Is There Anybody Out There? - The Wall: Live 1980-81(2000) 


 

Disc One
  1. Master of Ceremonies
  2. In the Flesh?
  3. The Thin Ice
  4. Another Brick in the Wall (Part I)
  5. The Happiest Days of our Lives
  6. Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)
  7. Mother
  8. Goodbye Blue Sky
  9. Empty Spaces
  10.What Shall We Do Now
  11.Young Lust
  12.One of My Turns
  13.Don't Leave Me Now
  14.Another Brick in the Wall (Part III)
  15.The Last Few Bricks
  16.Goodbye Cruel World
  
Disc Two
  1. Hey You
  2. Is There Anybody Out There?
  3. Nobody Home
  4. Vera
  5. Bring the Boys Back Home
  6. Comfortably Numb
  7. The Show Must Go On
  8. Master of Ceremonies
  9. In the Flesh
  10.Run Like Hell
  11.Waiting for the Worms
  12.Stop
  13.The Trial
  14.Outside the Wall

 

There’s never been anything quite like The Wall, and when Pink Floyd took it on the road—well, sort of—it became even more of a legend. Due to the massive expense and logistics involved, they didn’t technically “tour” the album in the traditional sense. Instead, they staged a limited number of shows in just a handful of cities across the globe. Predictably, they lost money doing it, but no one really expected otherwise. This was Pink Floyd in full artistic mode, throwing caution—and budget sheets—to the wind.

Unlike most major acts, they didn’t mix in any older hits or fan favorites. These concerts stuck strictly to the full The Wall album, in exact order, start to finish. That wasn’t by accident. The structure of the show—literal wall construction and all—simply didn’t allow for anything else. It wasn’t a greatest-hits set. It was a full-on theatrical production, and arguably one of the most ambitious things ever attempted by a rock band.

The real tragedy? There’s no official video of the original live shows. Which is why Is There Anybody Out There? can feel a bit like a missed opportunity to some. Critics have a point when they say, “If it’s just the album live, why not just listen to The Wall?” And sure, the differences are subtle. A few extra pieces are tacked on for atmosphere while the stage crew puts the next scene in place, but there are no radical reinterpretations here.

But if you’re a certain kind of Floyd fan—the kind that worships The Wall in all its dark, operatic glory—this release was a must-have. A two-disc live set of one of rock’s most iconic albums? You probably picked it up the day it hit stores. And no, you didn’t regret it. Like the live material on Ummagumma, there’s an energy here that isn’t quite present on the studio versions. The crowd reactions, the slightly rougher edges, the sense of urgency—all of it makes the familiar songs feel just a bit more alive.

For the more obsessive fans, there was even a deluxe edition, which included a hardcover book packed with photos from the tour and commentary from the band. It cost about ten bucks more, but let’s be honest—you were going to buy it anyway.

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