The English rock group Pink Floyd played two tours in 1974. As well as performing the hit album The Dark Side of the Moon live, the band introduced new material that would eventually be recorded on the albums Wish You Were Here and Animals. Part of the tour was sponsored by the soft drink company Gini.
The tour was commercially successful, and featured improved lighting and a new video display system named "Mr Screen". However, the music was criticised in the press for being uninspiring and too similar to the studio albums.
The 1974 French Summer Tour, was a short concert tour running from 18 to 26 June.[1] The group wanted to upgrade their stage presentations and create a bigger visual impact, and the shows were a warm-up for the major British tour planned later in the year.[2][3]
The first date of the tour was recorded by France's Europe 1 radio, with segments broadcast later in the year. It featured the debut of "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" (with the two halves played as one, as on the British 1974 tour) and "Raving and Drooling".[1] The 22 June gig was the last time "Careful with that Axe, Eugene" was played aside from a one-off performance in 1977,[4] while the last date on the tour, 26 June, was the last time "One of These Days" was played until 1987.[5]
The French tour was the first time Pink Floyd used their iconic 40-foot (12 m) circular display called "Mr. Screen".[1][3]Ian Emes was recruited to create various animated sequences for parts of The Dark Side of the Moon.[3] The screen caused logistical problems finding suitable venues, and consequently several shows were cancelled or moved dates.[1] The tour was promoted by the soft drinks company Gini, which had been agreed to two years before.[2] The contract required a series of press promotional photographs, and a song for television advertising, written by Roger Waters and called "Bitter Love". The group were unhappy about the promotion, and donated their fee to charity.[6][3]
On 25 June, the band were challenged to a football match by a group of journalists. They defeated the group 4-3.[1]
Pink Floyd's British Winter Tour '74, was a short series of gigs that November and December.[7] They featured the debut of "You Gotta Be Crazy".[8]Pete Revell joined as screen projectionist for the tour; lighting engineer Arthur Max was retained from earlier tours but fired after a few shows.[9]Gerald Scarfe collaborated with the band for the first time, designing the tour programme.[10]
Although the tour was commercially successful, with every gig sold out, it was criticised in the press, and drew a backlash from reviewers, including journalist Nick Kent.[12] He reviewed the 14 November gig for New Musical Express and disliked the new material, saying it was over-long and unimpressive, and criticised Gilmour's personal appearance.[8][13] A report in the Bristol Evening Post complained that the performance of The Dark Side of the Moon was identical to the studio version, "and that's something one doesn't go to concerts for".[11]
