Home / Pink Floyd Tour Database / Historical Tours / Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon Tour (1972–73)
The Pink Floyd “Dark Side of the Moon” Tour, which took place from 1972 to 1973, was a pivotal moment in the band’s history and in the landscape of rock music. This tour was in support of their iconic album “The Dark Side of the Moon,” which is often considered one of the greatest albums ever made. The album was released in March 1973, and the tour played a crucial role in its promotion and success. Here are some key aspects of the tour:
- Album Preview: Remarkably, Pink Floyd began performing “The Dark Side of the Moon” in its entirety during live shows before the album was officially released. This allowed audiences to experience the music in a live setting, building anticipation for the album’s release.
- Setlist: The setlist for the tour typically included the entire “The Dark Side of the Moon” album, often played as one continuous piece. The performances also featured other Pink Floyd classics from earlier albums.
- Innovative Sound and Stage Production: The tour was groundbreaking in terms of live sound quality and stage production. Pink Floyd used advanced sound engineering techniques, including quadraphonic sound systems, which created a surround sound experience for the audience. The lighting and visual effects were also cutting-edge, with innovative use of projectors and screen animations.
- Critical and Commercial Success: “The Dark Side of the Moon” album became a massive commercial success, and the tour played a significant role in this achievement. The album remained on the Billboard charts for an unprecedented 741 weeks and has sold over 45 million copies worldwide.
- Cultural Impact: The tour, and the album it supported, had a profound cultural impact. “The Dark Side of the Moon” explored themes of conflict, greed, time, and mental illness, resonating deeply with audiences worldwide.
The Dark Side of the Moon tour kicked off at Brighton Dome however the band arrived there on 17th January 1972 for three nights of production rehearsals before the live performance on 20th January 1972. There are some photos of them from the Brighton Dome performances and this period is a really important part of the Pink Floyd Timeline 1972. This was Pink Floyd’s first tour featuring backing singers. Success meant more money for luxuries like that.
Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon Tour Dates
Production rehearsals began on 17th January at the Rainbow Theatre before taking the new tour out on the road for the general public to enjoy before the album had even been released. This fact would have meant that bootleg recordings were commercially very damaging because the album was available to purchase but not from the band but, rather, from bootleggers would could have profited from the band’s output. Many years later in 2023 the Brighton Dome recording would make its way onto LP and in the lovely Dark Side of the Moon 50th Anniversary boxset.
In 1972, Pink Floyd embarked on a tour across the UK, performing 16 dates. During this tour, they performed a work-in-progress version of their iconic album, “The Dark Side Of The Moon”. This was a significant period for the band as they were developing what would become one of the most influential albums in rock history.
The tour culminated with a four-night stand at London’s Rainbow Theatre from 17 to 20 February 1972. These performances were part of their Eclipsed Tour. The Rainbow Theatre, located in Finsbury Park, London, was a popular venue for rock concerts in the 1970s.
During these performances, the band played the entire “The Dark Side Of The Moon” album. The setlist included songs like “Speak to Me”, “Breathe”, “On the Run”, “Time”, “The Great Gig in the Sky”, “Money”, “Us and Them”, “Any Colour You Like”, “Brain Damage”, and “Eclipse” from their forthcoming yet to be released album.
1972-01-20 : Brighton Dome, Brighton, England
1972-01-21 : Guildhall (Portsmouth), Portsmouth, England
1972-01-22 : Winter Gardens, Bournemouth, England
1972-01-23 : Guildhall (Southampton), Southampton, England
1972-01-27 : City Hall (Newcastle Upon Tyne), Newcastle Upon Tyne, England
1972-01-28 : City Hall (Leeds), Leeds, England
1972-02-03 : Locarno Ballroom, Coventry, England
1972-02-05 : Colston Hall, Bristol, England
1972-02-10 : De Montfort Hall, Leicester, England
1972-02-11 : Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England
1972-02-12 : City (Oval) Hall, Sheffield, England
1972-02-13 : The Empire Theatre, Liverpool, England
1972-02-17 : Rainbow Theatre, London, England
1972-02-18 : Rainbow Theatre, London, England
1972-02-19 : Rainbow Theatre, London, England
1972-02-20 : Rainbow Theatre, London, England
After the conclusion of this leg of the Dark Side of the Moon tour, the band went off to Paris to record the soundtrack to the film La Vallée but would release as Obscured By Clouds due to a falling out with the film company. There are some excellent photos to see behind the scenes recording Obscured by Clouds.
