Tag Archive for "venice" tag

Although it’s quite clearly not a photo, how about that for a painting?

It’s another from Liam’s dad (who also gave us this depiction of St Mark’s Square, Venice, you may recall).

Thanks for sharing it with us, Liam.

That’s the week over, but I’ll be back on Monday, hoping to find out  some of the things you liked and disliked most about 2008.

Until then, enjoy the weekend and thanks again for all the thoughts and views shared. Keep them coming.

Here’s Riccardo with Guy Pratt in the Piazza San Marco on the afternoon of 12 August 2006.

Thanks for sharing your moment with us, Riccardo.

There are two songs from this show on the upcoming ‘Live in GdaÅ„sk’ (which you’ll soon have the possibility to purchase on bonus CD or download, free): ‘On The Turning Away’ and ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’.

Your memories from Venice today, please. Preferably happy ones from the second attempt at staging these concerts, although I’m quite sure that any music fan can well imagine your bitter disappointment that the original dates were not possible (due to suspect stage set-up), so do feel free to bemoan your truly rotten luck, if you wish.

The chatroom will open shortly, closing at 15:00 (UK), so do come and chat if you can spare the time. Everyone is welcome and we chat about pretty much everything, as you may have already gathered if you follow The Blog on Twitter.

Just take note of the rules on your way in, please.

Well, here we are: August already, and suddenly ‘Live in GdaÅ„sk’ doesn’t seem quite so far away.

Anyway, we’re remembering the Florence concert today, which took place exactly two years ago (further proof, as if it were needed, that time is simply flying by).

If you were there, we’d love to hear from you.

What do you remember most? Which was your favourite moment, if you can choose one, and which songs stand out in your mind as being particularly memorable?

There was a pretty good version of ‘Coming Back To Life’, judging by its inclusion on the GdaÅ„sk album…

The bonus live tracks, you probably don’t need reminding, but just in case, are only available if you buy the three or four-disc version (in which case, you’re able to download them), or the five-disc ‘deluxe’ set (which includes all 12 on CD, with the further option to download them, if you so wish).

Please note that the standard double CD does not include any tour extras, just the full concert from GdaÅ„sk, and the vinyl only has ‘On The Turning Away’, from Venice.

A further breakdown of what’s included across the five sets, here.

Just when you thought you’d set your heart on the five-disc combination of CDs and DVDs, here’s what’s in the vinyl set.

Five LPs, four of which cover the entire concert from Gdańsk, plus a 20-page booklet and web pass, so that you can also download the whole thing.

The fifth LP has a few live recordings from Venice and David’s appearance on the ‘Live from Abbey Road’ television programme (‘On The Turning Away’ from Venice, ‘The Blue’ and ‘Echoes’ from Abbey Road), plus two Barn jams.

It’s also the only package to feature ‘Wot’s…. Uh The Deal’, which is not included on the CD.

The running order of songs is exactly the same as the setlist you’ll already be familiar with (the same goes for the CD), so: ‘Speak To Me’, ‘Breathe’, ‘Time’, ‘Breathe (Reprise)’, ‘Castellorizon’, ‘On an Island’, ‘The Blue’, ‘Red Sky at Night’, ‘This Heaven’, ‘Then I Close My Eyes’, ‘Smile’, ‘Take a Breath’, ‘A Pocketful of Stones’, ‘Where We Start’, ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, ‘Wot’s… Uh The Deal’, ‘Astronomy Domine’, ‘Fat Old Sun’, ‘High Hopes’, ‘Echoes’, ‘Wish You Were Here’, ‘A Great Day For Freedom’ and ‘Comfortably Numb’.

Go on then, hit me. I know Wot’s coming.

No questions about prices or packaging, please. You’ll have those details as soon as I have them.

My chosen fan photo for the month of March is this one, courtesy of Werner.

Werner, seen here on the left, met Igor Sklyarov (second left) and his band on the streets of Venice on 12 August 2006.

Igor, or course, was invited by David to perform on stage after David had spotted him busking.

Thanks to everyone for forwarding a photo for consideration. I enjoyed seeing them, and will be showing off many more as the weeks roll by.

If you have one and want to see it here, get it online and include the URL with your comment.

Thanks again for sharing this with us, Werner.

The chatroom is closed today, but will be open tomorrow from 13:00 (UK).

The assorted ‘hidden’ extras from the ‘Remember That Night’ DVD are still being discussed here, by the way.

