Pink Floyd
24
during the European leg of the tour, but with no serious injuries the performance was rescheduled. The tour ended on 29 October and apart from a one-off reunion in 2005 during Live 8, and their performances of "Fat Old Sun" and "The Great Gig in the Sky" at the funeral of their manager Steve O'Rourke (who died on 30 October 2003), was the group's final appearance. A live album of the tour, Pulse, and a concert video, also called Pulse, were released in 1995. On Saturday 2 July 2005 at the Live 8 concert, the classic lineup of Pink Floyd performed together on stage—for the first time in over 24 years. The reunion had been arranged by Live 8
Post-breakup and Live 8 reunion (since 2005)
organiser Bob Geldof, who had called Mason earlier in the year to discuss the band reuniting for Live 8. Geldof had already asked Gilmour, who had turned down the offer, and asked Mason to intercede on his behalf. Mason declined, but contacted Waters, who was immediately enthusiastic. Waters then called Geldof to discuss the event, which was at that time only a month away. About two weeks later, Waters called Gilmour—their first conversation for about two years—and the next day the latter agreed. Wright was contacted, and immediately agreed. Statements were issued to the press which stressed the unimportance of the band's problems, compared to the context of the Live 8 event. The setlist was planned at the Connaught Hotel in London, followed by three days of rehearsals at Black Island Studios. The sessions were troublesome, with minor disagreements over the style and pace of the songs they were practising. Waters wanted to use the occasion to expand the concepts he had designed, whereas Gilmour wanted to perform the songs in exactly the way the audience would expect. The final setlist and running order was decided on the eve of the concert. The band performed a four-song set comprising "Speak to Me/Breathe/Breathe (Reprise)", "Money", "Wish You Were Here", and "Comfortably Numb". Gilmour and Waters shared lead vocals. Onstage, at the start of "Wish You Were Here," Waters told the audience: "It's actually quite emotional, standing up here with these three guys after all these years, standing to be counted with the rest of you. Anyway, we're doing this for everyone who's not here, and particularly of course