Pink Floyd's 2005 Live 8 setlist: opening with 'Breathe' and closing with 'Comfortably Numb'

The 2005 Live 8 reunion gave Pink Floyd exactly 23 minutes — four songs — to remind the world why they mattered. The band chose to open with “Speak to Me / Breathe” from Dark Side of the Moon because it’s the most iconic album opener in rock history, and it instantly signals the Floyd atmosphere. Closing with “Comfortably Numb” from The Wall made the set a neat career arc: start with the cosmic beginning, end with the anxious masterpiece.

Significance of the order? It rejected any new material — no post-Wall songs — and instead traced their prime era through sound. “Money” gave the crowd a groove, “Wish You Were Here” delivered the emotional gut-punch, and then the final solo on “Comfortably Numb” became the quiet victory lap. The band reportedly spent very little time debating; the setlist was their unspoken understanding of what the moment needed.