Close to The Wall

Roger Waters is heading here

Seeing Roger Waters play here in January is the closest you're likely to get to seeing Pink Floyd live in concert.

The co-founder, bass player, and composer of many of Pink Floyd's biggest songs performs at North Harbour Stadium on Auckland Anniversary Day, January 29.

In June last year the members of Pink Floyd put their differences behind them and reformed briefly - minus the late Syd Barrett - for the Live 8 concert. That line-up - Waters, guitarist Dave Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason and keyboardist Richard Wright - last played together in 1981 and have no plans for future tours so Waters' show is your best chance to experience Floyd's pioneering space rock.

The concert of almost three hours will be in two parts: the first showcasing classic Pink Floyd tracks like Another Brick In The Wall, Pt.2, Shine On You Crazy Diamond and Wish You Were Here, as well as songs from Waters' solo career.

In the second set, Waters will perform all Pink Floyd's 1973 album, The Dark Side Of The Moon.

That album stayed in the US Billboard Top 200 for a record 15 years and sales now exceed 35 million copies.

Next year's show will include video projections and special effects and theatrical staging. Waters will be accompanied by a 10-piece band.

He has just completed a sellout 21-date jaunt around the United States.

Waters hit the headlines in June while in Israel for a concert when he spoke out about the country's policies towards the Palestinians and its security barriers in the West Bank.

The 62-year-old said he hoped the Israeli barriers would fall like the Berlin Wall. This comment referred to his 1990 concert held at a site where the Berlin Wall once stood.

He might be less heavyhanded on the politics when he gets to New Zealand, but one thing is for sure - after U2, this is the next big rock show of the summer.

Meanwhile, it looks like Auckland will miss out on Elton John.

The singer is rumoured to be booked for Wellington's Westpac Stadium on December 6, a date he looks to have free between two concerts in Melbourne on December 3 and 8.