Dark Side of the Moon in Tokyo, Japan
In 1972, Pink Floyd embarked on a tour of Japan, which was a significant event in the band’s history. The tour began in Tokyo and ended in Sapporo on March 13. The setlist for the tour included songs from their album “The Dark Side Of The Moon”.
One of the notable performances during this tour was at the Tokyo-to Taiikukan in Tokyo on March 6, 1972 which also happened to be David Gilmour’s birthday. This concert was the Japan premiere of “Dark Side Of The Moon”, and the album wouldn’t be released until the fall of 1972. Hence, the audience was in for a surprise. The concert was recorded and broadcast by Tokai FM in Japan.
Another memorable performance was at the Nagazhima Sports Center in Hokkaido on March 17, 1972. The setlist for this concert included “Speak to Me/Breathe”, “On the Run”, “Time”, “The Great Gig in the Sky”, “Money”, “Us and Them”, “Any Colour You Like”, “Brain Damage”, and “Eclipse”.
1972-03-06 : Tokyo-To Taiikukan, Tokyo, Japan
1972-03-07 : Tokyo-To Taiikukan, Tokyo, Japan
1972-03-08 : Festival Hall (Osaka), Osaka, Japan
1972-03-09 : Festival Hall (Osaka), Osaka, Japan
1972-03-10 : Dai-Sho-Gun Furitsu Taiikukan, Kyoto, Japan
1972-03-13 : Nakajima Sports Center, Sapporo, Japan
Dark Side of the Moon Tour in Manchester 1972
Having arrived back from their stint in Japan they played a couple of nights in Manchester before heading off to USA to promote their forthcoming album.
1972-03-29 : Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England
1972-03-30 : Free Trade Hall, Manchester, England
Dark Side of the Moon USA Leg 1972
1972-04-14 : Fort Homer Hesterly Armory Auditorium, Tampa, Florida, USA
1972-04-15 : The Sportatorium, Hollywood, Florida, USA
1972-04-16 : Township Auditorium, Columbia, Sacramento, USA
1972-04-18 : Symphony Hall, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
1972-04-20 : The Syria Mosque Theater, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
1972-04-21 : Lyric Theater, Baltimore (Maryland), USA
1972-04-22 : Civic Theater, Akron (Ohio), USA
1972-04-23 : Music Hall (Cincinnati), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
1972-04-24 : Allen Theatre, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
1972-04-26 : Ford Auditorium, Detroit, Michigan, USA
1972-04-27 : Ford Auditorium, Detroit, Michigan, USA
1972-04-28 : The Auditorium Theater, Chicago, Ilinois, USA
1972-04-29 : Spectrum Theater, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
1972-05-01 : Carnegie Hall (New York), New York, New York, USA
1972-05-02 : Carnegie Hall (New York), New York, New York, USA
1972-05-03 : Concert Hall, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
1972-05-04 : Music Hall (Boston), Boston, Massachussets, USA
Dark Side of the Moon European Tour 1972
Pink Floyd played the headline slot on the 2nd night of the “2nd British Rock Meeting” in Germany. They played to an impressive 70,000 people.
1972-05-18 : Deutschlandhalle, Berlin, Germany
1972-05-21 : Insel Grun, Germersheim, Germany
1972-05-22 : Olympisch Stadium, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Pink Floyd played replacement concerts as replacements for shows that had failed earlier in the year due to power outage. The Dark Side of the Moon was not played due to power issues affecting backing track tape speed.
1972-06-28 : Brighton Dome, Brighton, England
1972-06-29 : Brighton Dome, Brighton, England
With the tour having concluded for a short period, The Valley film was released and premiered on 25th July 1972 as you can see from the poster below.
