City Wakes People Paintings auction now live
Written by Matt   
Saturday, 27 December 2008

the_city_wakes_logoThe UFO, supporters of The Other Room, hosted a special "People Painting" during The City Wakes events: a blank canvas available for visitors to "offer their love and creativity to Syd Barrett", of whom The City Wakes was commemorating. Everyone had the opportunity to express themselves.

The Result: Group creations that nobody could predict. Participation was essential. Just like a happening which includes the audience, the People Paintings are a pleasant artifact left by the people who were there, part of a fantastic event. In Roger Keith 'Syd' Barrett’s spirit, seven paintings were produced, each one an artistic thumbprint impression of each of The City Wakes events. Each painting is totally original and includes a certificate of authenticity, along with the signatures of each of the artists who participated in their creation.

The UFO is auctioning the paintings that were created during The City Wakes on eBay to raise more funds for The Syd Barrett Trust. UPDATE, Dec 31st: The paintings were relisted early this morning, and the auctions are now live, with a finish date of January 10th. More details below...

Syd Barrett tribute - People Painting 1

Stage 1 - The Roots of Cambridge Rock
Not for auction

Not a City Wakes centred event, but a private gathering organized by Warren Dosanjh, for all of the rock and roll musicians in the Cambridge area especially those known throughout the 1960s and 70s. Cambridge was known as a place that was fertile with student groups rocking their way through grammar school and college, or just working lads letting off steam and livening-up things in the city and in the towns and villages around the region of the old county of Cambridgeshire. This event included many of the old crew that were around then, and also many of the ex band mates of the Pink Floyd band, organized and named by Roger Keith ‘Syd’ Barrett after two obscure bluesmen, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council.


Syd Barrett tribute - People Painting 2

Stage 2 - The Happening
Bid at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220337411785

All at Once: the Happening
Talking of happenings, this classic, 60s-style Happening was staged on October 28th. Some friends of Syd were the organizers and instigators of the All at Once Happening at the Centre at St Paul's. In their preview of the event, they said: "Our digipoems, mangled music & old wave films will remix prolix newkicks. Our simultaneity, multineity & spontaneity will loop back to yesterday, improvise today but furrow tomorrow. We insist you keep your mobile phones on, your children badly behaved and your antennae tuned to the chance of beauty. It's FREE to get in... Like life.


Syd Barrett tribute - People Painting 2a

Stage 2 - The Happening - The Other Side
As the Centre at St Paul's website attests, the Happening was quite something. "Performers included William Pryor, Andrew Rawlinson, Nigel Lesmoir-Gordon and Lucy Raverat. Peter Wynne Wilson's light show was spectacular bathing and swathing the building and the performers in a succession of kaleidoscopic kolours spontaneously reflecting the experimental nature of the performance".


Syd Barrett tribute - People Painting 3

Stage 3 - The Madcap & Anthony Stern
Bid at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220337411789

Malcolm Boyle’s original live art theatre show The Madcap is a multi-media journey into the psychedelic 60s underground as seen through the distorted mental lens of Syd Barrett - the legendary genius behind Pink Floyd. In this critically-acclaimed solo show, award-winning performer and musician Malcolm Boyle combines tragicomic performance, hallucinatory original film and archive slide projections with his own 21st Century interpretations of Barrett’s songs.

The Madcap plays out the story of Syd’s sudden rise from bohemian alternative London to the heights of pop stardom, and his eventual flight from public life against a backdrop of political rebellion, hallucinogenic drugs and psychedelic music.

Also Anthony Stern opened the act with an excellent rare version of Interstellar Overdrive played along to rare footage of Syd Barrett and San Francisco in the 1960s. Anthony Stern used extensive sound and picture archives of rediscovered and unseen material from the 60’s including concert footage of Blind faith, Pink Floyd etc are currently being prepared for a fictional documentary on the 60’s.


Syd Barrett tribute - People Painting 4

Stage 4 - The Music Production
Bid at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220337411790

The City Wakes Musical Production presents fresh interpretations of Syd’s most famous songs. Supported by cutting-edge video art from award-wining choreographer Darren Johnston, stunning psychedelic lighting from Pink Floyd’s original designer, and a guest appearance by The Grasshopper’s Green Herbarian Band, The City Wakes opens the door into Syd’s world.


Syd Barrett tribute - People Painting 5

Stage 5 - Gala Night - The Other Room
Bid at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220337411787

Gala Performance - Trinity College Chapel
Completed in 1567, during the reign of Elizabeth I, Trinity College Chapel is a magnificent space that plays host to rich and diverse architectural features. Original Tudor woodwork, Victorian coloured glass windows, and one of only two modern organs by Metzler found in Britain, are all presided over by an imposing painting by early 19th century American artist Benjamin West.


Syd Barrett tribute - People Painting 6

Stage 6 - Gala Night - The Other Room
Bid at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220337411786

The spectacular finale to The City Wakes was a gala performance of The City Wakes concert in the beautiful setting of Trinity College Chapel in Cambridge. On the final night of The City Wakes, statues of Isaac Newton and Lord Tennyson had the good fortune of sharing their illustrious home with psychedelic light effects and the inimitable sounds of Syd Barrett. The gala performance promised to be a weirdly apt fusion of the divergent faces of Cambridge life.


Syd Barrett tribute - People Painting 6

Stage 7 - Gala Night - The Other Room
Bid at http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220337411788

The 7th Painting is best viewed while listening to Syd Barrett's "Astronomy Domine".

MORE INFORMATION ON THE CITY WAKES, THE SYD BARRETT TRIBUTE EVENTS, AND MORE, CAN BE FOUND AT www.TheCityWakes.org.uk. Please help to raise much needed cash for the Syd Barrett Trust...