Billy Corgan & Tom Morello Perform With Roger Waters

Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters returned to the stage last night for a rare performance as part of the Music Heals Benefit Concert at Washington, D.C.’s DAR Constitution Hall. The 20-song, two-set show saw Waters joined by frequent collaborator G.E. Smith as well as The Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan, Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello and the MusiCorps Wounded Warriors Band.

The evening started with the first-ever live performance of The Wall outtake “When The Tigers Broke Free,” a song Roger wrote in the late ’70s describing the death of his father during a World War II battle. Vocalist J.W. Cortes led the ensemble through covers of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” and Bill Withers’ “Lean On Me” as part of last night’s first set. Morello was featured as part of the opening stanza’s closing 1-2-3 punch of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” “Money” and “The Ghost Of Tom Joad.” The latter is a Bruce Springsteen cover the Rage guitarist has played with The Boss a number of times over the years.

Corgan emerged at the beginning of the second set to add vocals on “Wish You Were Here,” “Brain Damage” and “Eclipse.” Roger than led the second-ever rendition of “Crystal Clear Brooks,” a new song he debuted at the Newport Folk Festival over the summer with My Morning Jacket as his backing band. The second set rolled on with more Pink Floyd songs before vocalist Tim Donley fronted the group on Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah.” Last night’s benefit came to a close with the evening’s performers linking up on “Comfortably Numb” and Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young.”

Videos (by Peter Hutchins):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7urjTOyaZpo

[Comfortably Numb feat. Roger Waters, Billy Corgan & Tom Morello]

[Forever Young feat. Roger Waters, Billy Corgan & Tom Morello]