pompeii band tour

Pompeii Verified

Similar artists on tour, concerts and tour dates, about pompeii.

Echoes of Pompeii

This Pink Floyd tribute from Gary Indiana is made up of regular hard working members, who come together on stage to perform the best music, from the best band rock and roll has produced in the past 50 years.

Contact: Jeremy Andrews Eclipse Entertainment LLC (219) 669-9239

Click on the picture for our Bio.

Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · Louis Jr. Designs

The inside story of Pink Floyd’s classic Live At Pompeii

A maverick filmmaker, a band reaching the peak of their powers, an iconic venue steeped in history, and a singing Afghan Hound: this is the inside story of Pink Floyd’s Live At Pompeii

In 2017, to coincide with the release of the DVD of his return to Pompeii, David Gilmour said about the film of his old band’s performance at the same venue 46 years previously: “I find it rather embarrassing. I’m sure it’s a lot of fun for many people, but not much for me.”

Of course, a great deal of what Gilmour says often comes with an inbuilt wink – at times in the past he has been very affectionate toward the film. It’s an antique and a curio, to be sure, but is it embarrassing as part of the band’s legacy? Let Prog take you on a journey back to four beautiful young men, a sultry, historical amphitheatre, and a young film director, brimming with art and ideas…

Although it was grandly billed as “More Than A Movie! An Explosive Cinema Concert”, Pink Floyd : Live At Pompeii is a small, personal film, which sets Pink Floyd, then at the tail end of their space rock phase, at the very heart of the European art scene. It crowned the era in which the group were scoring ballets, adding soundtracks to foreign art movies and recording in Paris. With a German-Belgian-French-made film set in an arena at the heart of the origins of Europe, Live At Pompeii represents Floyd as part of a continental musical movement, quite distinct from their American contemporaries.

In its own quiet and archaic way, Live At Pompeii expanded the band’s reputation throughout the 70s, in tandem with the success of 1973’s The Dark Side Of The Moon . As the decade progressed, through one-off and late‑night screenings in the UK and the US, it did their touring for them. For new fans, Live At Pompeii (as with their cut‑price sampler, Relics ) catapulted the band back to another era.

The film’s second version, released in 1974, as the Floyd became glacial and removed, showed the band sharing lunch and recording in a moment of seemingly Fabs-type bonhomie. Although today these sequences bear out Gilmour’s view, it was enough for this writer and countless other viewers to be happily taken in.

“It’s just us playing a load of tunes in the amphitheatre with some rather Top Of The Pops -ish shots of us walking around the top of Vesuvius and things like that,” Roger Waters said at the time of the film’s release. “I think Pink Floyd freaks would enjoy it.”

Although shot on 35mm, Live At Pompeii was originally made for television. Like so much in the Floyd’s career, it was a happy accident. It was the vision of UK-born, Paris-residing director Adrian Maben. Maben had not emerged from the Cambridge/London art clique that had surrounded the group. He was young and working for French television. “I was into art films, making portraits of Magritte and art movements,” Maben tells Prog from his residence in Paris. “Art became something new and vibrant.”

Prog Newsletter

Sign up below to get the latest from Prog, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!

A Parisian youth at an exciting time, Maben had met Jean-Luc Godard and marched with the students in 1968, but despite all this, there was a general mistrust in the capital of rock music. “There were few rock programmes – it was just noise to the people who ran TV, even the intelligent ones.”

It was not the case in neighbouring Belgium. “Belgian TV was more open to the possibilities of making rock films, so I went to Brussels and did a couple of films there with East Of Eden and Family. I learned a lot.”

With these films under his belt, Maben set about ensnaring the group that he really wanted to record. Pink Floyd seemed to marry both his love of art and music perfectly. More to the point, they had piqued his curiosity – he was intrigued by them. “When you listened to their records at the time, it was very strange – you didn’t quite know how they made their sounds.

“I thought it would be very interesting to show how they made their noises, their electronic sounds, and put them all together. I found their music fantastic and different compared to other groups. You had all the little whispers, and the noises, and the shrieking. It was a different world, and that different world was absolutely fascinating.”

Maben phoned the group’s manager, Steve O’Rourke, in early 1971 and set up a meeting with him to discuss his vision, “a marriage of art and the Pink Floyd”. After this initial contact, he heard nothing. He called O’Rourke again and a second meeting was arranged, this time with David Gilmour present. Gilmour was, as Maben says, “very nice and told me they would think about it”. And then, again, nothing.

Then there was a tentative agreement – the group would film later in the year. No location had been decided on for the film. It was only when Maben was touring Italy that summer that he found his spot. He chanced upon Pompeii, the city on the outskirts of Naples that had been destroyed by the eruption of the volcano Vesuvius in AD 79, with up to 11,000 residents buried in ash. The city was first rediscovered in the late 16th century, and soon established itself as a magnet for visitors from around the world.

It was a mishap with Maben’s passport that led to him going back to the once great city’s amphitheatre at night. He thought it would be perfect for the group to play in. Maben was later to say, “It was the silence, it was the night time, it was eerie – this is the place the Pink Floyd have got to be.”

Importantly, unlike recent concert films, it would just be the group performing alone, without an audience, playing to the silence.

Putting a rock band, let alone making a film, in what was to become a World Heritage site just a handful of years later was not straightforward. Again, Maben, an extremely methodical individual, was not going to let red tape stand in his way.

Through one of the film’s producers, Maben knew of someone onside at Naples University: Ugo Carputi, a professor of ancient history. Carputi went to Haroun Tazieff, the Soprintendenza in charge of the site.

