Did Pink Floyd ever reunite after Roger Waters left, and what was the Live 8 performance like?

After Roger Waters left in 1985, Pink Floyd did reunite—but only once with him, for the Live 8 concert in London on July 2, 2005. Waters had spent years in a bitter feud with the band, especially David Gilmour, but they agreed to set it aside for the charity event. The performance marked the first time the classic lineup of Gilmour, Waters, Nick Mason, and Richard Wright had played together since The Wall tour in 1981.

The set was just four songs: “Breathe,” “Money,” “Wish You Were Here,” and “Comfortably Numb.” Watching it back, you can see the tension—Gilmour and Waters barely looked at each other—but musically, they clicked instantly. Gilmour’s guitar solo on “Comfortably Numb” was electric, and Waters’ voice had that weary, angry edge. The crowd at Hyde Park lost it during the shimmering second chorus of “Wish You Were Here.”

After the show, they reportedly went their separate ways without even saying goodbye. But the performance was so powerful that it briefly sparked talk of a full reunion tour. That never happened, though they did later release a one-off single in 2014 for charity, “Louder Than Words,” as part of The Endless River. Live 8 remains the lone public reunion with all four core members—and a fragile, beautiful snapshot of what could have been.