David Gilmour invites a street musician playing the glass harp to join him for a performance in Venice’s St. Mark’s Square

David Gilmour, the renowned guitarist of Pink Floyd, stepped in to replace the band’s original frontman, Syd Barrett, who departed in 1968 due to mental health issues and substance abuse. The band later honored Barrett with “Shine On You Crazy Diamond,” from their 1975 album Wish You Were Here, featuring a unique wine glass sequence recorded in 1971. This story connects to a special event in Venice in 2006, captured in the video below.

On August 11, 2006, while exploring Venice the day before his final show at St. Mark’s Square, Gilmour and his wife, Polly Samson, encountered street musician Igor Sklyarov, who was skillfully playing a glass harp. Impressed by his talent, and with encouragement from Samson, Gilmour invited Sklyarov to join him on stage for the concert. Although initially unfamiliar with Gilmour, Sklyarov accepted the offer and performed “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” alongside Gilmour. The following clip, though not featuring Sklyarov, is from the same tour and highlights the distinctive wine glass music.

The collaboration could have potentially led to more performances had Gilmour discovered Sklyarov earlier during his time in Venice. Despite the persistent rain on August 12, 2006, the concert attracted a large audience, making it an unforgettable night for both Gilmour and Sklyarov.