“Rock’n’roll in the centre of Pompeii wasn’t exactly their cup of tea,” says Maben. “They were frightened of a huge crowd clambering over monuments, taking away stones. I told him I wanted to do a concert where the only thing we will see is the Floyd themselves, a bit of the crew, zero spectators. That’s what finally clinched it. The Soprintendenza didn’t know who Pink Floyd was, but fortunately Carputi did – he’d heard their music and liked it.”

Carputi could get the amphitheatre closed to the public for six days.

The whole thing was to move away from, as Maben said, “the show and people reacting to the show”. Ever since the footage of the hyperventilating girls experiencing Beatlemania, the audience cutaway shot had become de rigueur in film, with Woodstock and Gimme Shelter featuring their audiences almost in equal measure to the bands. Maben was adamant that it should not be just another concert film, and he was clear that he wanted to capture Pink Floyd differently.

“It was to be an anti- Woodstock ,” Maben continues. “Above all, there should be the notion of silence, and the images [of Pompeii] would speak for themselves with the music. It was something that had to stand on its own: the Floyd and the emptiness of the theatre. Maybe, just maybe, it was like they were playing for the ghosts of the dead. The real miracle is that Live At Pompeii escaped a TV format and became a film with international distribution.”

The film was to be made and financed for TV by the Belgian Radio Télévision Belge Francophone, the German company Bayerischer Rundfunk and the French Office de Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française. However, producer Reiner Moritz suggested that it should be filmed on three cameras using high-quality 35mm film. This contributed to the film’s longevity and success. The main stipulation from the group was that they would not record to playback – it had to be live – and they needed to make the film to full studio quality. Road manager Peter Watts pushed for full multitrack recording and for it to be as good as any studio.

“The one thing the Floyd insisted on was doing a multitrack recording and they were 100 per cent right,” Maben says. “That meant recording in situ, so the recorder came from Paris because we couldn’t get one in Rome.”

Hired from Studio Europa-Sonor, it came with engineer Charles Rauchet, who set it up in a corner and recorded everything. “He was very good, because he accepted that we would stop and start. The Floyd seemed fairly happy about it.”

As a result, the live performances are remarkable for the way the sound bounces off the stone walls. “Peter Watts said the sound had a kind of echo to it, not a dry sound like in a studio. He suggested that the Romans who built the amphitheatre thought not only of the structure but also of the acoustic qualities.”

Filming took place in early October 1971, just after the end of the band’s short European tour and their recording of the BBC’s Sounds Of The Seventies at the Paris Cinema. Maben had booked six days for the shoot. The Avis trucks unloaded the group’s equipment… and then the electricity packed up.

“I’d been to see the Soprintendenza two weeks before and he assured me that the electricity would be no problem as it worked for the whole of the site. When we tested it and the Floyd were arriving, it didn’t work.”

The Floyd arrived from London, and two days passed – which meant they only had three days in which to shoot. Eventually, a cable was run from nearby modern Pompeii to the amphitheatre, meaning the filming could happen.

It wasn’t straightforward either when they went to film the cutaway shots of the group walking amid the sulphurous mud at nearby Boscoreale on the slopes of Vesuvius. That day, the band’s transport became stuck behind the annual Our Lady Of The Rosary procession in Pompeii.

On the eve of shooting, Steve O’Rourke sprang a surprise – he produced a test pressing of the group’s yet-to-be-released album, Meddle , and told Maben that the film was to feature two of its songs – and one of those songs, Echoes , was 23 minutes long.

Maben says: “Steve arrived and said, ‘Here’s what we really want to do.’ I told him that he couldn’t expect me to work on this for the following morning because I’d planned for everything else.”

A deal was struck that the group would do the new numbers and then everything else. All the camera angles and tracking were mapped out the night before shooting. Everything had to be very precise.

Maben was filming with experienced cinematographers – the Hungarian-Italian veteran Gábor Pogány and Belgian Willy Kurant, who had collaborated with Serge Gainsbourg and Orson Welles – and several people he’d already worked with, such as cameraman Jacques Boumendil and script person Marie-Noël Zurstrassen. The film equipment came from Italian studio Cinecittà, to save money on shipping it from Paris. In the end, only three numbers – Echoes , One Of These Days and A Saucerful Of Secrets – were recorded at the amphitheatre.

“It was hard work,” Nick Mason said in his Floyd biography Inside Out , “with no leisurely nights out sampling the local cuisine and wine list, but the atmosphere was enjoyable, with everyone getting on with their jobs.”

Probably most lovingly remembered from the film is Roger Waters whacking his gong during A Saucerful Of Secrets and the tracking shot of the rear of the wall of amps during Echoes . It’s so iconic, and the stencil on the cabinets (‘Pink Floyd. London’), with its lone full stop after ‘Pink Floyd’, is so powerful. When you think of all the money they went on to spend on kit, pyrotechnics, walls and so on, this simple lettering is equally memorable.

The inclusion of Echoes really made the film. And the final pan away, making the band look so small amid all that space, is incredibly haunting, there among all the ghosts.

“The elements that seemed to make it work,” Mason told Hugh Fielder in 2016, “none of which we really thought about during the filming, were the decision to perform live instead of miming, and the rather gritty environment created by the heat and the wind.”

After the final day’s filming on October 7, 1971, the band departed to commence an American tour. But there was still footage needed, so time was allotted from December 13 to complete the film at the Studios de Boulogne near Paris. Waters and Gilmour also suggested that some overdubbing of the Pompeii sound was done at the nearby Europa-Sonor studio, which was where Edith Piaf recorded.

“We spent a whole day working with Charles Rauchet, eating oysters, drinking a few beers, joking and working,” Maben recalls. “It was a wonderful experience that I will never forget. That was filmed with a small black-and-white 16mm Éclair Coutant camera.”

