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The Pink Floyd French Summer Tour in 1974 was a pivotal event in the band’s history, showcasing their evolution in progressive rock and live performances. Following the success of “The Dark Side of the Moon,” this tour allowed them to experiment with new material and stagecraft, especially during the French Summer leg of the tour.
The tour was brief, focusing on dates in France during the summer of 1974, making the shows highly anticipated by fans. It featured new material that would later appear on their 1975 album “Wish You Were Here,” including early versions of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” and other tracks. The setlist included a mix of new material and selections from “The Dark Side of the Moon,” giving audiences a taste of what to expect next from Pink Floyd French Summer Tour performances.
The new material showcased a shift in style and thematic focus, particularly with the tribute to former band member Syd Barrett in “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” The tour featured innovative stage production and sound quality, with advanced sound systems and visual effects creating immersive concert experiences that were distinct to the French Summer Tour.
The French Summer Tour of 1974 is seen as a transitional period for Pink Floyd, bridging the gap between the success of “The Dark Side of the Moon” and the creation of “Wish You Were Here.” It highlighted the band’s commitment to musical and visual innovation as they toured France.
Pink Floyd French Summer Tour Dates
1974-06-18 : Parc Des Expositions (Toulouse), Toulouse, France
1974-06-19 : Parc Des Expositions (Poitiers), Poitiers, France
1974-06-21 : Palais Des Expositions (Dijon), Dijon, France
1974-06-22 : Theatre De Plein Air, Colmar, France
1974-06-24 : Palais Des Sports De La Porte De Versailles, Paris, France
1974-06-25 : Palais Des Sports De La Porte De Versailles, Paris, France
1974-06-26 : Palais Des Sports De La Porte De Versailles, Paris, France – the final stop in the Pink Floyd French Summer Tour.
Photos from French Summer Tour 2024
Mr Screen’s Animation’s and Logistical Challenge
Mr. Screen was a large circular projection screen used by Pink Floyd during their live performances. It first appeared during the performances of “The Dark Side of the Moon” in 1974 and became a staple in their shows thereafter. The screen was used to project specially recorded films and animations that accompanied various songs, enhancing the visual experience of the concerts.
The animations projected on Mr. Screen were often created specifically for the band’s live performances. These included abstract visuals, thematic imagery, and short films that complemented the music. For example, during the song “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” the screen displayed images related to the band’s former member Syd Barrett.
Using Mr. Screen presented several logistical challenges, including the need for careful handling during transport and setup, as the large screen had to be assembled and disassembled at each venue, adding to the complexity of the tour logistics. High-quality projection equipment was necessary to ensure clear and bright images, requiring powerful projectors and precise alignment to avoid distortion. The animations had to be perfectly synchronized with the live music, necessitating coordination between the band, the projection team, and the lighting crew. Additionally, the equipment required regular maintenance to function correctly throughout the tour, as any technical issues could disrupt the visual aspect of the performance.
Despite these challenges, Mr. Screen became an iconic element of Pink Floyd’s live shows, contributing to their reputation for innovative and immersive concert experiences.
Pink Floyd Sponsored by Gigi
In 1972, Pink Floyd agreed to a sponsorship deal with Gini, a popular French soft drink company, to support their French tour in 1974. They were paid £50k which seemed a good idea at the time but they later donated it to charity. The deal involved the band appearing in an advertising campaign for Gini, which included magazine adverts featuring the band in a desert setting, looking thirsty. The sponsorship also meant that Gini was promoted in the halls where the gigs were held.
However, this commercial involvement left a bad taste in the mouths of many fans, as it was unusual for a band like Pink Floyd to engage in such promotions at the time. The experience was so negative that it inspired Roger Waters to write a song called “Bitter Love” (also known as “How Do You Feel”), which remains unreleased. David Gilmour even commented that he had never drunk the drink. The band was so disillusioned by the experience that they never repeated such commercial involvement, except for a few exceptions like an advert for Nurofen (against their will) and a tie-in with Volkswagen cars. David Gilmour would often wear a Guinness t-shirt and Avis Trucks also used the band’s name in their adverts.
Personnel on the Tour
With Pink Floyd’s stage show now become more elaborate the crew also grew with the band. Here are the backing singers, saxophone player and the road crew who made everything happen.
- Vanetta Fields – Vocals
- Carlena Williams – Backing Vocals
- Dick Parry – Saxophone
Road Crew
- Rufus Cartwright – Front of House mixing desk sound engineer
- Bernie Caulder – PA and Stage Technician
- Alan Conway – Quad technician
- Graeme Fleming – Lighting Technician
- Seth Goldman – Monitor sound engineer
- Mick “The Pole” Kluczynski – PA Stage Technician
- Mick Marshall – Lighting Technician
- Arthur Max – Production Manager / Lighting
- Paul Murray – Film Projection
- Robin Murray – Lighting Technician
- Peter Revell – Film Projection
- Nick Rockford – PA / Stage Technician
- Phil Taylor – Backline Technician (David’s guitar tech up to this present day)
- Robbie Williams – PA / Stage Technician
Links – Visit the Pink Floyd Timeline for 1974 – Wikipedia Entry – Discuss Mr Screen