There were some good suggestions as to Wireman’s next animated escapade, and some of them may be considered in the future, but the winning suggestion – which matched my own – was Ben’s.

Therefore, Wireman will be playing the glass harmonica next; as did the band at Munich, and as did Igor Sklyarov (shown above, photographed by Polly during rehearsals) at Venice.

Igor regularly performs with his own trio and was spotted busking by David on the streets of Venice. David asked him if he would perform and the rest, as they say, is history.

I’d like to have Wireman honour Igor’s contribution to the ‘On an Island’ tour.

I leave you with a few more of Phil Manzanera’s answers to the questions you sent in.

Don’t forget, if you missed the first instalment of Phil’s 12-part series, ‘A is for Axe: The A-Z of the World’s Greatest Guitarists’, it is repeated tonight at 6PM (UK).

You want Planet Rock, which can be found online, on your DAB Digital Radio (if you’re in the UK), or on your television (again, if you’re in the UK). That’s channel 0110 on Sky, channel 924 on Virgin.

The hour-long show is on every Sunday at 8PM (UK), with a repeat on Fridays at 6PM (UK).

What is your proudest professional moment? (Tim C)

Rehearsing and playing with Bob Dylan at the Guitar Legends Festival in Seville, of which I was the musical director.

Have you achieved everything you wanted to achieve with music? Any regrets? (Hysteron Proteron)

The wonderful thing about music is that it’s an enjoyable journey of discovery that lasts a lifetime, with no particular destination.

I particularly appreciated your solo works reissued on CD. Will you be touring again soon? (GianLuca)

Am working on an instrumental album called ‘Firebird VII’. See www.manzanera.com for more details.

How did your hands make it into an episode of Red Dwarf? (So cool!) Are you a fan? (Nickster)

Always a fan of Red Dwarf, and a friend of mine’s company used to make the programme.  They needed a pair of guitarist’s hands, so I went down to the set and literally stood off camera behind Craig, stuck my arms through and played the guitar, much to the amusement of the studio audience. Another career high!

Do you have any unusual requirements/rituals? (Dr Phang)

Bollinger and egg sandwiches… All shared with the band, of course.

Our Blotto winner was… BrookC, who guessed seven of the 23 ‘Remember That Night’ songs in their correct order.

Congratulations! A tour programme, signed by David (along with a unique Blotto-related message), is your prize. Please let us know where we should send it.

Well done also to Gabrielle, Graham and Marko, for totalling an impressive six, and to Chantelle, Chris Parkinson, Piergiorgio, Tim Taylor and Tomasz – who correctly guessed a slightly less impressive, but still honourable, five.

Thank you all for playing along.

Today’s picture is one of Polly’s, this one taken during rehearsals at Bray Studios last May.

Keep reading for the latest of Phil’s Q&A, which I’m glad you’re enjoying.

Lastly, thank you very much for the kind words about the new OAIPod and David’s re-vamped MySpace page. I’m glad that you like them.

You and the band seemed very relaxed during the ‘On an Island’ tour: a lot of laughing during the concerts, a lot of eye contact between you and David. He always watched over to you when you played your solo for the ‘On an Island’ track. Is there one funny moment you remember with pleasure? (Werner)

Yes, when he performed ‘On the Turning Away’, a track that Stevie and I had never rehearsed and that Guy hadn’t played for 14 years. Not exactly a pleasurable moment, but one that certainly I’ll remember!

I’d like to know what do you think of the band, especially of Stevie and Guy? (Emilio)

I love them all.

Do you do any kind of warm up before going on stage? I know you do a sound check, but I mean just before you step out. (Robyn S)

Highly recommended, but don’t. The group hug that Madonna does is not really our style!

What was your favourite destination on the Gilmour tour and why? (Simon J)

Venice. It’s like going back in time and there is something very ‘otherworldly’ about it – and appropriate for the tour, as we were literally ‘On an Island’.

If every band member on the tour was given the opportunity to suggest a venue/city for the tour schedule, where would you have suggested (regardless of the venue capacity)? (Tom B)

The Malekon, Havana – next to the Nacional Hotel.

A year on from the first live shows, I wondered which items stick out in your mind as being symbolic of David’s ‘On an Island’ tour?

If you could list no more than six ‘things’ that will forever embody the album/tour experience for you, what would you choose?

Thanks to Luis G for inadvertently giving me the idea for today’s entry with his recent reference to David’s guitar strap, which once belonged to Jimi Hendrix.