That footage was later to surface in the film’s 2003 Director’s Cut . This could be viewed as rather embarrassing. Waters and Gilmour look as if they have had a private competition to see who could appear more wasted. Waters performs his well-worn obstreperous shtick when asked, “Are you fairly happy about the film?” He replies, after ostentatiously puffing out smoke rings, “What do you mean, happy?” Maben: “Do you feel it’s going in a direction that is interesting?” Waters pauses. “What do you mean, interesting?”

For someone who downplayed drug use, he looks out of his gourd.

The Studios de Boulogne sessions spawned new versions of Careful With That Axe, Eugene and Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun . “We had to do some recuts of songs in Paris for continuity, and they tried to convince me that I wouldn’t notice in the final thing,” Gilmour told Rolling Stone.

Rick Wright had had a shave, and the band performed in front of a huge screen showing Transflex projections of them recorded at Pompeii. Although the band and director weren’t keen because of the tight timescale and budget, it had to stay – and it adds tremendously to the film’s charm.

“I think if I’d not told anybody it was done in Paris,” Maben ruefully adds, “I think everybody would have thought the whole thing was done in Pompeii.”

There was a third number recorded in Paris. Floyd are not known as a ‘fun’ band, but Mademoiselle Nobs , the second of Floyd’s canine quadrilogy (after Seamus , and before Dogs and Dogs Of War ), was recorded with Maben’s friend Madonna Bouglione’s Afghan Hound, Nobs. The images of Wright holding the mutt at a microphone while she moaned over Waters and Gilmour’s generic blues is possibly not the group’s greatest achievement, but it’s a wheeze.

The original hour-long cut of Live At Pompeii was premiered at the Edinburgh Film Festival in 1972. Maben only knew this after reading a snippet in the newspaper the following day. The film was to be shown on November 25, 1972 in London. Some 3,000 fans turned up for a screening at the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park, only to be turned away as there was a clause in the lease of the Rank-owned venue that meant it couldn’t do anything that would compete with its cinema chain. On top of that, it couldn’t be shown as it had yet to be properly certified. Waters was asked his opinion of the Rainbow fiasco. He answered: “Rank.”

Maben felt there was still work to do. “In the summer of 1972, I began to suspect that something was missing in the first version of the film. The band played like frozen statues in the amphitheatre, but we knew nothing about their character or how they create and produce their extraordinary sounds. I went fishing with Roger on the River Teme near the Welsh border and asked him if it might be possible to film them recording their next album. Roger replied that he would think about it and ask the other members of the band. A few months later, he rang me in Paris and told me, ‘OK, we’ll do it. Come to London next week with a minimal crew and please, no interference with our work.’”

Maben arrived with a small crew at Abbey Road on October 16 and remained around Studio 2 for a couple of days before getting “politely thrown out”. “He came to Abbey Road where he filmed us finishing off the recording of The Dark Side Of The Moon ,” Gilmour said in 2017. “It captured a moment in time.”

It was this footage that extended the film to 80 minutes, and became the version that gained a general release in the summer of 1974.

Waters said, “He came to London and shot us… for a couple of days, which has made it much more lively and it’s quite an entertaining film.”

Reviews for this version of Live At Pompeii , however, were mixed: Cash Box magazine said the film went “beyond perfection”, while Melody Maker reckoned it was “a Zappa‑esque musical pastiche”. Billboard weren’t keen – they called it a “floaty film of ancient statues and artefacts, sunstruck shots of the boys cavorting carelessly over the hills, and cheap psychedelic atmosphere stuff that looks left over from the mid-60s mixed-media shows”.

Some of the confusion may have come from how the film was billed – “At Last The Rock Wizards Are Unleashed On Film” and “More Than A Movie!”

“The movie is not particularly explosive and certainly not ‘more than a movie’,” Billboard sniffed. “It is, in fact, rather dull, unimaginative and hokey and does not do justice to the Pink Floyd vision.”

All of this meant nothing to the group’s legions of fans, who quietly set about seeking out and loving the film as it appeared fleetingly in one-off screenings and, that pre-video stamping ground of the rock movie, late-night cinema.

“It was the American midnight circuit that was the key to understanding the modest success of the film,” Maben says. “Philippe Borak, based in Cincinnati, was the original American film distributor, but it was George Ritter, based in Canada, who was responsible for the film’s cult status. George understood that the students on the campus of North American universities were looking for something different. The operation was referred to as the ‘midnight circuit’ and George sent the heavy 35mm cans of film to as many cinemas as possible in North America. It was a brilliant idea because the other cinemas in the malls were for old people who watched Hollywood blockbusters. Live At Pompeii was not their idea of fun at all.”

In the UK, the film frequently went out on a double bill with Tony Palmer’s short film of Fairport Convention and Matthews’ Southern Comfort live in Maidstone in 1970.

Live At Pompeii marks closure for the European Floyd, before America tried to drag them to its breast. It’s nothing to do with stadiums, cherry bombs, firecrackers or good times – it’s Floyd, alone at the cradle of modern civilisation, making unusual, space-focused music, on the site of one of the greatest natural disasters in history, with the sun and its rays reflected off the walls and their gong. Pompeii itself, and its incredible October light, is in many ways one of the stars of the film. Its majesty, eeriness, sense of broken progress, of a civilisation brought to its knees, suited the Floyd and their audience’s cosmic consciousness.

And the band’s look was crystallised in that moment: Waters in his black T-shirt with the haircut that eventually every comprehensive schoolboy had in the early 70s; Wright with his shirt off, obscured by a beard; Gilmour looking like someone who had just come to life from an Etruscan fresco in Pompeii; and finally, Mason, captured in his all-time classic look, all tache and curls, looking like David Bedford, the contemporaneous UK Olympic long-distance runner and the initial inspiration for the 118 TV adverts.

