Roger Waters, This Is Not A Drill, Utilita Arena Birmingham

When Roger Waters arrived in Birmingham, he had a lot to say. A considerable amount of negative press coverage had trailed the tour so far, driven by his outspoken comments on geopolitics. Waters met that controversy head-on before playing a single note. As he stated at the beginning of each concert, if you were there for the music but not the politics, you might as well "eff off to the bar."

Roger reads to the audience, Birmingham 2023

In 2023, Roger Waters and politics go hand in hand, so that was absolutely fine with me. Throughout the evening, Waters certainly had bones to pick with British journalists and statements to make in addition to his music. Yet behind the headlines and political friction lay a deeper philosophical thread. This Is Not a Drill was framed by Waters as a direct meditation on life itself, looking back at his formative years, the loss of Syd Barrett, and the inescapable realisation that life is not a dress rehearsal.

The giant LED at the opening of the show

Staging and Production: The In-The-Round Screen Design

As the lights came up, I was presented with an LED screen lying directly on the stage. I had intentionally avoided show previews, so I was genuinely unsure how this setup was going to work. Were the band going to walk around it? I had a great seat (lower tier Block 3, Row S), but would I be unable to see what was happening on the other side?

Those thoughts, coupled with a sombre retelling of Comfortably Numb drawn from the lockdown sessions, left me worried that this was not going to be a great show. How wrong I was.

As the screen started to lift, it all became clear, and it was very clever. With the stage positioned right in the centre of the arena floor, these huge panels gave Roger an incredible visual canvas without ever getting in the way of the musicianship. It also meant that virtually every fan in the building had an unobstructed view. Roger Waters' productions have become increasingly cinematic ever since his stadium revival of The Wall earlier in the millennium, and this setup took that ambition to a completely fresh level.

Now the staging makes sense!

Set List: Solo Rarities and Classic Pink Floyd

The set list contained a balanced mix of Pink Floyd essentials alongside deeper cuts from Roger's solo catalogue. Split across two sets and an encore, the evening drew heavily from the core four albums: The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals, and The Wall. It also made room for personal solo statements like The Powers That Be from Radio K.A.O.S. and The Bravery of Being Out of Range from Amused to Death.

As a big fan of those solo records, hearing them delivered at full arena volume with an exceptional touring band was a genuine highlight. Equally striking was how the first half paid homage to the band's earliest roots. While there was no Syd-era music played, Waters dedicated extended screen projections to Syd Barrett's memory. Moving straight through Have a Cigar, Wish You Were Here, and the soaring, brooding suite of Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts VI–IX) gave the middle of the first set real emotional resonance.

Standout Tracks: A Mesmeric Sheep and The Flying Pig

For me, the absolute standout track of the night was Sheep. I first fell in love with the live version of Sheep at the Desert Trip festival back in 2016, but this performance raised it even further.

It was almost mesmeric. The overhead screens filled with stark visuals of a legion of kickboxing sheep, driving home the allegorical punch of Animals with real bite. Seeing the iconic inflatable pig circling high above the arena floor with fresh political messaging was very, very good. Anchored by heavy basslines, searing guitar work, and Roger's snarling vocal delivery, it was easily one of the most powerful moments of the entire evening.

Any colour you like

Any Colour You Like

The momentum carried straight into the final section of the show. After working through In the Flesh and Run Like Hell, Roger shifted into the emotional heart of The Dark Side of the Moon.

Roger dedicated significant time to discussing mental health, openly reflecting on Syd Barrett's struggles and the fragile nature of human connection. That vulnerability flowed seamlessly into the music, moving through Any Colour You Like and Brain Damage into the cathartic swell of Eclipse as the lasers locked into the iconic prism overhead.

Finale: Two Suns in the Sunset

For the finale, Roger chose a striking, somber conclusion with Two Suns in the Sunset from Pink Floyd's 1983 album, The Final Cut.

Backed by stark animations depicting the flash of a nuclear strike against a family car journey, it brought the evening full circle to the core philosophy of the tour: life is fragile, and there are no second takes.

This was an exceptional concert. The combination of a top-tier live band, cinematic visuals, and a broad sweep of Pink Floyd material made for an unforgettable show. While he did not touch the Syd-era catalogue championed by Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets, or the David Gilmour led tracks that DG delivered so brilliantly on his recent Luck and Strange tour, this was still a fantastic night that lives long in the memory.

I walked away from the Utilita Arena thinking this was an absolutely fantastic gig, and I am so glad I managed to see what could well be Roger's last major tour.

Roger Waters and band, Curtain Call