Some other memorable ‘items’ could include Guy’s ‘Didn’t They Do Well?’ T-shirt, Polly’s photos, Ian’s exquisite Glassman statue… or our very own blog.

If you’re wondering about the photo above, then that’s Igor Sklyarov, a glass harmonica player who performs with his own trio. He was spotted by David busking on the streets of Venice and was invited to perform the wine glass intro to ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’ at the Piazza San Marco, which was undoubtedly one of the many highlights of the tour.

There is a chat later today. Doors open at 3PM and close at 5PM (UK). Feel free to drop in. Everyone is welcome to come and discuss their tour highlights, or whatever else they fancy.

Just please take note of the rules, written in red, on your way in. Some things are not open to discussion, for obvious reasons.

The rules will be the first thing you see when you enter the chatroom.

Here are a few more of Stevie’s answers to your questions. More to follow soon.

Which was the most enjoyable concert for you on David’s tour? (Lesley)

All of the shows were great, but I’d have to say The Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, mainly because my family was there. My Mother was literally in tears that night seeing me up there and even though my Dad had never heard of Pink Floyd (he’s a WWII vet and into Benny Goodman and Big Band music) he was totally blown away by David and the whole experience. I think it was his first real rock concert and he’s 80 years old. Now that’s a hip Dad. Also, a lot of my mates came to the show and are still in disbelief… Of course I have to mention the Royal Albert Hall shows, Vienne, then there was Gdansk and Abbey Road… It’s all just so great!

What has been the most beautiful city that you have visited during the tour? (Claudio)

I really enjoyed the beauty of Austria and the unique quality of Venice, Italy.

It’s that time again, so have your Blotto cards close at hand…

As it’s Friday the 13th… The fifth song to be revealed is ‘A Pocketful of Stones’, which will be the 13th track on the concert DVD.

Please mark the ‘13′ space on your cards accordingly. If you guessed that the 13th song would be ‘A Pocketful of Stones’, well done.

You probably don’t need reminding but, if you do, there are 23 songs on the concert DVD of David’s forthcoming double-disc set, ‘Remember That Night’ (hence 23 numbered spaces on your Blotto card). These songs are all taken from the Royal Albert Hall shows of May 2006.

The DVD is due for release on Monday 17 September in Europe and a day later, on Tuesday 18 September, in North America.

You probably don’t need reminding of Blotto’s aim, either. Just in case, you need to complete a line, either horizontally or vertically, on your Blotto card. Only correct guesses will complete a line (you must match the right song to the right space). If you complete a line, we’ll enter you into a prize draw… on the condition that you humour us by including “Blotto!” in your blog post.

There’s no chat today, but there will be more chat sessions next week and, of course, more Blotto. Please see the calendar for details.

Have a good weekend, everyone.

We’ll leave you with some more from Stevie.

What was the most difficult David Gilmour/Pink Floyd song to master on this tour, Steve? Not that it looked like you had trouble with any of them. (Geoff Duffy)

I’d have to say that ‘High Hopes’ really made me think. I had to play off beat 8th notes on a tuned foundry bell with a mallet in my left hand, over my left shoulder, while switching back and fourth between mallet and sticks for the choruses. Jon Carin and I had to really listen to each other and lock in together, because our parts had to be perfectly in sync. Also, since it has such an orchestral feel to it, I really had to pay attention to the dynamic shape of the tune, which made it a fun challenge.

How did you pick up ‘On The Turning Away’ so quickly when David sprung it on the band in Venice with no rehearsals? (EchoesBob)

First of all, I love that tune and fortunately I had listened to it enough to understand the form and the groove. At first I thought he was just going to play it by himself, and then I saw Guy come bounding back on stage and it was like, “Oh man, here we go!” I waited for a kind of cue from David and, when I got the nod, I came in with the time. It was so fun and fresh feeling to all of us. Sometimes it pays not to rehearse a tune.

Well, this is it: David and Richard in Venice.

This polled 21% in our recent ‘Which of Polly’s photos is your favourite?’ poll, making it your favourite of all Polly’s photographs.

You can see the picture in its full glory by clicking here.

Let us know what you think of the result.

Don’t forget that there’s a chat today from 3PM (UK time), but you will need to know the usual password to enter, as this one’s for ‘Blog Irregulars’ only.

There’ll be a chat for everyone on Wednesday. Please keep an eye on the calendar for details of latest chat sessions.

I’m going to make the ladies wait until the end of the week for details of our latest competition (yes, I know, I’m so cruel…), so please be patient.

