Well, the digital age moves so fast, that although it took 40 years to recreate the Floyd's Games For May show (12th May 1967 to last night), it was available on-line by the time I had travelled back from London to the Frozen North.

First Set
01 - Matilda Mother
02 - Flaming
03 - The Scarecrow
04 - Jugband Blues
05 - See Emily Play
06 - Bike
07 - Arnold Layne
08 - Candy And A Currant Bun
09 - Pow R Toc H
10 - Interstellar Overdrive

The fiist set began as it should, with tape effects including a dawn chorus, before Robyn and the first set of Heavy Friends took to the stage

Robyn Hitchcock - Guitar, Vocals
Kimberley Rew - Guitar
Paul Noble - Bass
Terry Edwards - Keyboards, Saxophone, Trumpet
Morris Windsor - Drums

From 'Bike' onwards they were joined by Woody (drummer with Madness) and soon afterwards by Graham Coxon, ex-Blur, on guitar and occasional vocal. The band was tight, emphasising the R'n'B aspects of the early songs, and with the quality of harmonies you expect from the Soft Boys.

I was also directly alongside the lighting guys and it was a pleasure / education to watch Peter Wynne-Wilson & co. at work: manipulating those oil slides, projecting bacteria
spreading across jelly and other marvellous effects.

For all my reservations about the historical accuracy of the inclusion of Jugband Blues, it was a fine version, with Terry Edwards contributing a disintegrating trumpet line while Robyn somehow kept drawing enough breath to keep the circling 'la la la la la la la' vocal going.

During Arnold Layne, women of suitable age, dress and appearance (i.e., they looked like Rose and Licorice of the Incredible String Band back in the day) took to the stage and gyrated in ways which haven't been attempted since my mother had one too many at our 1972 New Year's Party and put on the original cast recording of 'Hair'.

During Interstellar Overdrive the same women (one of them heavily pregnant, but with her bump psychedlically decorated) and their children wandered the audience distributing yellow flowers... iris and chrysanthemums rather than daffodils. I noticed someone wearing military uniform in the rear stalls, but he didn't join in on the flower distribution.

And that's where the Floyd finished their set... so it was time for a break. Robyn returned with an acoustic guitar and Isobel Campbell on cello, plus Matthew Cullen on a second acoustic. They ran thru delightful versions of some of my favourite solo songs.

Now I have to say, I don't know a Syd cover version, official or unofficial which I enjoy as much as Syd's originals, but if anyone consistently comes close, it's Robyn. I winced at Chrissie Hynde's anguished version of Late Night at the Barbican. Hitchcock caught the gentle resignation of the song perfectly, and the cello and 'wee
voice' accompaniment from Isobel Campbell really complemented his delivery.

Second Set
01 - Terrapin
02 - Love You
03 - Late Night
04 - Long Gone
05 - If It's In You
06 - (Wouldn't You Miss Me) Dark Globe
07 - Dominoes
08 - Wined and Dined

Graham Coxon came on for Wined and Dined. Initially he took the lead vocal, but appeared out of sorts with his voice and left it to Robyn, contributing rather unconvincing lead guitar instead.

Altogether more convincing was the finale, involving absolutely everyone, firstly in a freeform jam, using Reaction in G as the excuse for an Unlimited Freak Out. Robyn pointed out (at the same time that BBC2 was broadcasting a programme saying the same thing !) that this was where progressive rock began... but that was the risk you took when you began to experiment.

09 - Reaction in G
10 - Astronomy Domine

Neither Reaction or Astronomy featured in the original Games For May show, but Lucifer Sam was the Floyd's encore, and the finale here: a rasping version, especially since there were four guitars, two drumkits, a cello, a bass and a saxophone driving it. Better still was the encore (played in the absence of other rehearsed material and still involving the whole ensemble) of See Emily Play.

11 - Lucifer Sam
12 - See Emily Play

As the hall emptied, a second set of tape effects played and the bubble machine dispensed bubbles apparently without any ill consequences for the seating.

--P