What made Live At Pompeii unique for its time was that you saw all the workings of a pop group. The Beatles had attempted to do this with Let It Be , wishing initially to film their rehearsals and culminate in a gig on an ocean liner or at the pyramids, but instead ending with a downbeat show on their office rooftop.

With Live At Pompeii , there’s no artifice. You can see all the wires and a band at work. This is what makes it so intriguing.

“The band at work is exactly what we wanted to get,” Maben says.

The juxtaposition of their barrage of technology in that ancient, empty place never ceases to excite. And although the trucks that drive in the equipment have dated, as have the players, the rest is timeless.

Live At Pompeii is never less than vastly influential, and a capture of beautiful young men finding their feet. But is it, as Gilmour suggests, embarrassing? There is, when anyone is presented with footage of their younger selves, an immediate instinct for one’s toes to curl. Gilmour spoke of himself in 2006 as that “young chap”, saying, “If I hear him speak, like in Live At Pompeii , I do find it excruciating, because he was pretentious and naïve.”

Gilmour, of course, is never one to look back that often. He added in 2017: “Doing the actual recording in the amphitheatre back then in Pompeii was great, but we had to turn it into a more interesting document of what was going on. Adrian wanted to make an art film with art and music in a special place. So the idea changed a bit and it felt to him and to us that more stuff was needed.”

“They were curious, I think,” Maben says. “They wanted to explore different avenues visually and on the music side. They did the ballet with Roland Petit. No other rock group that I can think of would have done that at the time.”

Maben was subsequently asked to repeat his formula – Deep Purple at the Taj Mahal or The Moody Blues in the Grand Canyon – but the very fact he didn’t helps the film retain its uniqueness, and that the Floyd never made another conventional performance film in their heyday keeps it pristine. Like the albums it primarily showcased, it still remains a rite of passage for new generations of fans everywhere.

Roger Waters was in favour of the film: “I liked it because it’s just a big home movie.”

Although Rick Wright didn’t say a lot on record about Live At Pompeii , his comments in the Paris segment of the film have gone on to be possibly the most heard of all. “We’re very tolerant with each other, but there are a lot of things unsaid as well.”

These words were to open 2014’s The Endless River , Gilmour’s coda to Pink Floyd, and tribute to Wright.

“I don’t think any of us thought it [ Live At Pompeii ] would be as well‑received and last in people’s minds for as long as it did,” Gilmour said in 2015. “All credit to him [Maben]. It’s his idea and it was great.”

Perhaps Live At Pompeii wasn’t that embarrassing after all.

Eggs, sausage, chips and beans and a tea

Behind the scenes at Abbey Road on the Director’s Cut of the film.

The second version of Live At Pompeii, with its infamous Abbey Road canteen sequences, has been said to diminish the film’s mystique. Before the days of being coached on how to present to camera, the group appear as an unruly bunch of kids trying to act grown up.

In fact, as the road crew pass around Allen Jones’ art book Figures, the discussions between the group about the glasses of milk and apple pie “without crust” could almost be like the Haribo adverts for sweets which are on UK TV at the time of writing, which replace adult voices with those of children. Here are some of the choice quotes from these fabled exchanges.

Gilmour: “Can I have a glass of milk please?”

Mason: “How do you know this isn’t yours?”

Wright: “Because it hasn’t got peas on it.”

Mason: “Well, this has got ham on it.”

Wright: “Is this your milk, can I drink it, have a sip?”

Mason: “I’d like some pie and not the crust.”

Elsewhere, there is a very 1972 undercurrent of man and machine: Gilmour talks about whether the equipment is controlling them or whether they are being controlled by it, while Waters adds that it’s “a question of using the tools that are available when they’re available. And more and more now there are all kinds of electronic goodies which are available for people like us to use, who can be bothered and we can be bothered.”

On whether these new machines could be responsible solely for their success, Gilmour insists, “It’s all extensions of what’s coming out of our heads,” while Waters says, “It’s like saying, ‘Give a man a Les Paul guitar and he becomes Eric Clapton.’ It’s not true. Give a man an amplifier and a synthesiser and… he doesn’t become us.”

The images of Gilmour and Wright playing are complemented by the timeless image of Waters’ veiny arms twiddling the knobs of his synth, saying, “Can I put this down? It’s just on the… It’s just on the first note?” There’s a delay; the phrase ‘Stay cool’ is said, almost as if a Vesuvius-like eruption could be encountered.

Waters is prescient in saying that rock’n’roll will not be dying any time soon. Mason also suggests that their era may be passing, and that the group represent their fans’ childhood. As this dissolves immediately into Wright playing Us And Them at the grand piano, it’s strangely moving. And then we’re back to that canteen and their fruit pies…

“Now I think about it, the main quality of each member of the band was probably a great sense of humour,” Maben says. “Roger once told me that it enabled them to avoid infighting.”

A film is never finished

There have been three versions of the film so far, released in 1972, 1974 and 2003, with another potentially on the way. Adrian Maben explains why.

“In reality, a film is never finished and one’s opinion changes over time. You don’t just put it in six cans or on a hard disc and say, ‘That’s it, let’s move on to something else.’ On the contrary, you try to find a method, and some money, to change the old version into something new that hopefully will be more contemporary.

“It’s like the French painter Pierre Bonnard, who was well known for always wanting to retouch his paintings, even when they were hanging on the walls of the Louvre. He always carried a small paintbox in his pocket and used to tell the irate museum guardians who tried to arrest him that they were his paintings and that he could do whatever he wanted with them. The word ‘Bonnardisme’ even found its way into the dictionary: ‘A discouraging tendency to be overly perfectionist!’”