Thanks for all your questions for Steve. There have been some really good ones and there’s still time to submit yours, if you haven’t already done so.

There are more answers from Guy to come throughout the week, too.

You’re well known for playing with a number of established bands and artists. Have you ever had the desire to start your very own band and take the world of music by storm, or are you happy enough with your solo show as it stands now? (Neil Pudney)

I was about to start a band with Johnny Marr, as The Smiths had just imploded, when I first got the call from David back in ‘87. Now I’m too lazy and old and don’t have a manifesto.

Will there be more dates of your one man show, maybe in Europe? (Bas Swanenberg)

Yes.

Is it possible to bring your show to North America? (Bill S.)

I hope so.

Where else are you touring your ‘My Bass and Other Animals’ in the new year? (KenF)

- Everywhere hopefully. Check my site: www.guypratt.com.

I’ve heard lots of great things about ‘My Bass and Other Animals’ but living in Canada I will not have an opportunity to catch one of the shows. Just wondering if there is any chance you will record any of the performances for a DVD release? (Christopher Martin)

Probably, but I hope to get to Canada.

What made you decide to try the trial by silence that is stand-up? (Kieran Fleck)

I’ve always wanted to do something comedic, and realised I had a rich seam of material to mine, i.e. my life, but if I’d thought about how terrifying standing up on your own actually is, I would never have done it. I get absolutely terrified every time I do it still.

You mentioned the other day that you have a book coming up next year. What will it be about? Is it like a memoir or something not as personal? (Ayako)

It’s like a memoir, although it’s like the show, in that it’s basically just the amusing bits of my life.

Guy has kindly answered many of the questions you sent in, and they’ll be here over the next few days… Starting today with some questions about taking ‘On an Island’ on the road.

Thanks to those who submitted the following five.

That’s all for yet another week, unfortunately.

There’s much more to come from Guy next week, as well as more chats, the last of the mystery shoes (so get the tissues ready if you didn’t get them ready the last time I told you to), as well as details of a brilliant competition for the ladies.

Don’t ask, ’cause I ain’t telling. It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, would it?

I’ll also reveal what you chose as your favourite of Polly’s photographs.

Have a great weekend, everyone.

Which was your favourite venue/gig during the ‘On an Island’ tour? (KenF)

All of them. Although Gdańsk was a bit special… As was Venice.

What were the stand-out moments from the ‘On an Island’ tour? (Victor)

It was one big stand-out moment. I really can’t express just how great it was, the combination of friends, family, great crew, great music, lovely venues and great audiences.

Did the rest of the band have any input to the set list for the ‘On an Island’ tour or did David decide? (Andy)

We were asked for suggestions, but then basically ignored.

On the Summer Tour 2006, David took the train from Linz to Munich. Did you and the other band members also travel by train? (Werner)

We did, and were none too happy when we found out that our six-hour two-train journey only took two hours by road…

Where can I get me a ‘Didn’t They Do Well?’ T-shirt?! (Julie Gunn Davies)

Savage London on Portobello Road knocked them up for me.

How can you sum up the ‘On an Island’ Tour journey? (Patoch’)

Too short.

With David’s triumphant 32-date tour done and dusted, I wondered: what are your stand-out memories from the tour?

I’d like to compile your thoughts into a poll so that we can vote on a short-list and see which the fans consider to be its best, and worst, moments.

So far, the best moments for me are (in order of date):

- Realising that ‘Echoes’ was being performed
- The live version of ‘Take A Breath’
- David and the band appearing on Jay Leno
- The Royal Albert Hall fighting eBay
- David Bowie singing ‘Arnold Layne’
- The wine glass intro to ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’
- David’s surprise rendition of ‘Dark Globe’
- The great honour and significance of being invited to Gdańsk

Perhaps we could do one for the worst moments of the tour, too. The incident at JFK airport, the postponement of the Venice shows, endless ticketing confusion, people constantly flashing their bloody cameras, venues selling alcohol to people who clearly couldn’t cope with it…

Whatever sticks out in your mind, let us know. No long lists, please. We all want to know why, not just read through long, boring lists.

The most common suggestions will be included in the two polls, which will run over the next few weeks.

Last night’s show proved another triumph, and we thank you all for your comments.

It happens all over again tonight, so if you have a ticket, do tell.

If you don’t wish to know which tracks the band performed, don’t read the fan comments below. The setlist is always revealed here – and now on the Calendar as well – even if you do have to look for it.

