As part of Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets 2023 Echoes Tour, the band has announced they are will be playing Pompeii on 24 July. The amphitheatre (Where Pink Floyd famously played) is unavailable for concerts, so the performance will be in the similarly ancient Grand Theatre in the grounds of the ruins.
Photo by Alexandra Cuza
Show 8 of the European tour brought Nick and Guy back to Pompeii, both their second time. In Which Guy makes note during the show that 3 people have played Pompeii twice. In which he’s including himself, Nick and of course David Gilmour. Pink Floyd famously filmed their concert film Live at Pompeii without an audience at the nearby Amphitheatre of Pompeii in 1971. In 2016 David returned for a pair of shows which he filmed and recorded for his 2017 “Live at Pompeii” release.
The extreme heat was no match for the love the audience had for the Saucers that night, a whole different vibe set in an ancient theatre!
Also, slightly different projection wise as there was no usual backdrop behind the band but the lovely ruins and ancient brick made the perfect backdrop and an overall unique experience for the audience! Nick’s famous hat he wore during the filming of the original concert film made an appearance as well! (Although sadly he lost the mustache!)
Photo by Rory Gentry
Earlier that day Nick was made honorary citizen of Pompeii (See previous news story HERE) in which he jokes during the show that he can now park anywhere he’d like in the town.
The Teatro Grande was built by exploiting the natural slope of the hill for the construction of the auditorium. The staircase was separated into three areas with corridors, which were in turn divided into five sectors, and was based on a passage with a barrel vault.
It was built around the middle of the 2nd century BC and significantly restored according to the Roman stlye. An inscription, visible at the entrance of the corridor that provides access to the east and that is one of the very few representations known with reference to the name of the architectus, recalls the works carried out in the Augustan age by Marcus Artorius Primus.
These works concern the scene and the stage, the adoption of the velarium, a large tarp used as a cover for the warmer days and the numbering of the seats. In the theatre they represented comedies and tragedies of Greek-Roman tradition. The theatre was the first large public building completely freed from the deposits of the eruption.
Set 1:
One of These Days
Arnold Layne
Fearless
Obscured by Clouds
When You’re In
Candy and a Currant Bun
Vegetable Man
If
Atom Heart Mother
If (Reprise)
Remember a Day
Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
Set 2:
Astronomy Domine
The Nile Song
Burning Bridges
Childhood’s End
Lucifer Sam
Echoes
Encore:
See Emily Play
A Saucerful of Secrets
Bike
Capacity around 2,200
The theatre area of Pompeii is located in the southwest region of the city. There are three main buildings that make up this area: the Large Theatre, the Odeon (small theatre), and the Quadriporticum. These served as an entertainment and meeting centre of the city. Pompeii had two stone theatres of its own nearly two decades before the first permanent stone theatre was erected in Rome in the 50s BC.
Photos thanks to Rory Gentry and Alexandra Cuza
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