Pink Floyd The Man and The Journey Tour (1969)

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The “The Man and The Journey” tour by Pink Floyd in 1969 was an innovative and experimental series of concerts that showcased the band’s progressive and conceptual music style. Here’s an overview of the tour, setlist, and personnel:

1969 June 26 Pink Floyd at Royal Albert Hall performing The Final Lunacy

Overview

Nature of the Tour: The tour was mostly confined to English venues and featured the conceptual music piece “The Man and The Journey.”
Dates: The tour started on March 27, 1969, and concluded on September 24, 1969.
Number of Shows: There were 29 shows out of 31 scheduled.
Concept: The concerts were split into two parts, reflecting the themes of everyday life (“The Man”) and a more abstract journey (“The Journey”), possibly more cerebral than physical. These themes were similar to those explored later in the album “The Dark Side of the Moon.”
Notable Elements: The performances included unique visual elements, such as the construction of a table on stage and the consumption of afternoon tea, adding to the theatrical aspect of the shows.

Setlist

Variation in Setlist: At most shows, “The Man and The Journey” suite was performed, but at some, a shorter set was played, including tracks like “Astronomy Domine,” “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun,” and unaltered versions of “Careful with That Axe, Eugene” and “A Saucerful of Secrets.”
The Man and The Journey Setlist: The setlist from the September 17, 1969, show in Amsterdam is a good example, featuring songs such as “Grantchester Meadows” (Daybreak), “Work,” “Teatime,” “Biding My Time” (Afternoon), “Quicksilver” (Sleep), “Cymbaline” (Nightmare), “Green is the Colour” (The Beginning), “Careful with That Axe, Eugene” (Beset by Creatures of the Deep), and several others.
Encore Performances: Occasionally, encores like “Interstellar Overdrive” or “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” were played.

Personnel

David Gilmour: Electric and acoustic guitars, percussion, vocals
Roger Waters: Bass, nylon-string acoustic guitar, percussion, vocals, vocalizations
Richard Wright: Farfisa organ, vibraphone, trombone, vocals, pipe organs (where available)
Nick Mason: Drums, percussion

Additional Notes

Potential Live Album: At one point, the band considered releasing a live album of the show but decided to issue “Ummagumma” instead. The length of the program was a potential issue.
Legacy and Recordings: Parts of the tour were later included in the compilation box set “The Early Years, 1965-1972.”

The “The Man and The Journey” tour stands out in Pink Floyd’s history for its conceptual depth, experimental performances, and the way it foreshadowed the thematic elements that would become central in their later works. A rather important time in the development of their sound.

Pink Floyd The Man and The Journey Tour Dates

1969-01-10 : Fishmonger’s Arms (Wood Green), London, England
1969-01-12 : Mothers Club (Erdington), Birmingham, England
1969-01-18 : Homerton College, Cambridge, England
1969-01-18 : Roundhouse, London, England
1969-01-22 : ORTF TV Studios (Buttes Chaumont), Paris, France
1969-01-25 : Royal York Hotel (Sixty Nine Club), Ryde (Isle of Wight), England

UK Tour, 21 Dates

1969-02-14 : Warwick University, Coventry, England
1969-02-14 : University of Loughborough, Loughborough, England
1969-02-17 : The Bay Hotel (Whitburn), Sunderland, England
1969-02-18 : Manchester Univertisy, Manchester, England
1969-02-21 : Alhambra, Bordeaux, France
1969-02-24 : The Dome, Brighton, England
1969-02-25 : Marlow Theatre (Canterbury), Canterbury, England
1969-02-26 : New Cavendish Ballroom, Edinburgh, Scotland
1969-02-27 : The Maryland, Glasgow, Scotland
1969-02-28 : Queen Elizabeth College (Kensington), London, England
1969-03-01 : University College Bloomsbury, London, England
1969-03-03 : Victoria Rooms, Bristol, England

1969-03-08 : Reading University, Reading, England
1969-03-11 : Lawns Centre, Cottingham, England
1969-03-14 : The Van Dike Club, Devonport, England
1969-03-15 : Kee Club, Bridgend, Wales
1969-03-19 : University College (Swansea), Swansea, Wales
1969-03-21 : Empress Ballroom, Blackpool, England
1969-03-22 : Leeds University, Leeds, England
1969-03-24 : The Dome, Brighton, England
1969-03-27 : St James Hall (Chesterfield), Chesterfield, England

The Man and the Journey Tour

1969 April 14th Pink Floyd The Massed Gadgets of Auximines

1969-04-14 : Royal Festival Hall, London, England
1969-04-16 : Technical College (Bromley), Bromley, England
1969-04-27 : Mothers Club (Erdington), Birmingham, England

1969 April 27th Pink Floyd Mothers Club Birmingham

1969-05-02 : College of Commerce (Manchester), Manchester, England
1969-05-03 : Queen Mary College, London, England
1969-05-09 : Parliment Hill Fields (Camden Free Festival), London, England
1969-05-09 : Southampton University, Southampton, England
1969-05-10 : Notts County Football Ground, Nottingham, England
1969-05-12 : Paris Cinema (London), London, England
1969-05-15 : Locarno Ballroom (Coventry), Coventry, England

UK Tour 1969

This tour saw the first printed Pink Floyd Tour Programme for The Man And the Journey tour. It contained the concert dates, photography of the band and other peculiarities.