Pink Floyd – Live From The Los Angeles Sports Arena, April 26th, 1975

Recently, two ‘new’ Pink Floyd albums have appeared: the 8‑Tracks studio compilation, a Steven Wilson remix, and Live from the Los Angeles Sports Arena, April 26th, 1975, likewise edited by the multi‑talented Wilson. Strictly speaking, the live recording also surfaced last year on the compilation Wish You Were Here 50 and would appear to be part of a flood of rereleases determined to squeeze the last remnants out of the legendary band’s vast catalogue and in the process rob us of some loose change. Yet this particular live album stands apart, and for several reasons.

The first is its origin. The source is a genuine bootleg, captured during one of the Pink Floyd’s numerous performances by the infamous taper, Mike ‘the Mic’ Millard. He was single-handedly responsible for hundreds of illegal recordings, achieved through elaborate subterfuge, including posing as disabled and concealing equipment in a wheelchair. Millard is long gone, but this tape was evidently strong enough to justify an official release. And the circumstances surrounding the performance itself make the document even more intriguing.

Pink Floyd was at the height of their powers having released the iconic The Dark Side of the Moon (TDSOTM) two years earlier, and was in the process of recording its successor. Their management decided to organize a number of performances in mid-1975 to capitalize on their enormous success. At the time of these concerts, Wish You Were Here was months away from release, yet Waters, Gilmour, Wright and Mason performed much of it live. Even more remarkable, they also played material from Animals, an album that would not appear for another two years. Admittedly in embryonic form, but still clearly recognizable.

This was not unusual for Pink Floyd, who often developed material on stage, refining rough sketches into fully realised works. Still, it remains striking as more than half the concert consisted of music the audience had never heard before. The first disc of the new release is devoted entirely to with work from Animals and Wish You Were Here while the second presents a complete performance of The Dark Side of the Moon, followed by Echoes from Meddle (1971).

CD1 opens with Raving and Drooling, an early incarnation of Sheep. The lyrics are completely different, although the framework of the song is clearly recognizable, albeit missing Rick Wright’s iconic intro played on Fender Rhodes piano. You’ve Got To Be Crazy, the precursor to Dogs, is more advanced with much of its structure and lyrical content already close to the final version. Both songs were, at the time, contenders for Wish You Were Here. What stands out here is Wright’s keyboards which are notably more prominent than on the eventual studio recordings, and Waters signs off You’ve Got To Be Crazy with the dry remark “cruel but fair.”

Shine On You Crazy Diamond is introduced by Roger Waters with a nod to Syd Barrett and performed in a form almost identical to the studio version, though curiously without Dick Parry’s sax solo, despite him being present for the tracks from TDSOTM. Have a Cigar appears essentially as recorded, segueing into Part II of Shine On in a slightly disorienting fashion. After an hour, Waters announces a break and takes a verbal jab at the restless “yellow shirts” attempting to control the crowd.

After what was the intermission, (CD2) delivers a faithful, full length rendition of The Dark Side of the Moon, complete with female backing vocals from Venetta Fields and Carlena Williams (no Clare Torry). Also Dick Parry’s superb sax contributions on Money and Us and Them which seem poignant now as he passed away just a few months ago. The jazz inflected piano improvisation during The Great Gig in the Sky is a particular highlight, and the concert closes with the encore, a pristine, twenty two minute of Echoes.

The sound quality is exceptional for a bootleg, although the bass sits slightly forward in the mix, conversely there are occasions when the drums and vocals are too low. Surprisingly Wright’s keyboards are unusually present. Naturally, the restoration and remastering work of the ever reliable Steven Wilson cannot go unmentioned and is central to the album’s impact. His careful treatment of Millard’s tapes results in a vivid, immersive document running two hours and fifteen minutes. Sony Music now presents the concert as a four LPs (issued for Record Store Day), and as a double CD.

For true Pink Floyd devotees this is a release of genuine historical interest.

TRACK LISTING
CD1:
Raving And Drooling (11:47)
You’ve Got To Be Crazy (13:23)
Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pts. 1-5) (12:43)
Have A Cigar (4:47)
Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pts. 6-9) (13:24)

CD2:
Speak To Me (5:17)
Breathe (In The Air) (2:48)
On The Run (4:49)
Time (6:10)
The Great Gig In The Sky (6:07)
Money (8:01)
Us And Them (7:53)
Any Colour You Like (8:35)
Brain Damage (3:37)
Eclipse (2:13)
Echoes (22:36)

Total Time – 134:10

MUSICIANS
David Gilmour – Vocals, Guitars
Roger Waters – Bass, Vocals
Richard Wright – Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Nick Mason – Drums
~ With:
Dick Parry – Saxophone
The Blackberries (Venetta Fields & Carlena Williams): Backing vocals

ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Sony Music
Country of Origin: UK
Date of Release: 18^th April 2026 (Vinyl) | 24^th April 2026 (CD)

LINKS
Pink Floyd – Website | Facebook | YouTube | X | Instagram