It is always awe inspiring to step inside the Smith Center as it is one of the premier performing arts venues in the world but it is even more awe inspiring when it is a show put on by Brody Dolyniuk who I have watched in Vegas and California since the late 90's. This time around was Brody's most adventurous undertaking as he put together a full production of Pink Floyds classic album The Wall.
A packed house was murmuring with excitement and anticipation as the house lights went down they were greeted with a backdrop of a partial built wall, the band kicked into the opening song Brody came walking out to a thunderous applause wearing a trench coat with a red arm band. The first line of "In The Flesh" could be heard echoing throughout the venue "So you thought you might like to go to a show"... The band was behind partially hidden behind the wall as the show went straight into "The This Ice" and then into "Another Brick in the Wall (part1)".
One of the highlights following "The Happiest Days of Our Lives" a 12 foot tall school master came out onstage, along with a local children's choir to sing "Another Brick in the Wall(pt2)"....all of this was happening while different videos played on the front of the wall. Next it was just Brody and an acoustic guitar singing the haunting "Mother", followed by a pair of amazing dancers. About this time the bricks were being added back to fill the wall, which made the front a perfect movie screen for the amazing videos that accompanied the rest of the show.
There was a 20 minute intermission, which was followed by Brody opening the 2nd half of the show sitting in a chair off to the side of the stage under a red hotel sign singing "Nobody's Home". A highlight of the second half was the amazing guitar solo performed by Chris Brightwell of Damage Inc on "Comfortably Numb", his solo gave you chills as it was spot on. During this song the lasers and light show reached its peak with the venue transformed into a dazzling display of technologically wizardry.
The show progressed through the classic "Run Like Hell" and into "The Trial". Once "The Trail" was over the lights went a dark deep red and in huge white letters it flashed on the wall "Tear down the Wall", and silence swept over the crowd as the lights switched to blue and a rumbling was heard throughout the venue as the wall began to tumble down onto the stage.
Brody appeared and introduced his band, STEVE ZUKOWSKY, CHRIS BRIGHTWELL , JIMMY KEEGAN ,TRENT STROH , JONATHAN GILCREST , Vocal quartet was MARILYN JAMES, RICK DUARTE, JEFF CELENTANO, AND SHAUN FLANNERY. CREW: DEVIN WILLIAMS (SOUND) , ERIN SPARKS (LIGHTING) and ROBERT FOSTER (STAGE DIRECTOR) and opening the show on harmonica was JOE CALITRI. In my opinion this was Brody's most ambitious project and has taken his productions to a whole new level...Brody has come a long way from his days at Boulder Station and Green Valley Ranch and I and many others are looking forward to seeing what he brings us next.
Brody Dolyniuk Presents Pink Floyd's The Wall Photos by Harold Mountain