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Pink Floyd 1974 tours

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The English rock group Pink Floyd played two tours in 1974. As well as performing the hit album The Dark Side of the Moon live, the band introduced new material that would eventually be recorded on the albums Wish You Were Here and Animals. Part of the tour was sponsored by the soft drink company Gini.

The tour was commercially successful, and featured improved lighting and a new video display system named "Mr Screen". However, the music was criticised in the press for being uninspiring and too similar to the studio albums.

1974 French Summer Tour

French Summer Tour 1974
Tour by Pink Floyd
Associated albumThe Dark Side of the Moon
Start date18 June 1974
End date26 June 1974
Legs2
No. of shows27 (29 scheduled)
Pink Floyd concert chronology

The 1974 French Summer Tour, was a short concert tour running from 18 to 26 June.[1] The group wanted to upgrade their stage presentations and create a bigger visual impact, and the shows were a warm-up for the major British tour planned later in the year.[2][3]

The first date of the tour was recorded by France's Europe 1 radio, with segments broadcast later in the year. It featured the debut of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" (with the two halves played as one, as on the British 1974 tour) and "Raving and Drooling".[1] The 22 June gig was the last time "Careful with that Axe, Eugene" was played aside from a one-off performance in 1977,[4] while the last date on the tour, 26 June, was the last time "One of These Days" was played until 1987.[5]

The French tour was the first time Pink Floyd used their iconic 40-foot (12 m) circular display called "Mr. Screen".[1][3] Ian Eames was recruited to create various animated sequences for parts of The Dark Side of the Moon.[3] The screen caused logistical problems finding suitable venues, and consequently several shows were cancelled or moved dates.[1] The tour was promoted by the soft drinks company Gini, which had been agreed to two years before.[2] The contract required a serious of press promotional photographs, and a song for television advertising, written by Roger Waters and called "Bitter Love". The group were unhappy about the promotion, and donated their fee to charity.[6][3]

On 25 June, the band were challenged to a football match by a group of journalists. They defeated the group 4-3.[1]

Tour dates

Date City Country Venue
France
18 June 1974 Toulouse France Palais des Exposition
19 June 1974 Poitiers Parc des Expositions
21 June 1974 Dijon Palais des Expositions
22 June 1974 Colmar Théâtre de Plein Air, Parc des Expositions
24 June 1974 Paris Palais des Sports
25 June 1974
26 June 1974

Source : Povey 2007 p. 192

Set list

First Set:[1]

  1. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond"
  2. "Raving and Drooling" (early version of "Sheep")
  3. "Echoes"

Second set:[1]

  1. "Speak to Me" (extended tape)
  2. "Breathe"
  3. "On the Run"
  4. "Time"
  5. "The Great Gig in the Sky"
  6. "Money"
  7. "Us and Them"
  8. "Any Colour You Like"
  9. "Brain Damage"
  10. "Eclipse"

Encore:

  1. "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" (18–22 June)[1]
  2. "One of These Days" (24–26 June)[1]

1974 British Winter Tour

British Winter Tour 1974
Tour by Pink Floyd
Associated albumThe Dark Side of the Moon
Start date6 November 1974
End date14 December 1974
Legs2
No. of shows27 (29 scheduled)
Pink Floyd concert chronology

Pink Floyd's British Winter Tour '74, was a short series of gigs that November and December.[7] The featured the debut of "You Gotta Be Crazy".[8] Pete Revell joined as screen projectionist for the tour; lighting engineer Arthur Max was retained from earlier tours but fired after a few shows.[9] Gerald Scarfe collaborated with the band for the first time, designing the tour programme.[10]

The 16 November show was recorded by BBC Radio One and the performance of Dark Side of the Moon was later broadcast on the Alan Freeman Show on 11 January 1975.[11][a] This recording is included in the 2011 Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here box sets, except for "Echoes" which was released on 11 November 2016, as part of the 27-disc box set, The Early Years 1965–1972 which make up Live at the Empire Pool.

Although the tour was commercially successful, with every gig sold out, it was criticised in the press, and drew a backlash from reviewers, including journalist Nick Kent.[12] He reviewed the 14 November gig for New Musical Express and disliked the new material, saying it was over-long and unimpressive, and criticised Gilmour's personal appearance.[8][13] A report in the Bristol Evening Post complained that the performance of The Dark Side of the Moon was identical to the studio version, "and that's something one doesn't go to concerts for".[11]

Tour dates

Date City Country Venue
UK
4 November 1974 Edinburgh Scotland Usher Hall
5 November 1974
8 November 1974 Newcastle upon Tyne England Newcastle Odeon
9 November 1974
14 November 1974 London Empire Pool
15 November 1974
16 November 1974
17 November 1974
19 November 1974 Stoke-on-Trent Trentham Gardens
22 November 1974 Cardiff Wales Sophia Gardens Pavilion
28 November 1974 Liverpool England Liverpool Empire Theatre
29 November 1974
30 November 1974
3 December 1974 Birmingham The Hippodrome
4 December 1974
5 December 1974
9 December 1974 Manchester The Palace Theatre
10 December 1974
13 December 1974 Bristol The Hippodrome
14 December 1974

Source : Povey 2007 pp. 193-194

Set list

Set one:[11]

  1. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" (moved to third position on 17 November only)
  2. "Raving and Drooling" (early version of "Sheep")
  3. "You've Got to Be Crazy" (early version of "Dogs")

Set two:[11]

  1. "Speak to Me" (extended tape)
  2. "Breathe"
  3. "On the Run"
  4. "Time"
  5. "The Great Gig in the Sky"
  6. "Money"
  7. "Us and Them"
  8. "Any Colour You Like"
  9. "Brain Damage"
  10. "Eclipse"

Encore:

  1. "Echoes"

Personnel

Additional musicians:

References

Notes

  1. ^ The opening line of taped dialog in "Speak To Me" - "I've been mad for fucking years" was censored.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Povey 2007, p. 192.
  2. ^ a b Povey 2007, p. 182.
  3. ^ a b c d Blake 2011, p. 214.
  4. ^ Povey 2007, pp. 192, 214.
  5. ^ Povey 2007, pp. 192, 246.
  6. ^ Povey 2007, p. 183.
  7. ^ Povey 2007, pp. 193–194.
  8. ^ a b Povey 2007, p. 193.
  9. ^ Blake 2011, p. 218.
  10. ^ Blake 2011, p. 215.
  11. ^ a b c d e Povey 2007, p. 194.
  12. ^ Povey 2007, p. 184.
  13. ^ Blake 2011, p. 219.

Sources

  • Blake, Mark (2011) [2007]. Pigs Might Fly : The Inside Story of Pink Floyd. Arum Press. ISBN 978-1-781-31519-4.
  • Povey, Glenn (2007). Echoes : The Complete History of Pink Floyd (New ed.). Mind Head Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9554624-0-5.
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