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Hi all

The current US tour looks phenomenal, can't wait to see it. As Bob says in his 'signature posts' ...a worldwide phenomenon!

Looking at the reviews and recent photos/youtube, I was thinking back to the first time I saw them. I think it must have been 1995 but could have been '94, but definitely no later than '95. I know I was working away in Germany a lot and caught them on a trip back home. It was in Cambridge, probably the Corn Exchange but might have been somewhere smaller, the Junction perhaps or Boat Race? I saw a lot of bands every time I was on a 2 week break and tended to seek out the Floyd/Zeppelin ones - a lot around then as there are today, the memory of that first venue/location is a bit hazy and lost in the mists! I do know though that I went with my brother to see them shortly afterwards in Salisbury as I had to show him what I had discovered.

The thing that struck me immediately was how good they were and secondly, how mysterious they were, right there in Floyd territory as there was little or no chat between songs. No-one knew their names, no-one knew where they were from in Australia, the fact they were based in the UK. For a long time most fans thought they were all Australian, not knowing that Damian was a northern lad. Of course it was Grant on the drums in those days before Bonney. I remember he used to 'bob up and down' a lot on the drum stool whilst playing and the memory I have is some of the band hiding away under hats making it even more mysterious as you couldn't see the faces ( Jason!)

There was no website in those days, no DVDs or CD releases to find out who they were. So all very mysterious! I've seen them every year since and have seen them grow to the fantastic world acclaimed act that they are today and proud to have done so. Many improvements along the way, the addition of extra members ( Jason played the sax on the keys in the 1990s gigs that I saw). Bonney is a major addition...no doubt in my mind he has to be one of the finest drummers anywhere.

It's kind of nice to have a couple of numbers in the show where they are stripped back to the 5 main musicians. Although I think the inclusion of Ian, Mike, the girls (and the occasional stand-ins) are all fantastic additions, it's nice to be reminded of those earlier days when it was all a bit simpler and smaller. The show itself is now huge, but early days were a simple light show.

So what are your memories of your first TAPFS experience, must be some here who go even further back than me?

I bet if you called their mums they'd be able to tell you about when they all wore short trousers.

I bet they could Larry but are their Mums 'here' on the forum? You've been a follower a long time too Neil...how long?

Infact...thinking back getting the old grey matter working, that first gig might even have been at the Norwich Oval. Anyone 'in the know' here know if the band ever performed there? I live in the Norwich area now but had some mates from here (who I worked with in Germany at the time) and we went to a few gigs there in those days.

I've only been around since 2004 in an APF sense.

I go back to April 4th 2004 when they played Vancouver for the first time. They will play only their second show there on the 8th of Dec next week! I had been following the band and lurking on the old blue site for some time though. I knew they were good, as I had done my research on them after having a dissapointing, and very expensive trip to Vancouver a couple of months earlier to see another Floyd show. But on my research, and faith that I was right, I saw the gang and within 10 seconds of their opening of Darkside, I felt a sense of such great excitement and relief.......this is what I was wanting, and what I though would never happen again. A true.....high quality Pink Floyd show experience. I was stunned at the perfection and musicianship. In the end for me, it has to be about the music and musicianship and the sound first ....and then the lights and atmospheric atmosphere created. But this show stands solidly on their music and musicianship. Just listen to any of their CD's or live recordings. It just doesn't get any better than that.

My first impression when I saw them live, I think can be best expressed with the simple thought that rolled through my mind at that exact moment of the opening words of Breathe. It probably was....... "Well F$#@ me".  ;D