Live 8 Reunion: Critics Saw a Band That Acted Like Friends, But Was It Real?

The 2005 Live 8 reunion was famously the only time David Gilmour and Roger Waters shared a stage in over 20 years, and critics were watching closely for any sign of the old bitterness. The consensus among those who covered it—from the BBC’s Mark Sutherland to The New York Times’ Jon Pareles—was that the four-song set was a near-perfect exercise in buried hatchets. Pareles noted that the band “played together with no audible friction,” while the BBC review described a chemistry that felt “genuinely affectionate,” especially during “Wish You Were Here,” as Waters and Gilmour traded vocal lines.

Still, a few observers picked up on subtle distance. The setlist itself was a compromise—no “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2” (Waters’ preferred anti-authority anthem) and no “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” (Gilmour’s emotional anchor). Instead they opened with “Breathe,” then hit “Money” and “Comfortably Numb,” which gave each member a spotlight without provoking territory disputes. Most critics agreed the reunion worked because they kept it short and focused on the music, not the drama. The New York Times review even called it