USA 2nd Leg
1972-09-08 : Municipal Auditorium, Austin, Texas, USA
1972-09-09 : Music Hall (Houston), Houston, Texas, USA
1972-09-10 : Mcfarlin Auditorium, Dallas, Texas, USA
1972-09-11 : Memorial Hall, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
1972-09-12 : Civic Center Music Hall, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA
1972-09-13 : Henry Levitt Arena, Wichita, Kansas, USA
1972-09-15 : Community Center Arena, Tuscon, Arizona, USA
1972-09-16 : Golden Hall, San Diego, California, USA
1972-09-17 : Big Surf, Tempe, Arizona, USA
1972-09-19 : University Of Denver Arena, Denver, Colarado, USA
1972-09-22 : Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles, California, USA
1972-09-23 : Winterland Auditorium, San Francisco, California, USA
1972-09-24 : Winterland Auditorium, San Francisco, California, USA
1972-09-27 : Gardens Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
1972-09-28 : Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon, USA
1972-09-29 : Hec Edmundson Pavilion, Seattle, Washington, USA
1972-09-30 : Vancouver Gardens Arena, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Back to UK for Benefit Concert
Pink Floyd played a benefit gig for the ‘War On Want’ and ‘Save The Children’ charities, performing The Dark Side Of The Moon and More at the Empire Pool, Wembley.
1972-10-21 : Empire Pool, London, England
European Tour 1972 Leg 2
1972-11-10 : Kb Hallen, Copenhagen, Denmark
1972-11-11 : Kb Hallen, Copenhagen, Denmark
1972-11-12 : Ernst-Merck Halle, Hamburg, Germany
1972-11-14 : Philipshalle, Dusseldorf, Germany
1972-11-15 : Sporthalle (Boblingen), Boblingen, Germany
1972-11-16 : Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany
1972-11-17 : Festhalle, Frankfurt, Germany
Pink Floyd performed with the Roland Petite Ballet in front of the stage in dress rehearsal shows in November of 1972. This was to prepare them for the live performances in front of large audiences in early 1973 during a short break from their Dark Side of the Moon touring schedule.
1972-11-22 : Roland Petit Ballet, Salle Valliers, France
1972-11-23 : Roland Petit Ballet, Salle Valliers, France
1972-11-24 : Roland Petit Ballet, Salle Valliers, France
1972-11-25 : Roland Petit Ballet, Salle Valliers, France
1972-11-26 : Roland Petit Ballet, Salle Valliers, France
1972-11-28 : Palais des Sports, Toulouse, France
1972-11-29 : Les Arenas, Poitiers, France
1972-12-01 : Centre Sportif, Paris, France
1972-12-02 : Centre Sportif, Paris, France
1972-12-03 : Parc Des Expositions, Caen, France
1972-12-05 : Sport Palais Vorst Nationaal, Brussels, Belgium
1972-12-07 : Palais des Sports, Lille, France
1972-12-08 : Parc Des Expositions, Nancy, France
1972-12-09 : Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland
1972-12-10 : Palais des Sports, Lyon, France
Pink Floyd Roland Petite Ballet
Pink Floyd kick off their touring schedule in 1973 at the Palais des Sports in Paris, France performing the Roland Petite Ballet which they had been doing dress rehears for back in November 1972.
The ballet featuring Pink Floyd was choreographed by Roland Petit, a renowned French choreographer. The idea for the ballet came from Petit’s young daughter, who gave him a Pink Floyd album and suggested he should make a ballet from it. The ballet eventually debuted in Marseille at the Palais des Sports, with Pink Floyd performing live at the first show.
The ballet was performed in front of an audience of 32,000, with Pink Floyd accompanying the dancers. It was performed in Marseille and Paris in 1972-73. The band provided live renditions of their songs such as ‘Careful with That Axe Eugene’, ‘Echoes’, ‘One of These Days’, and ‘Obscured by Clouds’.
Excerpts performances of ‘One Of These Days’, ‘Careful With That Axe Eugene’ and ‘Echoes’ from The Ballet de Marseille dress rehearsals were filmed on 21 November, 1972. The performance was broadcast on ORTF on 22 November, 1972.
Since its debut, the Pink Floyd Ballet has been staged several times in cities around the world. It is a testament to the innovative approach of both Pink Floyd and Roland Petit, blending rock music with classical ballet to create a unique and immersive experience.
1973-01-13 : Palais Des Sports De La Porte De Versailles, Paris, France
1973-01-14 : Palais Des Sports De La Porte De Versailles, Paris, France
1973-02-03 : Palais Des Sports De La Porte De Versailles, Paris, France
1973-02-04 : Palais Des Sports De La Porte De Versailles, Paris, France
USA Leg 3
To coincide with the release of their Dark Side of the Moon album, a release that the record companies were backing hard, the band performed concerts in the USA on the first stint of shows for the US audience.
