concerts, the importance of the event has emotionally infected audiences and musicians in a sensational crescendo. The band emerges in all its evocative power in songs like Echoes , in the simply magnificent A saucerful of Secrets , One of these days , Set the controls for the heart of the sun .
Nick Mason himself in these songs (as well as others such as Remember a day ) recovers his spectacular touch which makes him unique in the panorama of drummers which in part, at least until a year ago, seemed less evident and which leaves no doubt to be in front of one of the Pink Floyd.
The band
The band is much more experienced and the musicians talk musically more than a year ago. Gary Kemp (vocals and guitar), carries the enormous burden of replacing the Floyd’s original vocals on his shoulders. Now he is much more at ease, perhaps also because he feels he is loved and thanked by the public: he is highly concentrated he is and it is clear how much he wants to make a good impression on this date. Dom Bekem (keyboards) shoots out of the synthesizers sounds that often wouldn’t be typical of Wright, with sound waves so dense that they sometimes make the ground shake underfoot but are spot on. Moreover, it should be clarified that if everything were identical to the original versions it would be like being in front of a cover band. But this is not the case, and everything happens under the Nick Mason Hat Guarantee !
Guy Pratt (bass), who until a year ago was visibly the conductor on stage, now that the band is more experienced, emerges less in this role, but still wants to be seen winking, joking, making moves and hints of ballets: for many fans, this stage attitude is exaggerated and detracts from the epic dimension of Floyd’s visionary music. From a musical point of view, however, absolutely nothing can be said since Pratt has collaborated with Floyd and with Gilmour for years (besides having married Richard Wright’s daughter).
Lee Harris (guitar) is in his corner, he’s very good, but he manages not to attract attention. Then, when during the fantastic performance of Echoes he lifts the guitar above him, he emerges in all his humble importance and skill.
Those who were there witnessed another great event that will go down in the history of music and will be able to tell it to their grandchildren.