So have a good night, and do tell us all about it when you get home.

We’ll be waiting.

After last week’s unfortunate postponement, David and the band are delighted to be back in the beautiful city of Venice for the first of two concerts tonight.

As always, we will reveal the setlist during the course of the evening, so if you don’t want to know what was played, please don’t read on.

If you are looking for the setlist, please do read on. It will be here.

We hope you have a splendid time tonight and look forward to hearing all about it.

We also hope you’ll enjoy Polly’s photographs from Klam and Munich. The above picture is from the Königsplatz show and there are more to be found in the Galleries section.

Our thanks for the messages left for Phil Manzanera. His wife, Claire, says that he was most touched by your kind words, so thank you all very much for taking the time to write. 

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: CONFIRMED TICKET NEWS (08/08/06)

We hope the following clarifies the confusion surrounding Venice tickets once and for all.

- Tickets for Friday 4 August are valid for Friday 11 August. You will sit in the seat which is printed on your Friday 4 August ticket.

- Tickets for Saturday 5 August are valid for Saturday 12 August. You will sit in the seat which is printed on your Saturday 5 August ticket.

- Any ticket holder for Friday 4 August can go to the Box Office on the night of Saturday 12 August and exchange his or her ticket for one for that night’s concert. It obviously cannot be the same seat as is printed on his or her original ticket, but it will be the best seat available at that time. You must do this by 8pm.

-  Any ticket holder for Saturday 5 August can go to the Box Office on the night of Friday 11 August and exchange his or her ticket for one for that night’s concert. Again, it cannot be the same seat as is printed on his or her original ticket, but it will be the best seat available at that time. You must do this by 8pm.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: VALIDITY OF TICKETS (07/08/06)

While a full refund is available if you cannot attend next weekend’s rescheduled dates, all ticket holders are now able to choose to attend either of the new dates (obviously you can only attend one concert).

So, if you had a ticket for Friday’s concert, then it is valid for Saturday 12 August as well as Friday 11 August. The same applies if you had a ticket for Saturday’s concert (you can attend on either Friday or Saturday with your original ticket – while seats are available – at no extra charge).

We hope this allows you to attend one of the two nights.

Just to clarify that the two Venice shows have been rescheduled. These concerts will now take place this coming weekend.

If you had a ticket for Friday’s concert, then it is valid for the new date on Friday 11 August. If you had a ticket for Saturday’s concert, then it is valid for the new date on Saturday 12 August.

If you are unable to attend your new date, then tickets can be refunded. Please contact your seller.

If that was TicketOne, then they will be offering refunds from tomorrow until 31 August. You can e-mail them at this address.

Refunded tickets will be put on sale, so if you missed out previously, you might have another chance. Good luck.

Both concerts at the Piazza San Marco unfortunately had to be called off when a structural defect was discovered in the scaffolding on Friday, rendering the whole stage structure unsafe.

Once again we offer our most sincere apologies to all those who are left disappointed and out-of-pocket.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: BOTH VENICE SHOWS OFF

We can confirm with deep regret that, unfortunately, both concerts at the Piazza San Marco have had to be called off.

A structural defect was discovered in the scaffolding just before the sound check this evening, which has rendered the whole stage structure unsafe.

Our most sincere apologies to all those who were supposed to attend these shows this weekend.

There is a possibility that these concerts will be re-scheduled, so, if you are a ticket holder, please be patient. Discussions are ongoing and further details will follow just as soon as we have them.

Venice’s most famous square welcomes David and his band later today – as well as fans from all over the world, by the sounds of it.

The centre of Venetian social life for many a century, the Piazza San Marco is stunningly beautiful and fringed with myriad architectural treasures, the most notable of which is the famous Basilica, on which the story of St Mark the Evangelist is told in paintings.

St Mark became Venice’s patron saint in 828. His remains were initially buried in a chapel in the nearby Doge’s Palace – Palazzo Ducale – but, in 829, a church was built that was to be his perpetual resting place.

The elements were not kind to it and it suffered great damage from fire, hence it was rebuilt and modified many times over the 11th century, resulting in what we see today: elegant arcades, bulbous domes, Gothic arches and breath-taking mosaics.

The interior is decorated throughout with such mosaics, the floor made up of many shades and varieties of marble and glass.

