# Pink Floyd World Tour 1968

Pink Floyd World Tour 1968 was a Pink Floyd world tour spanning February to December 1968 in which the group visited Europe and North America.

## History

The tour began with difficulty as the band's lead guitarist, vocalist and primary songwriter Syd Barrett left the band in April 1968. Despite leaving in April, Barrett had only played in the band in January this year, when they were briefly a five-piece with the addition of guitarist David Gilmour, but he soon replaced Barrett entirely. As the main frontman, Barrett had initially been a central part of live performances, although bassist Roger Waters was able to steer the band through a potentially difficult series of live concerts mainly on the European mainland. Many of these performances took place at multi-artist music festivals in Europe, although the band were starting to establish a successful university circuit around the UK. In these venues, the band were greeted with respect and during some performances the audience would remain silent until the last note was played.
The tour began on 17 February at the Patronaatsgebouw, Netherlands and ran until a final performance in the Netherlands on 28 December. The tour was fitted around recording commitments and the band did not perform consistently during this period.
After Barrett's departure, many of his songs were gradually dropped from the band's set lists, but some compositions that the band had performed with Barrett remained in their repertoire until 1971, notably "Interstellar Overdrive" and "Astronomy Domine". The latter track was doubled in length with an additional organ solo and repeated verses. "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" had been performed in late 1967 with Barrett, but the band increasingly extended it to feature more guitar and organ work. This song would be played at almost every Pink Floyd concert until 1972. In 1968, a large gong also became a characteristic part of the band's live show following its introduction at the "Games for May" concert in 1967.
"Careful with That Axe, Eugene", which was introduced in early 1968 under the titles "Murderistic Women" and "Keep Smiling People", would develop into a major part of the band's live shows up until 1973. The song was gradually extended as the year progressed, with initial performances lasting only four minutes, later increasing to eight minutes and more. At the latter end of 1968, Waters' vocalizations and climactic screams became a focal point of this piece.
Another increasingly regular addition to Pink Floyd performances was "The Massed Gadgets of Hercules": an early, shorter version of "A Saucerful of Secrets". Like "Eugene", the song was gradually extended from 6 minutes to around 11 minutes as Gilmour took the wordless vocal on the closing "Celestial Voices" section of the song.

