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David Gilmour (one-time Pink Floyd singer/guitarist) just released his new live package entitled Live in Gdansk (in many formats 2-CD, 2-CD/1-DVD, 2-CD/2-DVD, a 3-CD/2-DVD and 5-LP configurations) and is indeed a MUST for all David Gilmour and Pink Floyd fans. Sadly, this package is the swan song for Gilmour's Pink Floyd bandmate keyboard player Rick Wright who sadly passed away a week ago from cancer. There are 22 songs on the 2 CDs of Live in Gdansk, which documents the last show Gilmour performed on his On an Island tour at the Gdansk Shipyards in Gdansk, Poland on August 26, 2006. Gilmour was backed onstage by the late Rick Wright, PF 1987 alum which were keyboard player Jon Carin and bass player Guy Pratt, Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera, sax player Dick Parry and drummer Steve DiStanislao. Lastly on this album, he is joined by The Baltic Symphony Orchestra conducted by Zbigniew Preisner. The first CD begins with three from Dark Side of the Moon which are "Speak to Me", "Breathe", "Time" and "Breathe (Reprise)" (all are excellent versions). Next is the On an Island portion (which is the first half of the first DVD in the set). "Castellorizon" is amazing live (especially with the orchestra) followed by a spirited "On An Island" which is superior to the studio version. "The Blue" is followed and betters the version on the Remember That Night DVD. Next is "Red Sky at Night" which is more haunting here with the orchestra and the addition of Carin's lap steel guitar to offset Gilmour's passionate sax playing. Next is a jazzy "This Heaven". We follow with "Then I Close My Eyes" is an excellent version. "Smile" is a great version. "Take A Breath" is awesome here, especially with the orchestra. "A Pocketful of Stones" follows and is passionate. The excellent "Where We Start" finishes the first CD (and the first half of the first DVD). The second disc starts with a haunting "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" (with a superb glass harmonica intro) then followed by spirited versions of "Astronomy Domine" (also on first DVD) and "Fat Old Sun". "High Hopes" is next and works great with orchestra (also on first DVD) then a spellbinding version of "Echoes" (also on first DVD). "Wish You Were Here" follows and is a great version. Next is the song "A Great Day for Freedom" (which is a superb version and is on the first DVD). CD 2 ends with a jawdropping version of "Comfortably Numb" (which sadly has the last vocal performance of Rick Wright). The third disc (the first of 2-DVDs) has the concert and a documentary plus access to songs ready for download (including "Wots...Uh the Deal" (left off the CDs for time constraints). The second DVD features songs from the Mermaid Theater concert from March 7, 2006 (that were left off Remember That Night). Also, two tracks from the AOL Sessions in April, 2006 (which were only on the CD/DVD re-issue of Remember That Night). Plus you get three Barn Jams 2007 recorded at Gilmour's home in Sussex, England on the second DVD (which are now sadly the last pieces of music Gilmour made with Wright before Wright's passing last week). Also there are some Easter Eggs that I cannot give away and you will have to see to find out plus the On an Island album in 5.1 Surround Sound. This album is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! Read more

Great dvd. I watch it frequently. Read more

You really dont need a review unless you've been living on mars or Washington d.c. Great album. Must have Read more

First, I did not follow Gilmour (or Waters) since Pink Floyd dissolved. I bought this based on sampling the songs I did not know (his solo material). I liked what I heard. I did not even know he was doing On An Island complete until reading reviews! This is a solid effort start to finish with superior sound quality. (I only bought the CD set; passed on the DVD's). The Floyd stuff great. The high points for me are Fat Old Sun (why did they leave this of the Pompeii DVD - arrgghhh!), Astronomy, and (wow) a complete rendering of Echoes. Floyd was always pretty much a play the album live band - not much difference from the studio, certainly not prone to re-arrangements of any sort. The same is true here, but I love these songs and the band is larger so we get a fuller sound and more textures. The band is great. Being an avid Roxy Music fan,I wish Manzenera stepped out a little, but he certainly adds skillful backup. As you know or have read, Richard Wright is on keyboard (along with Jon Carin). This really helps the older material sound like, well, Floyd. In fact, if I close my eyes I could not distinguish a lot of this from Floyd, especially on cuts like Fat Old Sun, Echoes and Diamond. Wright was such a superbly skilled musician; and humble. He will be missed. I really like the overall mellowness of On An Island. I am really impressed by Gilmour's playing on these songs - very emotive, he really soars. And the orchestra fills the sound out nicely. Stylistically not very different from Floyd's sound, at least their mellower side (think Meddle without One of These Days). The booklet with the CD (is it the same as the DVD set?) is lame. I mean, it repeats the band and orchestra info three times! I would have liked more (and larger) photos. But I was really impressed with the On An Island tracks, the Floyd material is solid, and if you're reading this you are probably some kind of fan and have bought/plan to buy this. I doubt I will backtrack into Gilmour's solo catalog, but I am certainly enjoying this release. So if you are an old Floyd lover who (as I did) paid no attention to his later solo efforts, give this a listen. Read more