The Far Out Lounge & Rocket Cinema Present: Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii

Sunday, May 11
The Far Out Lounge
Doors at 8:00pm
Film at 8:30pm
Here they are: Pink Floyd in 1971, amazingly young, amazingly thin, like four space-rock whippets standing mysteriously on their hind legs in the burning Italian sun. Dave Gilmour, Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Nick Mason are performing “live at Pompeii” in this mesmerically peculiar and outrageously indulgent music documentary from film-maker Adrian Maben, now on rerelease over half a century later, available on freakily large Imax screens undreamt of in the 70s. The music and the atmosphere are an irresistible fan-madeleine for those who can remember referring to them solemnly as “the Floyd.”
The band are shown performing live in Pompeii´s ancient Roman amphitheatre in the late afternoon, but not to an audience as you might assume, but weirdly and almost haughtily alone. The banks of amplifiers are pounding out the music just to the ancient stones and pillars and to the film crew facing them (and to the crew filming them from behind), who like most of the band are shown shirtless in the sweating heat. (No one worried about sunscreen in 1971.)
The film shows us an interesting transitional moment: the band reflect on how their 60s heyday has gone, and now what is left? Perhaps they can sense they are in the final evolutionary stage of becoming a supergroup. One for the fans, perhaps, and a vivid Gradiva-esque glimpse of the past.
– The Guardian, Thu 24 Apr 2025
* * *
PLEASE NOTE: Parking is limited, and rideshares are encouraged!
The Far Out Lounge is located at 8504 South Congress. Winner of Best New Venue at the Austin Music Awards 2020.
www.thefaroutaustin.com/