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When I take my seat next Saturday evening at the Spodek in Katowice it will be to watch The Australian Pink Floyd Show for the 50th time.

50 shows in 12 years at 17 different venues in 4 countries watching, as best as I can recall, 19 different band members perform.

There's been a huge progression in those 12 years of course. The 1st show was in Folkestone - just Steve Mac, Colin, Jason, Damian and Bonney on stage playing to about 300 people. BV's and a saxophonist came later of course. In fact, if memory serves, the band were still doing their own lugging in those days!! Now they have 2 (or is it 3?) flynight trucks lugging the gear from one venue to the next. There's numerous crew members in support and rarely are there less than 8 or 9 band members appearing. Audiences at many gigs are now measured in their thousands and shows take place in many countries. As mikink has so often said, they are a world wide phenomenon.  ;D

Just for a bit of fun, here's my 'Oscar' nominations.

Best venue (small) - Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone.

Best venue (arena) - The Royal Albert Hall, London.

Best gig overall - Luxol Grounds, Malta 2005. (15,000 odd people, a party/holiday atmosphere on a barmy summers night when the band finished playing at 00:45. Also, the first time I met bigdog and her majesty)

Best gig for ambiance - Beaulieu 2006 (A beautiful summer evening made perfect when the 'ping' of Echoes started the 2nd set - and what a laser show by the way)

Best gig emotionally - Dudley Castle 2007 (The first aussie floyd fan convention - what a great time we all had)

Best song - Absolutely impossible to choose (It could be any one of half a dozen or so)

Best band member - Not even going there! Consumate professionals all, from the top of their heads to the tips of their toes (I would like to give a life time achievement award to Mike (snakehips) Kidson though - he always made me smile and I shall never forget the first time I heard him play Set The Controls)

Best supporting artist - Well, it can only be Bob Cately at Dudley  : (he wouldn't get mommapinks vote though - who can forget her telling him afterwards that he should give up because he was shite?)

The unsung hero award - That'll be the everyone connected with the band I reckon. Crew, techs, sound, lighting, the whole shooting match (There was a time at the end of the shows when Steve Mac used to call for a shout up to the crew etc., but that hasn't happened for a while - I don't know why)

So, what for the future? I've met loads of great people through this forum and many have said before how the aussies raise the bar year on year and I reckon that's true. All I know is that following the aussies has given me a whole shed load of pleasure these last 12 years - a nicer bunch of people you couldn't wish to meet - and I look forward to watching and listening to whatever they choose to serve up for many a year ahead. I know I won't be disappointed.

Thank you Pink Floyd for giving us this wonderful music and thank you aussie floyd for your tireless efforts in keeping it alive.

What a good post Mike.
  50 gigs eh ? That's probably 20 more than me.
I agree with your highlight/standout gigs being Malta then that special night at Beaulieu. I'd like to add to that another particular favourite. Dublin at The Point when the  band played Animals. How on earth the band got the impression that the crowd didn't enjoy it is completely beyond me !!!? Its an album to listen to guys WE WERE LISTENING.
                Good one Mike, here's to your next 50.
  p.s just because I like your post doesn't mean that you are are entitled to a long service medal and a drink from me next weekend ;D

I know you won't see this as some sort of competition Steve, but I'm anxious that nobody else should see it as so. There are many who will have seen more shows than me and over a longer period than me. All I'm trying to do is to recount my experiences of following aussie floyd.



Oh yes!! How I agree with you. The aussies version of Animals is the only one that I listen to these days.



Fair point - up to a point!!!

No long service medal is required or expected. However, sharing 'a light ale' with you is mandatory, I think it may even be EU law. After Malta, Dublin, Dudley and Nantwich need I say more?

Mike....what a great read my fine friend. Thanks very much for the effort 

Bob

WOW! 50 gigs! OK, I'll admit it, I'm jealous!!!

A competition ;D  why ?
          Just a thought. You mention Best support act being Bob" time to give up" Catley ! Well for my money the genuine contenders for that position should be MAN at the outdoor gig at Caldicot castle in Wales 2008 another truly memorable gig even if it went ahead under monsoon conditions seeing Spunk Rock being performed live for the first time since I was 17 years old was rather nice.