“Wow, wow, wow!” That was the general reaction from fans in my vicinity watching David Gilmour’s Luck and Strange tour finale concert at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sunday, November 10. It was mine, as well.
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The longtime Pink Floyd singer/guitarist and his current solo band delivered a stunning 24-song set. The show included renditions of all nine songs from his 2024 solo album, Luck and Strange, played in order, but with a variety of Pink Floyd tunes and other songs from his solo career interspersed around them.
[RELATED: David Gilmour Addresses The Dark Side of the Moon and Wizard of Oz Conspiracy Theory]
Pink Floyd fans are more than familiar with Gilmour’s searing, soaring guitar tone and blues-infused riffs, but hearing them fill the famous arena live was a thrilling, sonic treat. Meanwhile, David’s singing, which has gained some gravel and grit as he’s aged, remains strong, sweet, and engaging.
Gilmour eased into the show with two instrumentals, “5 A.M.” and “Black Cat,” tunes that respectively kicked off his two latest solo albums—Rattle That Lock (2015) and Luck and Strange.
Next up was Luck and Strange’s title track, during which the 78-year-old rock legend showcased some impressive falsetto vocals.
Gilmour Moves On to Pink Floyd Songs
At this point, Gilmour began dipping into the Pink Floyd catalog. He played a segment from The Dark Side of the Moon, combining “Breathe (In the Air)” with “Time.” Greg Phillinganes, one of two keyboardists in David’s touring band, handled the vocals originally sung by late Pink Floyd member Rick Wright, on “Time.” The performance also was accompanied by some striking animated videos of time pieces projected on the large screen behind the stage.
Gilmour then dug back into Pink Floyd’s 1970 album Atom Heart Mother for “Fat Old Sun,” switching from acoustic to electric guitar in the middle of the tune.
That was followed by another Floyd tune, “Marooned,” an instrumental from the 1994 album The Division Bell. David then returned to Luck and Strange for the melodic and introspective “A Single Spark.”
Next up, Gilmour played one of his signature tunes, the 1975 Pink Floyd classic “Wish You Were Here,” a magical moment that was one of the show’s high points. Pretty much the entire audience was singing along with David during the performance. Afterward, Gilmour came to the front of the stage to address the crowd, and was greeted by a lengthy standing ovation.
Band Introductions, Romany Gilmour Hits the Stage
Gilmour then introduced the band, starting with bassist Guy Pratt, whose been playing with David since joining Pink Floyd’s touring band in 1987. The group also featured Phillinganes and Rob Gentry on keyboards, Ben Worsley on guitar, and Adam Betts on drums. Providing vocal accompaniment were Louise Marshall, and The Webb Sisters (Charley and Hattie).
Gilmour then brought out his 22-year-old child Romany, who was featured on vocals and harp throughout Luck and Strange. Romany joined the band for the remainder of the show.
After a rendition of the Luck and Strange instrumental “Vita Brevis,” the spotlight was directed on Romany, who played harp and sung lovely lead vocals on Gilmour’s cover of “Between Two Points.” The song, originally recorded by the British dream-pop duo The Montgolfier Brothers in 1999, was the only non-original featured on Luck and Strange.
An inspired version of “High Hopes”, from Pink Floyd’s The Division Bell, brought the first set to a close. Giant beach balls were passed into the crowd during the performance, creating an almost surreal spectacle.
Second Set Highlights
The second part of the show began with a fiery rendition of “Sorrow,” an instrumental from Floyd’s 1987 studio album A Momentary Lapse of Reason.
Romany joined their dad to harmonize on the Luck and Strange tune “The Piper’s Call,” before Gilmour and company returned to The Division Bell for the anthemic “A Great Day for Freedom.” The latter song was highlighted by David’s emotive soloing and the backing singers’ choir-like vocals.
A bit later, Gilmour directed the crowd’s attention to Marshall, who sat at a piano onstage, surrounded by Romany and The Webb Sisters. The singers then put on a harmony-vocal display, delivering a stunning, stripped-down version of The Dark Side of the Moon gem “The Great Gig in the Sky.” David played lap-steel and some of the other band members also adding some musical touches to the performance.
Also during the latter set, Gilmour gave a shout-out to his wife, Polly Samson, who’s been his main lyricist since the 1990s. He then played the 1994 Pink Floyd song “Coming Back to Life,” which he wrote for her.
Wrapping up the main part of the concert were three more songs from Luck and Strange—“Dark and Velvet Nights,” “Sings,” and “Scattered.”
The Grand Finale
After “Scattered,” Gilmour thanked the audience and bid them goodnight, as he and the band exited the stage. The show wasn’t quite over, though.
Gilmour and company returned for an epic version of Pink Floyd’s The Wall classic “Comfortably Numb,” thrilling the Madison Square Garden crowd. The performance, which featured multiple soaring solos and an impressive laser-light display, was the perfect way to end an unforgettable evening of music. Wow, indeed!
More About Gilmour and the Luck and Strange Album and Tour
The November 10 concert was ended a five-show run at Madison Square Garden, bringing Gilmour’s 2024 tour to a close. The trek, which kicked off September 20, also featured multiple concerts in Brighton, U.K.; Rome; London; and the Los Angeles area.
Luck and Strange, Gilmour’s first solo album in nine years, was released on September 6. It topped the U.K. albums chart and peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard 200.
Gilmour has said in some recent interviews that he’s planning to record another album following the trek.
David Gilmour Set List, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, 11/10/2024:
Set 1:
- “5 A.M.”
- “Black Cat”
- “Luck and Strange”
- “Breathe (In the Air)” (Pink Floyd)
- “Time” (Pink Floyd)
- “Breathe (Reprise)” (Pink Floyd)
- “Fat Old Sun” (Pink Floyd)
- “Marooned” (Pink Floyd)
- “A Single Spark”
- “Wish You Were Here” (Pink Floyd)
- “Vita Brevis”
- “Between Two Points” (The Montgolfier Brothers)
- “High Hopes” (Pink Floyd)
Set 2:
- “Sorrow” (Pink Floyd)
- “The Piper’s Call”
- “A Great Day for Freedom” (Pink Floyd)
- “In Any Tongue”
- “The Great Gig in the Sky” (Pink Floyd)
- “A Boat Lies Waiting”
- “Coming Back to Life” (Pink Floyd)
- “Dark and Velvet Nights”
- “Sings”
- “Scattered”
Encore:
- “Comfortably Numb” (Pink Floyd)
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