Roger Waters to give keynote speech at 2020 SXSW festival; says he may launch his last arena tour next year
Ex-Pink Floyd singer/bassist Roger Waters will head to Austin, Texas, in March to give a keynote speech at the 34th edition of the South by Southwest Conference and Festivals.
This year’s event runs from March 13 to March 22.
Waters’ most recent project is the Roger Waters Us + Them film, which documents a June 2018 concert in Amsterdam that took place during the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer’s politically charged Us + Them tour.
“Roger Waters is a true creative visionary, and we’re pleased to have him participate for 2020,” says Hugh Forrest, chief programming officer of the conference.
In other news, Waters revealed in a recent interview with the Toronto Star that he’s considering launching a new North American tour next summer that he says could be the last arena tour he ever does.
“I’m right on the cusp now of making the final decision of whether I will go on the road next summer in the United States and Canada and Mexico City, just because I love it there so much,” he tells the paper. “I may go on the road and do 40 gigs next summer, which will mean if I do that I’ll be working 24 hours a day from now until the first gig just to try and get it together.”
Roger adds, “I’ve figured out that if I do go on the road next year it’ll probably be the last time I do arenas because I’m 76 years old now and it’s not easy doing it — though I am fit, thank goodness and whatever.”
Waters also reports that he recently recorded one new song for a possible album project.
“I think [it’s] extremely important,” he tells The Star. “I’m very, very pleased with it and proud of it.”
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