David Gilmour. Roger Waters. The Pink Floyd legends didn’t speak for two long decades of bitter acrimony. But on one glorious night at the O2, the former bandmates put that all behind them and rocked the arena to its foundations on “Comfortably Numb.” David had recently called in a favor from Roger to do a small charity gig, and not one to miss an opportunity, Roger had David join his The Wall tour for one night. The song choice, as any Floyd fan knows, was absolute perfection.
David’s solo on “Comfortably Numb” is considered by many to be the greatest guitar solo of all time. And when he hit that famous lead break, the reaction from Roger and the crowd was nothing short of rapturous. The guitar luminary opened the taps on his first solo at 2:40 and then brought home the classic hit with his second solo at the five-minute mark. The Music Man readers may recall that David has played that solo a thousand times, but every single time, it’s pure magic, and the O2 gig was no exception.
Roger tends to put on a bit of a hard man act, so it’s rare to see him just smiling so joyfully and bopping around like a kid, but that’s what David’s guitar playing will do to a man. Hearing that vocal interplay between David and Roger one more time was also a really special moment. The stage setup, with David literally appearing on top of the towering wall, was also a brilliantly inspired choice.
David’s performance was kept as a surprise, so what a reveal that must have been for fans. Viewers added comments such as “Imagine not knowing you’re about to see the most legendary guitar solo ever being performed by its original creator” and “I was there and I’m not ashamed to say I had tears in my eyes.” This reunion was the only time David and Roger performed at a major event this century, apart from their historic reunion with the classic lineup of Pink Floyd for Live 8.
David and Roger performed “Comfortably Numb” during the latter’s show at the O2 Arena on May 12, 2011. The gig also featured a reunion of all three living Pink Floyd members. This is because drummer Nick Mason appeared for one song, “Outside the Wall,” alongside David and Roger. This song closed the set, although Nick’s part was largely symbolic, as he played the tambourine.
At David’s request, he and Roger had previously played together for the Hoping Foundation charity gig on July 10, 2010. Only 200 lucky people were there to witness the unannounced reunion, at which the pair played a four-song set.
Prior to that, the classic lineup of Pink Floyd reunited for Live 8. This July 2, 2005 performance was their first live show since June 17, 1981. This reunion featured the three members mentioned above, as well as keyboardist Richard Wright. That one-off charity gig would be the last time the trailblazing four-piece would ever reunite, as Richard died at age 65 on September 15, 2008.