Ron Geesin/Mun Floyd/ David Gilmour
London Cadogan Hall
15th June, 2008

View: front, middle

The second of two performances of Atom Heart Mother at the Chelsea Festival was a magical evening. The show opened with a new brass piece by Geesin, performed by the Royal College Of Music brass, before he launched into spoken-word pieces that the audience eventually warmed to. Next was some excellent high speed piano abuse, and banjo. A marimba piece and chorale finished the first set. Set Two kicked off with a potted history of Atom Heart Mother, with Ron commenting on photos of the band in the studio. He then introduced tributeers Mun Floyd, conductor Mark Forkgen and “fellow tree hugger from Sussex”, David Gilmour. The piece opened, as Geesin explained, with brass chords designed to jangle. Extended cello solos and dual guitar with plenty of slide saw Gilmour centre-stage. Extended past the 30-minute mark, it included the shout of “silence in the studio!” Blistering and long overdue.

Reviewed by Ed Stone
<< Back to Issue 353