## Tour dates

| Date | City | Country | Venue |
| Europe ||||
| 17 February 1968 | Terneuzen | Netherlands | Patronage Hall |
| 17 February 1968 | Vlissingen | Netherlands | Vlissingen Concert Hall |
| 18 February 1968 | Brussels | Belgium | RTB TV Studios (Vibrato) |
| 19 February 1968 | Brussels | Belgium | RTB TV Studios (Tienerklanen) |
| 20 February 1968 | Paris | France | ORTF TV Studios (Bouton Rouge) |
| 21 February 1968 | Paris | France | ORTF TV Studios (Discorama) |
| 22 February 1968 | Leuven | Belgium | Rijschool |
| 23 February 1968 | Antwerp | Belgium | Pannenhuis |
| 24 February 1968 | Brussels | Belgium | Cheetah Club |
| 25 February 1968 | Bussum | Netherlands | De Engh |
| 26 February 1968 | Cambridge | England | Lion Hotel |
| 4 March 1968 | Isleworth | England | Isleworth Film Studios |
| 9 March 1968 | Manchester | England | Manchester Technical College |
| 14 March 1968 | Belfast | Northern Ireland | Whitla Hall 2 shows |
| 15 March 1968 | Oxford | England | Stage Club, Clardendon Restaurant |
| 16 March 1968 | London | England | Casino Hotel, Tagg's Island |
| 16 March 1968 | London | England | Middle Earth |
| 17 March 1968 | Ertvelde | Belgium | Club '67 |
| 20 March 1968 | Liverpool | England | New Grafton Rooms |
| 22 March 1968 | London | England | Woolwich Polytechnic |
| 24 March 1968 | Frankfurt | West Germany | Volksbildungsheim |
| 25 March 1968 | Zürich | Switzerland | Unknown |
| 26 March 1968 | London | England | Barnes Common |
| 28 March 1968 | East Stratford | England | Abbey Mills Pumping Station |
| 31 March 1968 | Groningen | Netherlands | Concertzaal De Jong |
| 11 April 1968 | White City | England | BBC TV Centre (All My Loving) |
| 12 April 1968 | Brussels | Belgium | RTB TV Studios |
| 13 April 1968 | Brussels | Belgium | RTB TV Studios |
| 14 April 1968 | Brussels | Belgium | RTB TV Studios |
| 18 April 1968 | Rome | Italy | Piper Club |
| 19 April 1968 | Rome | Italy | Piper Club |
| 20 April 1968 | RAF Waddington | England | Raven Club |
| 30 April 1968 | Zaandam | Netherlands | VARA TV Studios (Moef Ga Ga) |
| 3 May 1968 | London | England | Westfield College |
| 4 May 1968 | Brussels | Belgium | Theater 140 |
| 5 May 1968 | Brussels | Belgium | Theater 140 |
| 6 May 1968 | Rome | Italy | Palazzo dello Sport EUR |
| 11 May 1968 | Falmer | England | University of Sussex |
| 17 May 1968 | London | England | Middle Earth Club |
| 22 May 1968 | Antwerp | Belgium | Hotel Billiard Palace |
| 23 May 1968 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Paradiso 2 shows |
| 24 May 1968 | Lapworth | England | The Punchbowl Hotel |
| 25 May 1968 | Wishaw | England | The Belfry Hotel |
| 26 May 1968 | London | England | PF Middle Earth (OZ Magazine benefit) |
| 31 May 1968 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Paradiso |
| 31 May 1968 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Fantasio |
| 1 June 1968 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Lijn 3 |
| 1 June 1968 | Bussum | Netherlands | De Engh |
| 1 June 1968 | Apeldoorn | Netherlands | Eurobeurs |
| 2 June 1968 | Vlissingen | Netherlands | Concertgebouw |
| 3 June 1968 | Heesch | Netherlands | De Pas |
| 3 June 1968 | Weesp | Netherlands | Weesp Centrum |
| 8 June 1968 | Haverfordwest | Wales | Market Hall |
| 12 June 1968 | Cambridge | England | May Ball - King's College |
| 14 June 1968 | London | England | University College London |
| 15 June 1968 | Manchester | England | Magic Village |
| 21 June 1968 | Oxford | England | Commemoration Ball - Balliol College |
| 22 June 1968 | The Hague | Netherlands | Houtrusthallen |
| 25 June 1968 | London | England | BBC Piccadilly Studios (Top Gear) |
| 26 June 1968 | Sheffield | England | Sheffield University |
| 28 June 1968 | Shrewsbury | England | Music Hall |
| 29 June 1968 | London | England | Hyde Park Free Concert - Hyde Park |
| North America ||||
| 8 July 1968 | Chicago | United States | Kinetic Playground |
| 12 July 1968 | Detroit | United States | Grande Ballroom |
| 13 July 1968 | Ann Arbor | United States | Fifth Dimension |
| 15 July 1968 | New York City | United States | The Scene |
| 16 July 1968 | New York City | United States | The Scene |
| 17 July 1968 | New York City | United States | The Scene |
| 18 July 1968 | Boston | United States | Boston Tea Party |
| 19 July 1968 | Boston | United States | Boston Tea Party |
| 20 July 1968 | Boston | United States | Boston Tea Party |
| 23 July 1968 | Philadelphia | United States | WKBS-TV Studios (The Hy-Lit Show) |
| 24 July 1968 | Philadelphia | United States | Philadelphia Music Festival |
