European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Caught in the act Wall Falls Short by Anita Gosch stuff writer it was a great idea Roger Waters stages the legendary Rock opera Quot the Wall Quot at the Wall in Berlin. But for Many of the reported 300,000-plus music fans who packed the pots Arrier Platz saturday the production fell far Short of expectations. Quot i think it was a big disappointment for everybody Quot said a Young swedish Man the next Day. He had Ridden eight hours on a train to attend the concert. Quot i went Home Early and watched it on to Quot said a Berlin a resident. A. ,. A a. Fans came from All Over the world to see the show last staged by Waters former group Pink Floyd in 1981. Many took overnight trains or drove from surrounding countries a East and West Germany Poland the Netherlands Italy and great Britain. Some flew in specially from the United states others came from As far away As Lithuania in the soviet Union new zealand and Australia. They came to be a part of what was to be the biggest party in the world an event that would certainly go Down in the history of Rock a no Roll. They came for the music and for the visual effects a the pyrotechnics the computer operated Light show the massive inflatable figures the giant styrofoam Wall built Brick by Brick across the stage then torn Down at the operas Climax. I came not As a reporter but As a longtime fan of Pink Floyd one who had seen the original Quot Wali Quot show in Dortmund West Germany and one who too had great expectations of a wonderful thing. I left with nothing More than an oversize Quot Wall Quot tank top and memories of a hot Long Dusty crowded and a to be honest a Boring Day. Despite Waters intentions to create the visual aspects Large enough so that even fans far away from the stage could see them they were on much too Small a scale for the immense concert area from where we stood several Hundred feet Back binoculars were useless and the video screen hopelessly out of sync was usually hidden behind lampposts and bodies. It was t until we watched the concert on television later that evening it was tape delayed on German to that we saw All the actual goings on on stage a real live orchestra and chorus provided backup music an army of hundreds marched Back and Forth a White Cadillac limousine and an ambulance drove onto the stage people Rappel led Down the Wall and singers acted out parts of the show. As it was the grand opera turned out to be Little theater that should have been staged in a Small Hall sometimes the visual aspects of a concert done to matter though As Long As the sound and music Are Good Case in Point Pink Floyd performing in outdoor Arenas. That Wasny to the Case in Berlin. Shouts of Quot louder louder Quot by the fans often drowned out the already quiet sound and occasional Power failures at the Start of the show left no sound at All. Lead Singer Waters who s never been known As a great vocalist often Sang off key according to Germany a Bild. Newspaper special guest Van Morrison Tore off his headphones in anger and guest Singer Cyndi Lauper gave a disappointing rendition of another Brick in the Wall. In contrast Morrison who Sang comfortably numb and special guests Bryan Adams Sinead o Connor and Joni Mitchell among others gave impressive performances. Despite months of planning the Berlin event reeked of disorganization and unpreparedness. Several warm up acts including the band who were Good and the chieftains who were All right performed in the hours before Quot the Wall Quot began at 10 . After a 30-minute delay. But there were still periods of up to 90 minutes of dead air throughout the Day. Waters who wrote and composed Quot the Wall Quot certainly had lofty ideas when he decided to re enact the opera As a Charity concert for the memorial fund for disaster Relief. Though according to reports he had originally looked at such Sites As the grand Canyon and new Yorkus Wall Street for the production he settled on Berlin when the Wall started crumbling in november. Thus the tale of a Rock Star s alienation from his fans and his eventual exposure came to represent the breaking Down of Walls Between people and nations. That was the Good thing about the Berlin event there really were no Walls Between the vast number of nationalities represented in the crowd. Side by Side they sat peacefully in the dust and dirt and heat All with a common purpose. And that was probably the Only important thing. Still to All those who stayed Home and watched the concert on tv�?touch6. A giant rubber pig Breaks into the styrofoam Wall in Roger Waters re enactment of a the Wair in Berlin. 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