For Nick Mason, Friday night’s stop in Wallingford was only his third ever in the Nutmeg state as Saucerful of Secrets performed its first of two New England shows on their current tour. New England, known for its overcast skies and foggy autumns, probably has much more in common with Nick Mason’s Birmingham and Hampstead, and Pink Floyd’s Cambridge and London, than any other parts of North America the Saucers have visited on this tour, which begged the question of how the surrounding environment and culture would play into this evening’s vibe. Time and modern amenities betray these cultural elements though, and so the band played in a venue that is a far better fit for a modern country concert in Alabama than a classic rock show in historic New England. In many ways, this was a gig better destined for Hartford’s Bushnell Performing Arts Center – but that didn’t stop the band from putting on a great show. As the lights dimmed you could sense the crowd’s anticipation on this rainy New England night – but the band’s Interstellar Overdrive was a slow burn of an opener, a reminder that Saucerful of Secrets was not intended to stir up the populist Pink Floyd fandom but to transport you to something deeper. It was during the band’s second track, Astronomy Domine, that the full audience stood up, soaking in the echoes of Pink Floyd’s last tour in the United States, The Division Bell tour – the last time (and the first time) many in the audience had seen Mason play Astronomy Domine live.
Some of you will have had tickets for launch events to mark the release of Polly Samson's new book, A Theatre For Dreamers, which were scheduled for this week in Manchester, Birmingham and London. Due to the current pandemic, understandably these events (which were to feature, alongside Polly, David Gilmour and guests performing some music, including a new song) have moved to September.However, Polly and David both still wished to mark the book's release on its publication date, and so have decided to host a live stream via David's official Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/DavidGilmour) tomorrow evening.As yet, there are no details of what the stream will include, although a video has been shared of them getting ready for this in a studio space. Apart from Polly reading passages from the book, to give watchers a flavour of it, chances are also that at the very least an acoustic guitar might be picked up by David, to accompany her.Make sure you tune in tomorrow (Thursday, April 2nd) at 8pm BST/3pm EST at www.facebook.com/DavidGilmour (http://www.facebook.com/DavidGilmour) to see what occurs. The stream may well also be available to watch on demand after the event.
Welcome back friends to another exciting edition of Beneath the Surface. Today we are joined by singer songwriter, instrumentalist and vocalist Constantine. He talks us through his creative process, his musical journey so far and shares his upcoming show at The Bedford, ticket link below! So let’s get stuck in… What would you say first …
Orders are now being taken for the latest couple of limited edition books from our good friends at Floydstuff.com (https://www.floydstuff.com), both of which sound like further essential items for the Floydian bookshelves. BBC RADIO 1967-1971 – English language, 240 pages in full-colour, printed on heavyweight 170gms paper (22x22cm). Published 3 June 2022. Available as a hardcover and paperback edition.
Hardcover edition is signed, numbered and limited to 400 copies only. The publishers say: “Pink Floyd’s BBC radio sessions bridge the gap between their meticulously crafted studio albums and the ferocious improvisations of their live performances. Each recording documents a band constantly evolving, dealing in turn with the collapse of their leader Syd Barrett, their unsuccessful attempts to recapture the pop charts, and their eventual self-reinvention as providers of multimedia extravaganzas. “In the crucible offered by BBC programmes like Top Gear, Pink Floyd forged a musical approach that would serve them for years to come. As high-profile advertisements for a young and hungry group, the role of these appearances in furthering the band’s career cannot be overestimated. The collaboration of an English researcher and an American composer, Pink Floyd â BBC Radio 1967-1971 combines the authors’ extensive research into the details of each session with a thoughtful analysis of its contents. Every chapter contains new additions to the historical record and sheds fresh light upon the bandâs creative process, which combined rigorous structure with spontaneous expression â and astonishing bursts of inspiration with unabashed recycling of existing work. “Inside are firsthand recollections from audience members and BBC engineers, and coverage of unpublished recordings, including one session that only survives in a private collection and is here described in detail for the first time. The authors delineate the best sources for all the recordings discussed, and provide up-to-date information on Pink Floyd’s other radio broadcasts. The text additionally speaks to the unsung heroes: home tapers and engineers who preserved Pink Floyd’s legacy when the BBC did not; DJs like John Peel who advocated ceaselessly for their music and offered them a platform from their earliest days; and even the band’s own members and collaborators, whose contributions are often under-recognised. “Pink Floyd â BBC Radio 1967-1971 covers its subject in unprecedented depth, while telling a story of triumph and loss, interspersed with wit and pathos. If you are keen to explore the early history of Pink Floyd, this is undoubtedly a book for you”. Order the hardback edition here (https://www.floydstuff.com/product/7245714/pink-floyd-bbc-radio-1967-1971-hardcover-edition), or the paperback edition here (https://www.floydstuff.com/product/7245796/pink-floyd-bbc-radio-1967-1971-paperback-edition). PINK FLOYD IN DE GOFFERT – Dutch language, 112 pages in full-colour, printed on heavyweight 170gms paper (22x22cm). Published 3 June 2022. Available as a hardcover edition, limited to 500 copies. For this book, the publishers say: “As if it was meant to be, Pink Floyd put up their tents in Nijmegen in the summer of 1989. Twenty years before that, the group is in town for the first time for a disastrously poorly attended gig at the Kolpinghuis. Things will be different now. On Monday 10 July, the immense Goffertpark will be populated by no less than sixty thousand visitors. Never before has Pink Floyd played for so many people in the Netherlands as on that night. In little more than a day, the whole circus has come over from London after the last of six concerts. There is no hint of fatigue. The group led by David Gilmour is in top form that night. “The story begins two months earlier with a concert in Werchter, first stop of the tour. It is uncertain for a long time whether there is any room for a second concert in the low countries. Competing concert promoters, a logistical nightmare and a very special encore in the Venice lagoon – broadcast worldwide thanks to Dutch television pioneers IDTV and the Cinevideogroup – are the ingredients of a memorable summer. Above all, it is the warm memories and unique, mostly never-before-used visual material of these concerts that make PINK FLOYD IN DE GOFFERT a timeless document. Although written in Dutch, the whole lay-out will certainly appeal to anyone not speaking Dutch”. You can order the hardback edition here (https://www.floydstuff.com/product/7245525/pink-floyd-pink-floyd-in-de-goffert-holland-book).