Famous for the four gilded bronze horses of Lysippos, known as the Quadriga, St Mark’s Basilica is also well known for the Pala d’Oro, a Venetian-Byzantine gold relief which is arguably the richest and most precious altarpiece in the world. It is made up of some 250 gold panels and covered with more than 3,000 precious gemstones.

Although the piazza seems enormous, it is only 175 metres long. The white-striped pavement, designed by Andrea Tirali in 1723, creates the impression of a much greater space.

It is bordered by historic buildings, such as the Gothic Palazzo Ducale, with its paintings depicting Venice’s violent past, and the iconic Clock Tower, on which two bronze figures – the Moors – strike the hour against a huge bell.

There is also the 100-metre-tall brick bell tower – the Campanile – constructed in 912 and fortified after it collapsed in 1902. You can climb to the top for a stunning view across Venice.

There are also the 18th century cafés which help attract an estimated 25 million visitors a year.

If you will be in the romantic city of Venice looking for David and the band to sweep you off your feet tonight or tomorrow night, do let us know. We hope you have a terrific time.

The winner of yesterday’s competition will be announced later today, so stay tuned. Please see yesterday’s entry for all the details.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Location confirmed! (Monday 31 July, 11:20AM)

Fans are meeting at The William pub (via A. Magliabechi 7/9/11) near the Square from 7PM before the Florence concert. Be on the look-out for Pink Floyd T-shirts and proceed with caution.

There are three more shows in Italy for you to look forward to and we want to hear from you if you are lucky enough to have a ticket to any one of them.

Again, we hope to help fans who may wish to meet with others before the concerts in Florence and Venice by offering this space to arrange a suitable place to meet.

Please note that no e-mail addresses or links to fansites will be published. We will only list suitable recognised venues and a time to meet.

As there are two shows in Venice, please be clear about which night you will be attending.

We’ll do the same for GdaÅ„sk a little closer to the concert.

Last week was a miserable one and, for obvious reasons, nothing seemed to matter very much.

We’re going to move on now, but first, in case you’ve missed anything, here’s a brief round-up of what I would have reported in more detail last week were it not for the tragic news about Syd.

There’s now a seating plan for the Venice concert. Please see the Live Dates page for the plan in PDF format.

You’ll also see ticket details for the GdaÅ„sk concert on the Live Dates page. That’s going to be an amazing show.  David will have a 38-piece orchestra behind him, conducted by Zbigniew Preisner.

As we were discussing the ‘P.U.L.S.E’ DVD (yes, we’re spelling it this way from now on), we’ve added a poll for you to cast your vote and let us know how you rate it. There’ll be a new poll added on a regular basis. Please see the Stuff & Nonsense page for that.

David’s first two solo albums have been delayed. They’re now out on 14 and 15 August in Europe and North America respectively. Please note that the various fansites are incorrect in stating that there will be extra tracks. There is no bonus material included with these albums.

Lastly, a few words in response to certain comments received last week.

Above all, our deep thanks once again for the great many kind, thoughtful and incredibly moving messages that were left. They were vastly appreciated and responsible for plenty of tears.

But frankly I have been sickened by the number of people who have used this forum – and, more importantly, Syd’s name – to insensitively and shamelessly push their own agenda, be it advertising their tribute act, plugging their website or banging on about a Pink Floyd reunion.

I don’t care if it was for the sake of a charitable cause. It was the wrong time and the wrong place and I strongly object to a space set up in Syd’s memory, purely for people who cared about him to pay their respects (not people merely seizing an opportunity to tell David what he ought to be doing to save the world), being targeted and bombarded with demands.

You are, of course, free to tell us how you will honour Syd’s memory if you want to. But don’t tell us what you think David, or the other members of Pink Floyd, should be doing. That is for them to decide, not fans who so desperately want to see a reunion, they don’t care how it comes about.

For God’s sake, have and show some respect. We have lost the man who gave the world the band you claim to love so much. Is a concert of any importance?

Everyone is entitled to an opinion, but there’s a time and a place to express it. To start spewing out the usual tired demands last week was wholly inappropriate and, on behalf of anyone with a heart and more than half a brain, I say shame on you for not realising it.

David’s diary has just been scribbled in again, as I can announce three more dates for August.

As well as visiting Austria, Germany and France, David will also visit Italy this summer.

He will return to Venice for a show at St Mark’s Square, shown here, as well as visiting Florence.

Further details, as always, at DavidGilmour.com.

For those waiting for news about tickets for the Royal Albert Hall shows, it will be here tomorrow.

And for those who are going to see the Mermaid show in the US tonight, have a great time.