1973-03-04 : Dane County Memorial Coliseum, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
1973-03-05 : Cobo Arena, Detroit, Michigan, USA
1973-03-06 : Kiel Opera House, St. Louis, Massachusetts, USA
1973-03-07 : International Amphitheater, Chicago, Ilinois, USA
1973-03-08 : University Of Cincinnati Fieldhouse, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
1973-03-10 : Memorial Gymnasium, Kent, Ohio, USA
1973-03-11 : Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
1973-03-12 : Forum de Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1973-03-14 : Music Hall, Boston, Massachussets, USA
1973-03-15 : Spectrum Theater, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
1973-03-17 : Radio City Music Hall, New York, New York, USA
1973-03-18 : Palace Theater, Waterbury, Cincinnati, USA
1973-03-19 : Providence Civic Center, Providence, Rhode Island, USA
1973-03-22 : Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, Virginia, USA
1973-03-23 : Charlotte Park Center, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
1973-03-24 : Municipal Auditorium, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Pink Floyd Live at Earls Court 1973
Following their very successful concerts in the USA Pink Floyd returned home to the UK where they performed two nights at London’s Earls Court exhibition hall. You can take a look at the Official Tour Programme and the unofficial bootlegger one. These concerts saw the band transition from small venues into large venues, something they would now have to endure until the band ended.
1973-05-18 : Earls Court Exhibition Hall, London, England
1973-05-19 : Earls Court Exhibition Hall, London, England
Second USA Dark Side of the Moon Tour
Following the amazing success of Dark Side of the Moon on the Billboard Top 100, the band returned to the USA For a second stint of Dark Side concerts.
1973-06-17 : Performing Arts Center, Saratoga, New York, USA
1973-06-18 : Roosevelt Stadium, Jersey City, New Jersey, USA
1973-06-19 : Civic Center Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
1973-06-20 : Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland, USA
1973-06-21 : Merriweather Post Pavilion, Columbia, Maryland, USA
1973-06-22 : Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, Buffalo (New York), USA
1973-06-23 : Olympia Stadium (Detroit), Detroit, Michigan, USA
1973-06-24 : Blossom Music Center, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, USA
1973-06-25 : Convention Center (Louisville), Louisville, Kentucky, USA
1973-06-26 : Lake Spivey Park, Jonesboro, Georgia, USA
1973-06-27 : Jacksonville Coliseum, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
1973-06-28 : The Sportatorium, Hollywood, Florida, USA
1973-06-29 : Tampa Stadium, Tampa, Florida, USA
1973-10-12 : Munchener Olympiahalle, Munich, Germany
1973-10-13 : Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria
Benefit Concert for Robert Wyatt at Rainbow Theatre 1973
1973-11-04 : Rainbow Theatre, London, England
Pink Floyd played two shows at London’s Rainbow Theatre, as a benefit for Soft Machine drummer Robert Wyatt. Nick Mason was good friends with Robert and played drums for him on Top of the Pops for his performance of I’m A Believer. Pink Floyd performed at 5pm and 9pm at the Rainbow Theatre, Finsbury, London, England. Set list at both shows: The Dark Side Of The Moon // ‘Obscured By Clouds’ / ‘When You’re In’. Pink Floyd were supplemented by Vicki Brown (backing vocals), Liza Strike (backing vocals), Clare Torry (backing vocals) and Dick Parry (saxophone).
Melody Maker reported: ‘It was a splendid evening of rock co-operation, in which both groups gave their services in aid of disabled drummer Robert Wyatt, and compere John Peel was pleased to announce that some 10,000 pounds was raised. Heartbeats in fact commenced proceedings, pulsating through the auditorium and stilling the more excitable elements in the crowd. Clocks ticked mysteriously and with perfect precision the Floydmen slotted their live instruments into the recorded sound, combining quadraphonic pre- recorded tapes, lights, smoke and theatrical effects into a kind of rock Son et Lumiere. Overhead was suspended a huge white balloon to represent the moon, on which spotlights played, and not long after performance began, searchlights began to pierce the gloom, and yellow warning lights began revolving in banks on the speaker cabinets. A choir of ladies cooed like angels of mercy and as a silver ball reflecting myriad beams of light began to revolve and belch more smoke, the audience rose to give them an ovation. They deserved a Nobel prize or at least an Oscar.