Live at Pompeii tries to adapt to the extraordinary changes that are being made in cinema techniques today: from the original 35mm film shot in 1971 with a release on VHS cassettes and laser discs to the DVD version released in 2003. Now, of course, everything is on hard discs, with the possibility of releasing a 4K version in the future – and the Japanese are reported to be working on 8K television sets.

As Roger Waters once remarked, “Technology is advancing at an incredible speed and we need to take advantage of the electronic goodies that become available on the market.”

Depressed 7ft clown sings Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here

The Top 10 Best Pink Floyd 70s Songs

Pink Floyd: The Story Behind Atom Heart Mother

Daryl Easlea has contributed to Prog since its first edition, and has written cover features on Pink Floyd, Genesis, Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel and Gentle Giant. After 20 years in music retail, when Daryl worked full-time at Record Collector, his broad tastes and knowledge led to him being deemed a ‘generalist.’ DJ, compere, and consultant to record companies, his books explore prog, populist African-American music and pop eccentrics. Currently writing Whatever Happened To Slade?, Daryl broadcasts Easlea Like A Sunday Morning on Ship Full Of Bombs , can be seen on Channel 5 talking about pop and hosts the M Means Music podcast.  

“We were going to do the music for Dune and buy a cow-shaped dairy farm”: If you know how Henry Cow got their name, please tell the band

Things are hotting up in the Worcestershire kitchen of Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp

“In our band we don’t recognise the word ‘mistake’, because there are no mistakes”: watch Metallica play epic 72 Seasons closer Inamorata live for the very first time

Most Popular

Institutional Portal of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii

• cambia lingua: Italiano
• cambia lingua: English

It is possible to buy the ticket online, through the TicketOne circuit (Official seller).  It is also possible to buy the ticket at the entrances, and at the self service ticket offices at Piazza Esedra and at Piazza Anfiteatro

INFOPOINT:   +39 081 8575 347

Open buildings and their opening hours : see the list … read more

From 1st April from 6.00 pm reduced access in some domus.

VISIT THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL PARK OF POMPEII SAFELY. Full details regarding access … read more It is possible to access the sites only with small bags (30x30x15 cm max.)

When visiting the excavations, display a good and acceptable behaviour

Guided tours can be booked at the Information desk in Piazza Esedra and Piazza Anfiteatro entrance

Visit the Archaeological Sites

• Castle of Lettere
• Polverificio Borbonico

Reggia Quisisana

Pompeii: a dining room decorated with characters and subjects inspired by t ..., porta nocera, the necropolis and the plaster casts of the victims of the er ..., pompeii, from the excavations in region ix new light is shed on roman const ..., 13 terracotta figurines emerge from the pumice during the excavation of a d ..., pompeii commitment. archaeological matters 2024 programme, pompeii: prison bakery emerges, an autumn evening at pompeii, pompeii: an exceptional venue  for the erc (european research council),, pompeii, environmental sustainability and the ancient art of dyeing with th ..., the birth of grande pompei (greater pompeii experience) towards a “broader ..., social inclusion and archaeological heritage pompeii is launching community ..., partners committee for pompeii through modern art, public service announcements, amphitheater entrance – communication, temporary change in domus opening, large theatre: from 15 to 18 april access only to the upper part of the theatre (triangular forum), pompeii social.

• Exhibitions
• Pompeii and beyond
• Press Office, Web and Social
• Authorisations and forms
• Applied research laboratory
• Unesco Office
• Fundraising Office
• Events and Shows Office
• Education Department
• Excavation plans
• General Maintenance
• Special Maintenance
• Educational Offer
• Publications

Pompeii’s Ancient Amphitheater to Host a Summer Concert Series

Amphitheater of Pompeii / Photo: Archaeological Park of Pompeii

Italy’s Ministry of Culture recently unveiled “Pompeii is Art,” a program of 10 concerts set to take place in the ancient amphitheater of Pompeii Archaeological Park this summer. 

Carmen Consoli (June 8) and John Legend (June 11) kick things off in June. After a short break, Russell Crowe in his Indoor Garden Party act will rev things up again on July 9. Il Volo (July 17), Biago Antonacci (July 18, 19, 20), pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi (July 12); 1960s pop band Pooh (July 22); and songwriter Francesco De Gregori (July 26) round out the program. 

Crowe, in particular, has signaled his excitement. The Ministry of Culture reposted a video message on X (formerly Twitter) in which the New Zealand-born actor-turned-musician expressed thanks for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

“What an incredible privilege,” Crowe said. “I can’t wait. It’s going to be really good.”

Undersecretary of Culture Gianmarco Mazzi said in a statement that musicians can be a “resource” for cultural heritage and monuments. “It is a natural alliance; they bring monuments to life, they are the first ambassadors of beauty and popular culture,” Mazzi said.

About the venue

Built in 70 BCE, Pompeii’s Anfiteatro degli Scavi is the oldest known Roman gladiator arena in the world. Predating Rome’s Colosseum by about 100 years, it’s believed to have originally held some 20,000 spectators — today it seats around 12,000. In 1971, the stone elliptical space was the site of British rock band Pink Floyd’s iconic concert film, Live in Pompeii (1972).

Tickets to most concerts are now available via TicketOne .

You may also be interested in...

Latest property in Campania

What to do in Campania

Enjoying this Italy intel? You might also love:

Ships in 3 working days

• Italiano ( Italian )

Navigazione

• Herculaneum
• Curiosities
• Select language

All 2024 summer concerts in the Amphitheater of Pompeii

Home • All 2024 summer concerts in the Amphitheater of Pompeii

The Amphitheater of Pompeii, with its iconic and ancient structure from ancient Rome will once again be the protagonist and stage for a series of summer concerts this summer 2024 . As was the case in the past, this year the amphitheater will serve as the backdrop for performances by numerous artists.

