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Rock Concerts

David Gilmour – Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, Irvine, CA, USA – June 24th 1984

Our thanks to Theatrice Westbrook for very kindly sharing recollections of an evening in Irvine, California, in June 1984, when David Gilmour played at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre as part of his About Face tour that year: Chef André Wiederkehr, a friend of my co-worker and friend Karen, got tickets and they had a couple extra. They invited me and other coworker/friend Brian and gave us a ride. Pink Floyd wasn’t really Brian’s cup of tea. He was more New Wave, outrageous… he turned me on to John Waters and “Pink Flamingos”! But ironically after a group of us saw Berlin in concert in Hollywood earlier, he told me LA was too much, he couldn’t wait to get back behind that Orange Curtain (the more conservative Orange County, California)! Go figure. Brian had his leg in a cast, but refused a wheelchair and walked from the parking lot to our seat on crutches. (He took up the wheelchair offer after the concert.) We had great seats in the lower section, closest to the stage. David Gilmour’s first solo tour. Roger Waters had also begun his first solo tour during the middle of this tour (and more Floyd acrimony would lay ahead). Before the show, André and I went to the restroom; I came out first. Through the fence I saw a guy in jeans and a red Pendleton talking with crew or someone. He looked like a trucker. I looked at his face from profile, it was David Gilmour, 20-25 feet away, with very short hair. I about shit myself. André came out of the bathroom, talking. André was a super hardcore European Floyd fan from Austria. (Translation: Hardcore fan.) When I pointed out David Gilmour, he stopped in his tracks, staring, speechless. We both stared for a couple minutes before returning to our seats. No opening act. A beautiful Summer eve, a little warm. I had both solo albums and hoped he would play my favourite track “There’s No Way Out of Here” (he didn’t). But I was not disappointed. The new album, “About Face”, was more “radio friendly”, with more guest players (Jeff Porcaro was the drummer). The stage was much more scaled down than on Floyd tours. (Part of the show is visible in the US-only 1984 home video release “David Gilmour Live.”) The band played cuts from Gilmour’s two solo albums along with a couple of Floyd tracks. The stage darkened and a deep synth pulsated in syncopation with lighting on the lip of the stage and around the edge of the stage risers. This signalled the opening song “Until We Sleep”, the first of 5 new album cuts. The band was on it. Loud and clear. I thought I recognized the second guitarist who looked like Mick Ralphs, noted this imposing bald drummer, and a lady on percussion who looked like she was pregnant. The next song was the Pete Townshend/David Gilmour song “All Lovers Are Deranged”, which slammed in the same fashion as the first, and with an ending that presaged the intro/outro of Pink Floyd song “Sorrow” (from the 1987 album “A Momentary Lapse of Reason”), as it shook the whole amphitheater.

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Rock Concerts

David Gilmour on US TV’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

With David Gilmour concluding his 2024 Luck and Strange concert dates with a string of incredible shows at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, in the heart of Manhattan (tonight seeing the final show), he took time out this week during a gap between shows to appear on US TV’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. For those who missed the late evening (in New York, anyway) broadcast of the show, they’ve put the two segments – interview, and performance with his backing singers Louise Marshall, the Webb Sisters, and Romany Gilmour, alongside Fallon’s house band – online, which we share here:

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Rock Concerts

David Gilmour opens Royal Albert Hall, London, shows to much acclaim

Well, last night saw the start of the six concerts that David Gilmour and his band are playing at London’s Royal Albert Hall (https://www.brain-damage.co.uk/2024-david-gilmour-tour-zone/october-9th-royal-albert-hall-london-en.html). These follow the six nights in Rome, Italy, which we have covered on the relevant tour pages, and will be doing so again on the London tour pages as the shows take place. The Royal Albert Hall has long been a favourite of David’s, so it should be a good place to see him play in again. This was proved with the opening show last night for which we’ve already had some pictures and comments through from people who attended, and were thrilled by what they witnessed! As ever, we will do our best to minimise any spoilers unless you go further down each of the concert pages – the set list is always hidden for obvious sight, and comments about each show will be below that, along with pictures kindly submitted. We’ve included one here of a recognisable shadow playing on the rear of the Royal Albert Hall’s seating area, courtesy of David Gaylor, which we figured didn’t really spoil anything in particular of the show. The other picture, showing the Luck and Strange Man above one of the Royal Albert Hall entrances, was kindly sent by Chris Leith. For those interested, there were no major differences with the merchandise on offer – the normal range of t-shirts, hoodies and other accessories including tour programme. Sometimes for the Royal Albert Hall, there’s been a special poster, but all there is are the t-shirts and hoodies marked as from the London shows (as seen in the previous shows in Brighton and Rome). We hear though that the merchandise stall was swamped with people snapping things up eagerly so would suggest those who want to get something to commemorate the show, should buy before the concert, and not after, to reduce the chance of disappointment. Obviously, if you go to any of these shows (or indeed, any others between now and when the tour wraps up next month at New York City’s Madison Square Garden) and would like to share your thoughts and/or pictures with the Floyd community, do please get in touch! Thank you.

