David Gilmour Enlists Street Musician Playing Glass Harp for Performance in Venice’s St. Mark’s Square

David Gilmour, the legendary Pink Floyd guitarist, stepped in to fill the void left by Syd Barrett, the band’s original frontman, whose struggles with mental health and substance abuse led to his departure in 1968. Pink Floyd’s homage to Barrett, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” from their 1975 album “Wish You Were Here,” features a unique wine glass sequence recorded in 1971. This brings us to a remarkable moment in Venice in 2006, captured in the following video.

On August 11, 2006, while exploring Venice the day before his final performance in St. Mark’s Square, Gilmour, along with his wife Polly Samson, stumbled upon Igor Sklyarov, a street musician masterfully playing a glass harp. Impressed by Sklyarov’s skill, Gilmour, with encouragement from Samson, invited the busker to join him on stage for the upcoming concert. Despite Sklyarov’s initial unfamiliarity with Gilmour, he agreed and played alongside Gilmour in a rendition of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” The next clip, although not featuring Sklyarov, is from the same tour and showcases the unique wine glass music.

The collaboration might have extended to more performances had Gilmour met Sklyarov earlier during his stay in Venice. The concert on August 12, 2006, despite the persistent rain, drew a large crowd eager to witness Gilmour’s performance, marking a memorable night for both the audience and Sklyarov.