Just published is an absorbing new book, The Night Of Wonders: Pink Floyd a Venezia, from the Italian organisation, Floydseum.org.
As with the exhibition which ran from July until October last year in the Italian municipality which was the site of the original concert, the book was clearly put together as
a real labour of love.
With perhaps also some interest for Venetian historians, the main audience for The
Night Of Wonders is the more committed Floyd fan. Presented unexpectedly in landscape
format, entirely suitable for the photos chiefly in the same format, it will of
course not sit on Floydian bookshelves so traditionally. It is also presented in
Italian, but you really shouldn't let that put you off.
The very nature of this concert, held on July 15th 1989, as part of the Another Lapse
tour - in front of an audience there of at least 300,000, along with an estimated
global audience of 100 million via the live television broadcast - elevated it to an
unique experience for fans, crew, management and band. The story of the show is well
told elsewhere so I won't repeat it here. However, visually, coverage of the event as
a whole - particularly from around the concert viewing area - has been pretty
sketchy, until now.
The authors have gathered together a wonderful array of shots from professional and
amateur sources, covering all aspects of the event - pre, during and post concert,
with a particular focus from the fan's point of view. These pictures are coupled with
recollection of those there, including the concert promoter, Fran Tomasi, along with
various of the band members. Finally, there's a small section looking at the
aforementioned exhibition held in 2014, which was also focused on the event.
The book is now available in all good Italian bookshops. It can also be ordered across the world via this direct link at Amazon.it (their Italian site, who ship books internationally), or if you have difficulties, you can also write to the publishers direct at
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Update: you can now also purchase the book from the Floydseum online store.
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