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Rock Concerts

Roger Waters in Palestine concert webcast tonight

This evening, from 6:30pm BST (UK time), a Stand Up For Palestine concert takes place, with Yusuf (Cat Stevens) Islam, rapper Lowkey, and Roger Waters, amongst those taking part. It is being webcast from a secret location, which is a small church in London. There is no indication of when during the show that Roger will be appearing, if he will have any other musicians with him, or what he will be performing. You can watch the show via the following:

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Rock Concerts

Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets superb Stoke starter!

Well, they’re back! Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets have started their 2024 Set The Controls tour, with what sounds like an incredible night in Stoke. With a new tour, there’s always the thought that there will be a revised set list, and the 2024 edition of the band’s repetoire included some surprises. Rather than spoil anything here, if you head to the Stoke concert page (https://www.brain-damage.co.uk/nick-mason-s-sos-2024/june-11th-victoria-hall-stoke-on-trent-en.html) you will be able to see the new set list, which we’re sure you won’t be expecting certain elements of! We’re also adding some pictures we’ve very kindly been sent by Rob Sadler (who also contributed the picture shown here, too) to that show page. As ever, if you go to ANY of the shows, and would like to share your thoughts, and/or your pictures, with the wider Floyd community, we’d love to see them! Simply email matt@brain-damage.co.uk with your contributions and we’ll include what we can! For those going to any upcoming shows, we hope you have a great time. There are still a few tickets left for some of the venues, so if you haven’t yet got yours, make sure you snap them up as soon as you can to avoid disappointment!

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Rock Concerts

David Gilmour adds Los Angeles concert

Just announced is a further date on the US leg of David Gilmour’s upcoming tour – David and his band will be performing at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Los Angeles, California, on Friday, October 25th (https://www.brain-damage.co.uk/2024-david-gilmour-tour-zone/october-25th-intuit-dome-inglewood-los-angeles-c.html). This latest addition to David’s 2024 Luck and Strange live shows is this show in a venue that is undergoing the final stages of its construction, and it sounds a most interesting building. The architect, AECOM, notes that the “Intuit Dome will be naturally ventilated, fully electric through batteries and solar power with enough on-site energy storage to power a basketball game or concert, and have no net new greenhouse gas emissions.” To qualify for the pre-sale, which starts on June 12th at 10am local time, you need to sign up at DavidGilmour.com (https://www.davidgilmour.com/uspresale) beforehand to get the pre-sale code. There’s also a venue pre-sale which begins on June 13th at 10am local time. Tickets will then go on general sale at 10am local time on Friday, June 14th, through this link at Ticketmaster (https://www.ticketmaster.com/david-gilmour-tickets/artist/769001).

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Rock Concerts

Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd – DVD/Blu-ray/Digital

Just announced: the DVD and Blu-ray, and digital release, of Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd is coming on July 19th, 2024. The critically acclaimed – and fan acclaimed – documentary film Have You Got It Yet? is a compelling dive
into the life and genius of Syd. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Roddy Bogawa and the late, acclaimed album cover designer Storm Thorgerson, the feature length documentary drew praise for its candid glimpse into the prismatic character and artistry of Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett. Released in cinemas worldwide in Summer 2023, Have You Got It Yet? achieved a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as a successful theatrical run with many sold-out screenings. Intimate interviews with band members David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and Roger Waters uncover Barrett’s ongoing impact on the group. Going a step further, the film also includes an interview with Syd’s sister, Rosemary Breen. Narrated by actor Jason Isaacs, the film also features original band managers Peter Jenner and Andrew King, as well as The Who’s Pete Townshend and Blur’s Graham Coxon. In addition to the full-length film, the joint DVD and Blu-ray set includes a plethora of bonus features. Two poignant live performances of Arnold Layne are highlighted – the first features David Gilmour David Bowie (originally released in Gilmour’s Remember That Night Live At The Royal Albert Hall, 2007). The second is a performance from 2007’s The Madcap’s Last Laugh – a tribute concert held at London’s Barbican for Syd Barrett featuring Gilmour, Mason, and Richard Wright in their
final performance as Pink Floyd. Additionally, the DVD and Blu-ray includes an interview with Bogawa and director producer commentary of the film with Bogawa, Rupert Truman, and Julius Beltrame. Further exploring his creative works, the set features discussions surrounding Barrett’s paintings, and spoken word performances of Barrett’s lyrics by comedian Noel Fielding (Dark Globe), poet Rob Fitterman (Rats) and actor Gerard Bell (Lucifer Sam). The package, designed by StormStudios, is completed with an exclusive Have You Got It Yet? poster, which was also designed by the studio. Ordering details will follow here shortly – we’ll update this story accordingly. The documentary is a fascinating and moving look at Barrett and we heartily recommend it. It’s great news that it is finally getting a physical/digital release, enabling those who are yet to see it, the opportunity.