Pompeii’s amphitheater with its thousand-year history and evocative atmosphere will offer a unique experience for both artists and audiences.

Who will be able to attend a series of unparalleled performances with nationally and internationally renowned musicians in a truly extraordinary setting. This evocative venue, with its well-preserved ruins and amazing acoustics, creates a magical atmosphere that transports the audience on a journey through time

Pink Floyd’s 1971 concert in the Pompeii Amphitheater

Back in 1971, the world’s greatest rock band, Pink Floyd, chose the amphitheater of Pompeii to perform in the historic film-concert. It was the band’s director Marben who, after visiting the archaeological site of Pompeii, was so impressed that he had the idea of having the band perform in the amphitheater. He imagined his band playing in the twilight of the excavations, amid the ruins and centuries of history.

The deep connection the band established with the ancient city continued even years later. In fact, last year the band’s historic drummer, Nick Mason , decided to return to Pompeii to perform three of the most important songs played by Pink Floyd back in 1971.

All 2024 summer concerts in Pompeii

The 2024 summer concerts in Pompeii’s Amphitheater will feature prestigious artists from a variety of musical genres. From pop stars to rock legends, classical performers to contemporary music innovators, Pompeii’s stage will host a variety of exceptional talents. Viewers will have the opportunity to witness unforgettable performances by artists who have influenced and inspired modern generations.

From Russell Crowe, to Pooh, to Biagio Antonacci, who after last year’s concert in the Teatro Grande will return to Pompeii again, this time to perform in the historic Amphitheater. But not only him, the band del Volo also performed back in 2016 in Pompeii and will once again return to star in this place rich in history.

A total of 10 concerts will be held in June and July.

Which will host starting June 8 Carmen Consoli.

• June 11 John Legend  
• July 9  Russell Crowe  
• July 12 Ludovico Einaudi
• July 17, the band Volo
• July 18, 19 and 20 Biagio Antonacci ; 
• July 22 the Pooh
• And finally on July 26 Francesco De Gregori.

Tickets for the events, which are already available, can be purchased on the official Ticketone website.

Attending a summer concert in the Pompeii Amphitheater will be an unforgettable experience for music lovers and history buffs.

The unique atmosphere and energy of the concerts, combined with the beauty and history of Pompeii, create a combination that leaves a lasting impression in the minds and hearts of those who attend.

These concerts provide a unique opportunity to experience art, music and culture in a place steeped in history and charm.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More articles from our blog

Visit herculaneum: the excavations, the 18th-century villas, the mav, mount vesuvius, tips for visiting pompeii or herculaneum, latest discoveries in pompeii, the history of pompeii, the phallus symbol of pompeii, reopening house of the vettii of pompeii, the tower of mercury in pompeii opens, show “the wood that didn’t burn at herculaneum”, 5 unthinkable facts about pompeii.

Benvenuti su See Pompeii

Informativa sull'utilizzo dei cookies

Questo sito fa uso di cookie per migliorare l’esperienza di navigazione degli utenti e per raccogliere informazioni sull’utilizzo del sito stesso.

Utilizziamo sia cookie tecnici sia cookie di parti terze per inviare messaggi promozionali sulla base dei comportamenti degli utenti. Può conoscere i dettagli consultando la nostra privacy policy .

Un cookie è una piccola quantità di dati inviati al tuo browser da un server web e che vengono successivamente memorizzati sul disco fisso del tuo computer.

Il cookie viene poi riletto e riconosciuto dal sito web che lo ha inviato ogni qualvolta effettui una connessione successiva. Come parte dei servizi personalizzati per i suoi utenti, il nostro sito utilizza dei cookie per memorizzare e talvolta tenere traccia di alcuni dei dati personali forniti dagli utenti stessi.

Ti ricordiamo che il browser è quel software che ti permette di navigare velocemente nella Rete tramite la visualizzazione e il trasferimento delle informazioni sul disco fisso del tuo computer. Se le preferenze del tuo browser sono settate in modo da accettare i cookie, qualsiasi sito web può inviare i suoi cookie al tuo browser, ma – al fine di proteggere la tua privacy – può rilevare solo ed esclusivamente quelli inviati dal sito stesso, e non quelli invece inviati al tuo browser da altri siti. Se vuoi saperne di più poi consultare la nostra privacy policy .

Puoi scegliere come utilizzare i tuoi dati personali.

Informativa sui Cookie

La consultazione del Sito See Pompeii può comportare l’installazione delle seguenti categorie di cookie:

I cookie tecnici, che servono a garantire la normale navigazione e fruizione del Sito e dei servizi resi disponibili dal medesimo (permettendo, ad esempio, di autenticarsi per accedere ad aree riservate e ricordando le preferenze che possono essere state impostate dall’utente durante l’utilizzo del Sito medesimo). Tali dati non vengono raccolti allo scopo di associarli a soggetti identificati e vengono conservati per il tempo necessario allo svolgimento delle finalità ad esse connesse, non superiore a 24 mesi.

Terze parti

Reference site about  Lorem Ipsum , giving information on its origins, as well as a random Lipsum generator.

Number of visitors

Richiesta (facoltativo)

JT Curtis Music

POMPEII FLOYD

A tribute to pink floyd - performing the iconic music with visuals recreating live at pompeii and more.

Having sold out venues in the Tri-State Area, Pompeii Floyd began as a recreation of Pink Floyd’s iconic Live at Pompeii concert film from 1972. Often regarded as one of rock’s finest concert movies (even with no audience present) David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters and Richard Wright perform ethereal renditions of Echoes , One of These Days , Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun and Saucerful of Secrets . Later versions of the film also captured the band in the studio recording their timeless Dark Side of the Moon album.

