A tribute concert in honour of late Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett is set to be held in his hometown later this year.
The event will be held on what have been his 80th birthday year at the Cambridge Corn Exchange on October 10, on World Mental Health Day. The venue was also the last place he performed in 1972.
Among those confirmed to perform include Kula Shaker, Soft Machine, Men On The Border, Diana Silveira & The Psychedelic Circus, Radhika and Pünk Floyd. Tickets for the show are available from 10am tomorrow (June 19) here.
Neil Jones, co-organiser of the event, told BBC News: “Eighty years after his birth, Syd Barrett’s influence remains as powerful as ever. His music, creativity and unique vision continue to inspire artists and audiences across generations.”
Barrett’s sister Rosemary Breen added: “Syd would have been so happy and honoured to know his music was still being enjoyed in Cambridge.”
Additionally an album celebrating Barrett’s legacy and enduring influence, featuring new recordings and previously unreleased material will be released on October 9 on coloured vinyl and CD.
Contributors to that include Kula Shaker, All About Eve, Mystery Jets, Rosalie Cunningham, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour and Nick Mason‘s Saucerful of Secrets.
A major exhibition exploring Barrett’s life, art and cultural impact will also run from October 3 -9 at Cambridge Openspace arts venue and will showcase original paintings and sketches by Barrett, alongside prints of larger works. You can find further information here.
All proceeds will be donated to mental health charities.
Barrett grew up in Cambridge and adopted the nickname “Syd” in his teens. He was the principal songwriter and driving creative force in the early days of Pink Floyd.
But just when the band’s career was taking off, Barrett’s drug use and mental health issues resulted in increasingly erratic behaviour.
It led to his departure from the band and his eventual return to Cambridge, where he lived a quiet life and was happiest when painting. He died in 2006.