Roger Waters performing 'The Wall' - 2010 Tour Dates (MSG)

I recently came across this quote of mine from 22 years ago:

“What it comes down to for me is this: Will the technologies of communication in our culture, serve to enlighten us and help us to understand one another better, or will they deceive us and keep us apart?”

I believe this is still a supremely relevant question and the jury is out. There is a lot of commercial clutter on the net, and a lot of propaganda, but I have a sense that just beneath the surface understanding is gaining ground. We just have to keep blogging, keep twittering, keep communicating, keep sharing ideas.

30 Years ago when I wrote The Wall I was a frightened young man. Well not that young, I was 36 years old.

It took me a long time to get over my fears. Anyway, in the intervening years it has occurred to me that maybe the story of my fear and loss with it’s concomitant inevitable residue of ridicule, shame and punishment, provides an allegory for broader concerns.: Nationalism, racism, sexism, religion, Whatever! All these issues and ‘isms are driven by the same fears that drove my young life.

This new production of The Wall is an attempt to draw some comparisons, to illuminate our current predicament, and is dedicated to all the innocent lost in the intervening years.

In some quarters, among the chattering classes, there exists a cynical view that human beings as a collective are incapable of developing more ‘humane’ ie, kinder, more generous, more cooperative, more empathetic relationships with one another.

I disagree.

In my view it is too early in our story to leap to such a conclusion, we are after all a very young species.

I believe we have at least a chance to aspire to something better than the dog eat dog ritual slaughter that is our current response to our institutionalized fear of each other.

I feel it is my responsibility as an artist to express my, albeit guarded, optimism, and encourage others to do the same. To quote the great man, ” You may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.”

– Roger Waters, 2010

As promised, tour dates below…

Roger Waters – “The Wall” 2010 Tour Dates
Sep 15, 2010 – Air Canada Centre Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON
Sep 20, 2010 – United Center United Center, Chicago, IL
Sep 21, 2010 – United Center United Center, Chicago, IL
Sep 26, 2010 – Consol Energy Center Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, PA
Sep 28, 2010 – Quicken Loans Arena Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
Sep 30, 2010 – Boston TD Garden Boston TD Garden, Boston, MA
Oct 05, 2010 – Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
Oct 08, 2010 – HSBC Arena HSBC Arena, Buffalo, NY
Oct 10, 2010 – Verizon Center Verizon Center, Washington D.C.
Oct 12, 2010 – Nassau Coliseum Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, NY
Oct 15, 2010 – XL Center XL Center, Hartford, CT
Oct 17, 2010 – Scotiabank Place Scotiabank Place, Ottawa, ON
Oct 19, 2010 – Bell Centre Bell Centre, Montreal, PQ
Oct 22, 2010 – Schottenstein Center Schottenstein Center, Columbus, OH
Oct 24, 2010 – The Palace of Auburn Hills The Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, MI
Oct 26, 2010 – Qwest Center Qwest Center, Omaha, NE
Oct 27, 2010 – Xcel Energy Center Xcel Energy Center, St Paul, MN
Oct 29, 2010 – Scottrade Center Scottrade Center, St Louis, MO
Oct 30, 2010 – Sprint Center Sprint Center, Kansas City, MO
Nov 03, 2010 – Izod Center Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ
Nov 08, 2010 – Wachovia Center Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
Nov 09, 2010 – Wachovia Center Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, PA
Nov 13, 2010 – Bank Atlantic Center Bank Atlantic Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL
Nov 16, 2010 – St Pete Times Forum St Pete Times Forum, Tampa, FL
Nov 18, 2010 – Philips Arena Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA
Nov 20, 2010 – Toyota Center Toyota Center, Houston, TX
Nov 21, 2010 – American Airlines Center American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Nov 23, 2010 – Pepsi Center Pepsi Center, Denver, CO
Nov 26, 2010 – MGM Grand Garden Arena MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Nov 27, 2010 – US Airways Center US Airways Center, Phoenix, AZ
Nov 29, 2010 – The Forum The Forum, Los Angeles, CA
Dec 06, 2010 – HP Pavilion HP Pavilion, San Jose, CA
Dec 10, 2010 – GM Place GM Place, Vancouver, BC
Dec 11, 2010 – Tacoma Dome Tacoma Dome, Tacoma, WA
Dec 13, 2010 – Honda Center Honda Center, Anaheim, CA