JT Curtis (“George Harrison” guitar and vocals from the Broadway production of Let it Be - and host of History of Rock's Pink Floyd Album Reviews ) has cited this concert as one of his biggest influences and even incorporated ideas into his own original piece Elements (even traveling to the actual Pompeii amphitheater to film footage). Together with James Preston ( Hedwig and the Angry Inch ) on bass and vocals, Hector Lopez ( Tito Puente ) on drums and Dino Covelli ( Surrogate Band ) on keyboards and vocals, they have crafted a true Pink Floyd experience, performing the iconic music with visuals to transport the audience to the ruins of Pompeii.

Pompeii Floyd’s area of concentration is the Meddle - Dark Side of the Moon - Wish You Were Here era, but the band has also paid tribute to the band’s original leader Syd Barrett with selections from Piper at the Gates of Dawn and of course covered selections from The Wall - Comfortably Numb.  Pompeii Floyd keeps their shows thematic and theatrical, just as the band itself did in the 1970s. JT Curtis recreates the unmistakable guitar tone of David Gilmour while Dino Covelli’s keyboards channel the spirit of Rick Wright.

To book Pompeii Floyd, use the contact form below!

For Booking / Contact

Email : [email protected], back to top, artwork by gillian stoll.

Amalfi Coast

Pompeii: plan, book, go.

Plan the perfect visit!

Visiting Pompeii

Guide to itineraries and sights

Visiting Herculaneum

Visiting Mt. Vesuvius

Tips for planning a trip to the Vesuvius crater

Getting here

Practical information on transport options

Tours and excursions

Book guided tours to Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Vesuvius

Frequently asked questions about Pompeii and the surrounding area

Naples-Pompeii train schedules

How to reach Pompeii and Herculaneum quickly and on a budget

Pompeii-Vesuvius bus schedules

Bus operating all year to get to the top of Vesuvius

Day trips from Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, and Naples

Choose from our curated, vetted tours. Book now to reserve your spot!

Mt. Vesuvius Tour with Wine Tasting - From Pompeii

Free cancellation

Naples street food guided tour

Tour of Pompeii & Mt. Vesuvius from Naples by minibus

Tour of Pompei and Vesuvius from Sorrento, with pizza!

Skip-the-line Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius Guided Tour

Paestum and Mozzarella Private Tour

Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius Tour with Wine Tasting

Pompeii Vesuvius Small Group Tour from the Amalfi Coast

Pompeii & Herculaneum Group Tour from the Amalfi Coast

Pompeii, Vesuvius and Herculaneum Private Tour

Private Pompeii and Vesuvius Tour & Wine Tasting

Private Pompeii, Herculaneum, & Mt. Vesuvius Tour

Herculaneum: Guided Tour Departing from Naples

Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Mt. Vesuvius Tour

Guided Tour of Naples: Historic Center and Underground

The essential guide to visiting pompeii, herculaneum, and mt. vesuvius.

Schedules, prices, skip-the-line tickets, guided tours, and top itineraries

Hours for Pompeii and Herculaneum

April to October : 9 am - 7 pm (last entry at 5:30 pm) November to March : 9 am - 5 pm (last entry at 3:30 pm) Closed : January 1, December 25

Herculaneum

March 16 to May 4 : 9:30 am - 7:30 pm (last entry at 6 pm) May 5 to October 14 : 8:30 am - 7:30 pm (last entry 6 pm) October 15 to March 15 : 8:30 am - 5 pm (last entry 3:30 pm) Closed : January 1, December 25

Tickets can be purchased at the ticket offices at the entrance to each site or through the online ticket office . Do not purchase tours or tickets from street vendors who may approach you at the Circumvesuviana train station!

Skip-the-line tickets to Pompeii

Skip-the-line tickets to Herculaneum

Prices / tickets

Pompeii ticket : Full price €18; discounted €2 Herculaneum ticket : Full price €13; discounted €2

Mastercard and Visa are accepted

Discounted tickets

Entrance is free to all EU citizens under 18. EU citizens under 24 have a special discount.

Luggage deposit

Backpacks or bags larger than 30x30x15 cm cannot be brought into either Herculaneum or Pompeii. The sites offer free baggage storage at the entrance, next to the ticket office.

Should I visit Pompeii or Herculaneum?

The biggest difference between Pompeii and Herculaneum is size: the ruins of Pompeii cover about 44 square hectares, while Herculaneum covers just four .

Pompeii was an important city and trade center , while Herculaneum was a small resort town without the large public buildings (forum, amphitheater, theaters, gym) found in Pompeii.

However, Herculaneum is in a much better state of preservation due to the deep layer of ash and dust that covered the site, which filled the buildings without damaging them. Pompeii was heavily battered by falling rocks and hot air that knocked down the upper floors of buildings and incinerated wood, both of which are still intact at Herculaneum.

All things considered, if you only have time to see one site, choose Pompeii . Herculaneum is a good alternative if you don't want to do too much walking or if the temperatures are particularly scorching, as it has more shade than Pompeii.

We do not recommend visiting Pompeii and Herculaneum in one day, as it is simply too tiring.

The ruins of Pompeii Recommended because: It's a unique example of a perfectly preserved Roman city with temples, theaters, homes, restaurants, and public buildings. It has more sites open to the public and a greater variety of architectural structures to visit. You can experience first hand the majesty of a Roman forum, theater, and amphitheater. Not recommended if: You only have an hour or two, as it takes a significant amount of time and energy to visit. It's a particularly hot day, as there is little shade. Visit Pompeii

The ruins of Herculaneum Recommended because: It's a small town that was a resort destination in ancient times, and can be visited in less that two hours. There are multi-story houses, wooden furnishings and decorations, and perfectly preserved mosaics and sculptures to admire. Not recommended if: You only have time to visit either Pompeii or Herculaneum; we do not recommend attempting both in one day. You want to explore it all, as many of the houses and buildings are not open to the public. Visit Herculaneum

Visiting the crater on Mt. Vesuvius

Combine a visit to pompeii or herculaneum with the mt. vesuvius national park.

