There has been a lot of speculation lately about whether Roger Waters, the legendary co-founder of Pink Floyd, will be touring the United States in 2023. Many fans are eagerly anticipating a US leg of his This Is Not A Drill Tour, which kicked off in Europe in 2022. However, no official US tour dates have been announced yet.
What has Roger said about touring the US?
In recent interviews, Roger has sent mixed messages about bringing his new tour to North America. In March 2022, he stated that he planned to tour the US “next year” but did not provide any specifics. However, in a more recent September 2022 interview, he suggested that logistical issues and the high cost of staging elaborate productions in the US might prevent him from touring there.
“We’re gonna go to Europe next year and the year after that, and in 2024 we might go to America — if I can raise the money to get the production into America,” Waters stated.
So while he seems open to the possibility, it does not sound like any US dates have been confirmed yet for 2023 or 2024.
What cities might he play if he tours the US?
If Roger Waters does bring his This Is Not A Drill Tour to North America, he would likely play many of the same major cities he has hit on previous tours. Based on past routing, potential Roger Waters 2023 US tour stops could include:
- New York City – Madison Square Garden
- Washington, DC – Capital One Arena
- Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center
- Boston, MA – TD Garden
- Pittsburgh, PA – PPG Paints Arena
- Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
- Chicago, IL – United Center
- Denver, CO – Ball Arena
- Las Vegas, NV – T-Mobile Arena
- San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
- Los Angeles, CA – Crypto.com Arena
He also would likely play multiple nights in New York City, Los Angeles, and other major markets if scheduling allows.
What is the This Is Not A Drill Tour like?
According to reviews of the European shows so far, the This Is Not A Drill Tour features an ambitious mix of classic Pink Floyd songs and solo Waters material. Visually, the production includes large-scale projection technology and eye-catching graphics depicting dystopian authoritarian images. Politically charged messages about power, greed, war, and surveillance are woven throughout the show.
The setlist draws heavily from landmark Pink Floyd albums like The Wall, Wish You Were Here, and Animals. Songs like “Comfortably Numb,” “Another Brick in the Wall,” “Us and Them,” and “Sheep” have been concert highlights so far. He also performs selections from his past solo albums and his 2020 song “The Bar.”
How much are Roger Waters tickets?
If Roger Waters tours the US in 2023, ticket prices would likely be on par with the pricing for his 2017 Us + Them Tour. Back then, his average ticket price was around $130 according to Pollstar data. Prime floor seats cost over $250, while more distant upper level seats could be found for $60 or less depending on the market.
Here are some examples of ticket price ranges from past tours:
City | Venue | Tour | Ticket Price Range |
---|---|---|---|
Los Angeles, CA | Staples Center | Us + Them 2017 | $50 – $250 |
Chicago, IL | United Center | The Wall 2011 | $55 – $252 |
New York City, NY | Madison Square Garden | Us + Them 2017 | $75 – $399 |
While another price hike is possible in 2023-2024, expect most shows to average around $150 per ticket if patterns hold.
When will 2023 US tour dates be announced?
Currently, there is no definite timeline for when Roger Waters might announce official tour dates in North America. However, if he follows patterns from previous tour cycles, potential timing for a US tour announcement could be:
- January/February 2023 – Announce first leg of 2023 North American dates
- April/May 2023 – Announce second leg of North American dates later in year
- Fall 2023 – Announce 2024 North American dates
Of course, this is speculative – Waters could confirm global touring plans earlier or later. But January-February 2023 seems like the first realistic window for US tour date announcements if he is planning 2023 shows.
How fast will Roger Waters tickets sell out?
If and when a US tour is announced, Roger Waters tickets will likely sell out very quickly, especially in major markets.
His 2017 tour saw high demand, with some shows selling out instantly during pre-sales. Other dates took a few days or weeks to sell out to the general public. But overall, tickets moved fast and were in short supply in many cities.
A 2023-2024 tour would likely see even faster sell outs now that touring demand has rebounded sharply post-pandemic. Many cities could see near instantaneous sell outs if capacity is scaled down at all.
Fans hoping to get the best seats may need to jump on pre-sales or buy early when tickets first go on sale. Otherwise, secondary market prices could soar for hot shows.
How to get tickets
Here are some tips for getting Roger Waters tickets when they go on sale:
- Pre-sale access – Get codes for fan club or venue/promoter pre-sales where tickets are sold in advance of the general on-sale.
- Online access – Be ready on your computer, mobile device, etc when tickets go on sale to secure them as quickly as possible.
- Primary markets – Purchase from official sources like the tour website and ticket sellers versus secondary sites.
- Multiple browsers – Open multiple windows/tabs to access tickets from different IP addresses.
- Fan club membership – Join Waters’ official fan channels for access to first dibs tickets.
StubHub, Vivid Seats and SeatGeek are also safe and reputable secondary marketplaces, although prices are higher. Signing up for their alerts can help score last minute ticket deals.
How long will he tour the US?
If Roger Waters mounts a full-scale US tour, it would likely last 2-3 months. His recent North American tours give an idea of potential duration:
- Us + Them 2017 – Lasted just under 3 months, playing 46 dates
- The Wall 2011 – Lasted 2 months, playing 36 dates
So expect any 2023-2024 US tour to hit 30-50 cities over a 2-3 month period at minimum if it happens. More dates could possibly be added in a second North American leg later in 2024 as well.
What causes could Roger support on a 2023-2024 tour?
Throughout his career, Roger Waters has used his tours as platforms to promote human rights and geopolitical causes dear to his heart. If he launches a new US tour, fans can expect him to once again weave political and societal commentary into the show visually, lyrically and otherwise.
Some potential social or political issues Waters could support on his next US tour include:
- Climate crisis activism
- Income inequality and power imbalances
- Anti-war/anti-violence statements against military aggression
- Commentary on authoritarianism, propaganda, and divisions in society
- Racial justice initiatives like Black Lives Matter
- Criticism of surveillance, censorship, and threats to civil liberties
Waters sees his tours as playing an activist role beyond just entertainment. Fans can expect him to use the stage to share his views boldly once again when he hopefully returns to the US and Canada.
Will it be his last big tour?
At 79 years old currently, fans have speculated whether Roger Waters’ next tour could be his last major multi-leg global trek playing big stadiums and arenas.
However, Waters himself has not indicated plans to stop touring anytime soon. In a March 2022 interview, he stated:
“Will this be my final tour? The answer is no. I’m going to keep going until I drop.”
So while this may wind up being his last big tour, Roger seems intent on performing as long as he is physically able. After the This Is Not A Drill Tour wraps up, he could shift to more limited runs in smaller intimate venues.
But a full-blown final world tour does not appear imminent based on Waters’ own comments. He is still energized to use his music and platforms to spread his art and messages far and wide.
Conclusion
Roger Waters returning to tour the US in 2023 or 2024 would be a major concert event, even if details remain uncertain for now. His seminal body of work in Pink Floyd still resonates widely, and his solo shows deliver a powerful sensory punch. Once US dates are announced, tickets will likely vanish quickly.
While costs and logistics pose challenges, the appetite still seems strong for Waters’ creative concepts and immersive productions. Hopefully the This Is Not A Drill Tour does finally drill into North America before too long, giving Pink Floyd fans more chances to see this icon in action.