In a move that isn't overly unexpected with the current global situation with COVID-19, with the UK still experiencing significant deaths and infections, the already rescheduled three evenings presenting A Theatre for Dreamers - An Evening of Words and Music with Polly Samson and David Gilmour have been rescheduled to June 2021.

All tickets will be valid for the new shows, which have been previewed via The Von Trapped Family broadcasts on Polly's Facebook page, and any new purchases will receive a signed copy of the hardback version of the book by Polly Samson and a signed photo by Polly and David Gilmour, which can be collected on the night of the rescheduled shows from the venues themselves.

Existing ticket holders should have already received their book and photo through the post.

Here are the revised dates, all in England:

• Friday 25th June 2021 - Manchester, Royal Northern College of Music
• Saturday 26th June 2021 - Birmingham, Town Hall
• Monday 28th June 2021 - London, Central Hall Westminster

If you are unable to attend the revised date, and need details of refunds, click here.

UPDATE, March 19th: Unfortunately due to the ongoing Coronavirus situation, these events have now been cancelled. They ask that ticket holders do NOT contact the box offices and wait to be contacted by their respective venue's box office team. For details on refunds (including Terms and Conditions), please click here.

Our very best wishes go to Gerald Scarfe today as he celebrates his birthday. Gerald, of course, is a graphic artist with a long history with the Floyd, from the 1974 tour programme caricature, through to his most famous work on The Wall, and beyond that, working with Roger Waters on his Pros and Cons project. Many happy returns to Gerald on this very special day from all of us here at Brain Damage. 

For those who haven't seen it, Gerald's superb "The Making of Pink Floyd: The Wall" is the authorized, definitive book about the Wall project and includes new commentaries from the surviving members of Pink Floyd: Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason, together with the director of the film, Sir Alan Parker. Roger Waters has written the foreword. The album imagery, stage performances and film were created in close collaboration with Gerald Scarfe, and his massive archive includes original storyboards, animation cells, concept drawings, models and other three-dimensional material together with photographs of the creation and staging of the live performances and the filming of The Wall. It even covers the 2010-2013 tour. Our review and full ordering details can be found here.

The accompanying photo of Gerald Scarfe and Roger Waters in Scarfe's studio, shows them going through material for the Wall book [click the thumbnail to view it in more detail]. It's a lovely, personal look at work on the book, and was taken by Jane Scarfe (Asher), and was provided to Brain Damage as an online exclusive around the time the book was coming out.

Last year, Gerald brought out another couple of (excellent) books. Long Drawn Out Trip tells his life story in detail for the first time. With captivating, often thrilling stories, he takes us back to his wartime childhood and the terrible curse of asthma, through his days as an advertising draughtsman, to his field reporting in Vietnam and the giddy highs of rock 'n' roll. He also reveals the process of cartooning - and the ways that certain subjects have reacted to his visions of them. Along the way he has been car-jacked in Derry, dined with royals, and thoroughly upset Mrs Mary Whitehouse. It is a very personal, wickedly funny and caustically insightful account of an artist's life at the forefront of contemporary culture and society. 

You can order Gerald's Long Drawn Out Trip book now through the following direct links: Amazon UK, Amazon.com, Amazon Canada, Amazon France, Amazon Germany, Amazon Spain and Amazon Italy.

Long Drawn Out Trip was followed by another book, designed to complement it - Scarfe: Sixty Years of Being Rude, an incredible looking, fully illustrated retrospective art book. This 576 page book isn't cheap, although is well worth considering for enthusiasts of his work. Here are the direct links: Amazon UK, Amazon.com, Amazon Canada, Amazon France, Amazon Germany, Amazon Spain and Amazon Italy.

However, if you really want to treat yourself, there are a couple of very special, exclusive editions available at ScarfeBook.com. Both editions from that website contain a signed print, and the Artist’s Edition also includes an original piece of Scarfe's unique artwork!

Good news for all those who have been patiently waiting for news of the domestic release of the concert film 'Roger Waters: Us + Them' - the digital release of this has just been announced.

The film documents the 156 date 2017-2018 tour which played to a combined audience of 2.3 million across a number of countries, and was quite an incredible spectacle, coupled with a great set list and a powerful message at the heart of it all.

The review by BD's Ed Lopez-Reyes noted that "the intersection of beautifully crafted sound and footage combined with director Sean Evans' ability to turn an action-packed, live performance into an atmospheric, ethereal experience, raises the bar for concert video...". Those who were fortunate enough to catch the film in cinemas last year seemed to be universally knocked out by it (as we were). 

For those who want to relive the show, digitally, you'll be able to catch it in 4K (Ultra HD), HD and SD formats from June 16th from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, and available on the Apple, Googleplay, and Amazon platforms from that date.

Included will be some "all-new post-feature content" which includes two additional concert songs missing from the original feature (Comfortably Numb and Smell the Roses) as well as A Fleeting Glimpse, a documentary short featuring behind-the-scenes moments from the tour, which we think is the one that was shown following the screening of the main feature in cinemas last year.

We're hoping that the physical release won't be too far away now, for all those who want this on DVD/Blu-ray, or CD (and hopefully vinyl too). As and when we get any confirmed information on these, we will of course let you know.

In the meantime, mark your diaries for June 16th and the digital release of Us + Them!

Back in October 2016, 'Syd Barrett: A Celebration', a concert organised by Cambridge Live in conjunction with the Barrett family and estate, took place at the site of Syd's last ever public performance. The Corn Exchange in Cambridge was also the location chosen for a commemorative artwork, unveiled at a VIP reception before the sold-out concert in front of Syd's family, friends, and the remaining members of Stars, the band who Syd played with at his final performance at the venue.

The very enjoyable - and for some, quite emotional - concert featured Swedish band Men on the Border backed by the 50-piece Sandviken Symphony Orchestra who hail from the same town in Sweden as the band. MotB covered a wide range of Barrett songs, with some dramatic and unexpected symphonic interpretations on offer.

The concert also featured narration from acclaimed playwright, and former school friend of Syd, David Gale, and suitably psychedelic lighting - not just on the stage, but covering the walls, ceilings and even some of us in the audience that night - by lighting designer Peter Wynne-Willson, who was responsible for the Floyd's early light shows between 1966 and December 1967.

MotB and the Sandviken Symphony Orchestra plan to repeat this successful evening, with a show at Berwaldhallen in Stockholm, Sweden, on November 14th 2020. As a special guest, there will also be guitarist Janne Schaffer, best known for his collaborations with ABBA, and his comprehensive solo career. "I loaned Barrett my amp when Pink Floyd played in Stockholm in 1967, so I'm really looking forward to honouring him at Berwaldhallen, where Pink Floyd were presented with the Polar Prize." 

Syd Barrett: The Summer of Love is based on Barrett's life before, during and after his time in Pink Floyd, and is narrated by playwright David Gale, a childhood friend of Syd's and flat-mate when they both moved from Cambridge to London in the mid-1960s. Peter Wynne Willson will transport his liquid light show from London to Stockholm to illuminate Berwaldhallen, adding to the atmosphere.

Tickets are scheduled to go on sale on August 21st, at 10am CET, through Berwaldhallen.se, with the hopes that the COVID-19 restrictions will have been lifted by then. The final decision will be taken ahead of the ticket release in August, and sensibly the organisers have an alternative concert date in spring, 2021, also reserved just in case.