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| David Gilmour @ the Hollywood Bowl (Photo: Randall Michelson/Live Nation-Hewitt Silva) |
Hollywood, CA - Last night, legendary guitarist David Gilmour transformed the storied Hollywood Bowl into a temple of progressive rock, delivering a mesmerizing three-hour performance that proved his guitar wizardry remains undiminished at 78 years old. His third date of four in Los Angeles, and his only West Coast appearance on the Luck and Strange tour, the event drew Pink Floyd and Gilmour devotees from across the globe, turning the concert into an international pilgrimage. Among the crowd, I encountered fans who had journeyed from as far as Australia, with others flying in from Portland, Vegas, Kansas City, and the Bay Area – finding a local Los Angeles attendee proved more challenging than meeting someone who'd crossed continents to be there!
The evening opened at 7:45pm with "5 A.M.," a track from 2016's Rattle That Lock, its haunting instrumental passages echoing the atmospheric beginnings that defined classic Pink Floyd albums. Gilmour's signature Stratocaster tone – that singing sustain that first captured audiences on "Wish You Were Here" and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" – filled the Bowl with pristine clarity, as if the venue had been transformed into an audiophile's dream studio.
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| David Gilmour @ the Hollywood Bowl (Photo: Randall Michelson/Live Nation-Hewitt Silva) |
Moving into "Black Cat," the gentle piano introduction gave way to Gilmour's namesake Stratocaster weaving through the brief instrumental before transitioning into the title track "Luck & Strange." Here, his exceptional band took center stage: Guy Pratt's masterful bass work, the dual keyboard wizardry of Greg Phillinganes and Rob Gentry, Adam Betts's precise drumming (channeling Nick Mason's signature style while adding contemporary energy), and Ben Worsley's complementary guitar work providing crucial textural layers. The vocal trio of Louise Marshall and the Webb Sisters (Hattie & Charley) proved invaluable throughout the night, their harmonies elevating every song and providing robust support during more demanding vocal passages.
Up until this point of the show, the visual presentation was a fairly standard affair with the performers all along the stage bathed in red, white or blueish tones. However, with a taste of the newer material behind us, Gilmour decided it was time to dip into the back catalog with Dark Side's "Breath (In the Air)" and "Time" at which point the traditional Floyd giant circular screen lit up at the back of the stage to mix the classic animation from the original video for "Time" with live footage projected onto the screen itself.
With each passing song, Gilmour reinforced why he's one of the best guitarists around. His guitar work on "Fat Old Sun" – a deep cut from 1970's Atom Heart Mother – demonstrated how his playing has become more economical yet somehow more expressive, each note carrying the weight of decades of musical mastery and showcased first on an acoustic guitar for the first half of the song, and then switching over to an electric for the back half -- when the energy level jumped up a few notches as Gilmour, Pratt and Worsley jammed together at center stage before giving way to Gilmour's solo work.
The Division Bell's instrumental "Marooned" followed and again showcased Gilmour's guitar work with crystal clear tones that were simply radiant. He returned to Luck and Strange with "A Single Spark" next, a track that features Gilmour on vocals throughout most of the song before closing out the number with his trademark solo guitar work.
The first set's emotional center was "Wish You Were Here," which followed next. Ben Worseley opened the track with the classic acoustic opening and was joined shortly by Gilmour as the two weaved their guitar parts together beautifully. Where the 1975 original carried the raw pain of recent loss, this version resonated with a mature reflection on absence and memory.
At this point, Gilmour actually took a moment to speak to the crowd and introduce his band, and in the process, welcomed his daughter, Romany Gilmour to the stage to perform "Vita Brevis" on the harp before segueing into "Between Two Points," a song she sings lead vocals on. It's one of my favorite tracks of the new album and it's the juxtaposition between Romany's fragile, yet firm vocals and the entrance of David's electric guitar solo work in the back quarter of the song that makes it stand out. Just like on the album, the two Gilmours sounded fantastic together for this one.
"High Hopes" showcased Gilmour's lap steel work and the 10-minute rendition closed out the first set on a massive high as he transition from his lap steel to his acoustic.
After a 20-minute intermission, "Sorrow" emerged with the same haunting power it possessed on A Momentary Lapse of Reason, with Gilmour's guitar work stealing the show once again. David paused before "The Great Gig in the Sky" for a bit of a set change. The crew, which Gilmour also took a moment to thank for all their hard work, rolled out a grand piano and asked the absolutely incredible Louise Marshall to take a seat behind it and lead the ladies into one of the best versions of "The Great Gig in the Sky" I think I've ever heard since the original on Dark Side. The arrangement across the Webb Sisters, Romany and Louise was a modern take without deviating too much from the original and simply wonderful. Their harmonies reverberated throughout the Bowl and the crowd was mesmerized.
David took another break to figuratively sing the praises of his wife, Polly Samson, before dedicating "Coming Back to Life," in her honor and sharing how he had originally written the song for her.
The encore of "Comfortably Numb" was nothing short of transcendent. While the vocal sections showcased the full ensemble's capabilities, it was Gilmour's extended guitar solos that moved grown men to tears – myself included. The realization that this might be the last time seeing this guitar legend perform live at 78 added poignant weight to every note. While the original 1979 recording is considered one of the greatest guitar solos ever captured, last night's performance suggested Gilmour may have actually improved with age. The climbing notes of the finale, soaring through the Bowl's light fog and laser show, achieved that rare combination of technical precision and raw emotion that few guitarists have ever mastered.
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| David Gilmour @ the Hollywood Bowl (Photo: Randall Michelson/Live Nation-Hewitt Silva) |
What resonated throughout the evening was love in its many forms: the audience's devotion to one of rock's most formidable musicians, a father's pride sharing the stage with his daughter Romany, dedication to his wife and lyricist Polly Samson, and above all, an enduring love for the guitar itself – a passion shared by everyone present, not least by Gilmour himself. A magical night that won't soon be forgotten!
For East Coast fans, a handful of dates remain at Madison Square Garden. If you're questioning whether to make the journey – don't. This is a performance that reminds us why live music matters, and why David Gilmour remains one of the most compelling guitarists of our time.
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