| 26 July 1968 | Los Angeles | United States | Shrine Exposition Hall |
| 27 July 1968 | Los Angeles | United States | Shrine Exposition Hall |
| 2 August 1968 | San Francisco | United States | Avalon Ballroom |
| 3 August 1968 | San Francisco | United States | Avalon Ballroom |
| 4 August 1968 | San Francisco | United States | Avalon Ballroom |
| 9 August 1968 | Seattle | United States | Eagles Auditorium |
| 10 August 1968 | Seattle | United States | Eagles Auditorium |
| 11 August 1968 | Seattle | United States | Eagles Auditorium |
| 16 August 1968 | Sacramento | United States | Sound Factory |
| 17 August 1968 | Sacramento | United States | Sound Factory |
| 23 August 1968 | Torrance | United States | The Bank |
| 24 August 1968 | Torrance | United States | The Bank |
| Europe ||||
| 24 August 1968 | Prestatyn | Wales | The Royal Lido, Central Beach |
| 31 August 1968 | Kasterlee | Belgium | Kastival 68 Festival |
| 1 September 1968 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Paradiso |
| 4 September 1968 | Richmond | England | Richmond Athletic Club |
| 6 September 1968 | Paris | France | ORTF TV Studios (Samedi Et Compagnie) |
| 7 September 1968 | Paris | France | Le Bilboquet |
| 8 September 1968 | Chatelet | Belgium | Chatelet Teenage Festival |
| 13 September 1968 | Erdington | England | Mothers |
| 14 September 1968 | Leeuwarden | Netherlands | Fuq Festival |
| 20 September 1968 | Bristol | England | Victoria Rooms |
| 26 September 1968 | Newcastle | England | Mayfair Ballroom |
| 27 September 1968 | Dunoon | Scotland | Queens Hall |
| 28 September 1968 | Essen | West Germany | Grugahalle |
| 1 October 1968 | Glasgow | Scotland | The Maryland Ballroom |
| 4 October 1968 | Erdington | England | Mothers |
| 6 October 1968 | London | England | The Country Club - Belsize Park |
| 16 October 1968 | Lyon | France | Théâtre du Huitième |
| 18 October 1968 | Norwich | England | The Industrial Club |
| 19 October 1968 | Brussels | Belgium | Théâtre 140 |
| 20 October 1968 | Brussels | Belgium | Théâtre 140 2 shows |
| 25 October 1968 | London | England | The Boat House - Kew |
| 26 October 1968 | London | England | Imperial College London |
| 1 November 1968 | Portsmouth | England | Highbury Technical College |
| 2 November 1968 | London | England | London College Of Printing |
| 7 November 1968 | London | England | Porchester Hall - Bayswater |
| 8 November 1968 | London | England | Fishmonger's Arms - Wood Green |
| 15 November 1968 | Munich | West Germany | Blow Up Club |
| 16 November 1968 | Olten | Switzerland | Restaurant Olten-Hammer |
| 17 November 1968 | Zürich | Switzerland | Kongresshaus |
| 22 November 1968 | Richmond | England | Richmond Athletic Club |
| 23 November 1968 | London | England | Regent Street Polytechnic |
| 24 November 1968 | London | England | Country Club - Belsize Park |
| 27 November 1968 | Newcastle-under-Lyme | England | Keele University |
| 29 November 1968 | London | England | Bedford College |
| 2 December 1968 | London | England | Maida Vale Studios (Top Gear) |
| 5 December 1968 | Bournemouth | England | Royal Arcade Ballrooms |
| 7 December 1968 | Liverpool | England | Liverpool Stadium |
| 8 December 1968 | Merthyr Tydfil | Wales | ABC Cinema |
| 12 December 1968 | Dundee | Scotland | College Of Art |
| 13 December 1968 | Leeds | England | Marquee Club |
| 14 December 1968 | Slough | England | Slough College of Technology |
| 15 December 1968 | Newcastle upon Tyne | England | Newcastle City Hall |
| 20 December 1968 | London | England | BBC Paris Cinema (Radio One Club) |
| 27 December 1968 | Rotterdam | Netherlands | De Doelen |
| 28 December 1968 | Utrecht | Netherlands | Margriethal-Jaarbeurs |

## Set list

A typical set list would include some of the following:
* "Astronomy Domine"
* "Interstellar Overdrive"
* "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"
* "Pow R. Toc H."
* "Let There Be More Light"
* "The Massed Gadgets of Hercules" (first performed on 23 May 1968, early title for "A Saucerful of Secrets")
* "Flaming"
* "Keep Smiling People" (an embryonic version of "Careful with That Axe, Eugene")
Other songs
* "Remember a Day" (played only once on 6 May 1968)
* "It Would Be So Nice" (played only once on 11 May 1968)
* "Matilda Mother" (played only once on 26 July 1968)

## Personnel

* David Gilmour – guitars, vocals
* Roger Waters – bass, vocals, cymbals on "A Saucerful of Secrets", gong on "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"
* Rick Wright – keyboards, vocals
* Nick Mason – drums

### Additional musicians

* Roy Harper – cymbals on "A Saucerful of Secrets" at Hyde Park 29 June