Gilmour's surprise tribute to iconic London venue

Pink Floyd mainman David Gilmour made a surprise appearance on Saturday to mark the final concert at the iconic Earl’s Court venue in London.

He performed classic track Wish You Were Here after having guested with headline act Bombay Bicycle Club on lap steel guitar. View an audience video below.

The band’s frontman, Jamie MacColl, told the crowd: “This man gave me my first guitar and he was one of the first people to play this venue. By my count he’s played here more than 27 times.”

The 20,000-capacity Earl’s Court, which opened in 1937, is to be demolished and redeveloped as “new villages and a high street,” according to Hammermith And Fulham Council.

The venue was the scene of several memorable Floyd concerts including a 1994 recording released the following year in live album Pulse, and on DVD in 2006.

Floyd released their final album The Endless River last month. Gilmour is now focusing on his next solo album, expected for launch at some point next year.

He recently said: “It’s coming along very well – there’s a few months’ work in it yet. Then I’m hoping to do an old man’s tour, not a 200-date sort of thing.”

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Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.