Instead of attempting to see both Pompeii and Herculaneum in one day, we suggest a trip up to the crater at the peak of Mt. Vesuvius either before or after visiting one of the archaeological ruins. Wear sturdy shoes and clothes suitable for a short hike up the trail.

Getting from Pompeii to Mt. Vesuvius EAV bus : You can catch the local EAV bus from Piazza Anfiteatro and the Circumvesuviana station 'Pompei Villa dei Misteri.' The bus will drop you off at the upper bus parking lot on Mt. Vesuvius, where you can purchase tickets to the national park and take part in a guided mountain hike. Buses depart every 50 minutes; the ride takes about 55 minutes. Tickets can be purchased on board for €2.70.

Getting from Herculaneum to Mt. Vesuvius Vesuvio Express bus : This bus departs from the Circumvesuviana station 'Ercolano' and reaches 1,050 meters above sea level. From here you proceed on foot with a mountain guide, walking for about 20 minutes. Departures every 40 minutes, starting at 9:30 am. Tickets: €20 (includes bus + entrance to Mt. Vesuvius National Park)

Getting to Pompeii from Sorrento or Naples

The easiest way to reach the Pompeii ruins from Sorrento or Naples is via the Circumvesuviana train that runs between Sorrento and Naples. The train leaves from Piazza Garibaldi in Naples from the underground platforms of the Napoli Centrale station. From the ground-level platforms where high-speed trains arrive and depart, follow the signs downstairs to platform 3 where trains to Pompeii depart. Note the displays that list the next departing train for Sorrento - Pompei so you don't end up in Sarno!

Guide to visiting Pompeii

Guide to visiting Herculaneum

Guide to visiting Mt. Vesuvius

Download the PDF Guide (PDF 278 KB)

Getting to Pompeii and Herculaneum

Discover other destinations

positano.com

sorrentoinsider.com

naplesinsider.com

ischiainsider.com

procidainsider.com

Meet the Drummer Who Spent Decades With David Gilmour and David Crosby — And a Day With Bowie

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

Rolling Stone interview series Unknown Legends features long-form conversations between senior writer Andy Greene and veteran musicians who have toured and recorded alongside icons for years, if not decades. All are renowned in the business, but some are less well known to the general public. Here, these artists tell their complete stories, giving an up-close look at life on music’s A list. This edition features drummer Steve DiStanislao

By the summer of 2005, drummer Steve DiStanislao felt like his career had reached a pinnacle. After years of struggling to earn a living as a musician, he had a steady gig with David Crosby , and was in the middle of a Loggins and Messina reunion tour. But then word came that David Gilmour wanted him to join the band for his first post-Pink Floyd solo tour. He didn’t even need to audition.

“It’s crazy, man,” DiStanislao tells Rolling Stone. “I never in a million years thought I would be playing with any of these people. I think it’s bigger than me. I just feel fortunate that I’ve had these opportunities, and I got on well with everybody.”

Editor’s picks

Every awful thing trump has promised to do in a second term, the 250 greatest guitarists of all time, the 500 greatest albums of all time, the 50 worst decisions in movie history.

When his other siblings went off to college, they left him their record collections, exposing him to everything from Earth, Wind & Fire to the Average White Band and Crosby, Stills & Nash. “I used to lay on the bed and listen to ‘Guinevere’ and the rest of the first CSN record,” he says. “I just absorbed it.”

Future Larry Carlton drummer John Ferraro happened to live in the same neighborhood, and was good friends with his older brother. They played in a band together, and they took DiStanislao to a parade when he was 6. “I remember when the drum line went by,” he says.

He started banging on pots and pans that year. In the fifth grade, his parents got him a Ludwig set from a pawn shop for Christmas. Ferraro gave him lessons. His heroes were Steve Gadd, Jeff Porcaro, and Danny Seraphine from Chicago. At an elementary school assembly, he was given a chance to show off his skills to the entire school. “I did a little drum solo, and the place went nuts,” DiStanislao says. “That was it. After that, I was just hooked. Everyone was cheering.”

David Gilmour Sets First U.S. Tour Dates in Eight Years

David gilmour's final 'comfortably numb' watch the pink floyd icon play 'the wall' classic in 2016, david gilmour is touring. just don't ask for pink floyd classics.

“Then next thing you know, I’m flying to Japan,” DiStanislao says. “They put us up in American Village and we all had mopeds. It was a great time. It was hard work, it was seven shows a day, five days a week. Van Halen’s 1984 came out that year, so we played a bunch of that. ‘Jump’ was our opener.”

DiStanislao struggled to find steady work when he came home from the Japanese adventures until he landed at job in Paul Anka’s band. “I’d never really heard of him even though he’s written like 900 songs,” DiStanislao says. “It was really a great education because it was every style of music. There was a full horn section, conductor, the whole thing. He was a real perfectionist too. That was a really, really great gig for me. I did that for five years.”

But it wasn’t the Anka connection that opened up the big doors for DiStanislao. It was actually a moment during his brief time at college years earlier when he drove out to San Bernardino on a whim to audition for a band he heard was seeking a drummer. “This kid walks in and starts jamming on Yellowjacks tunes,” DiStanislao says. “It turned out it was James Raymond. We became fast friends. We won the Berkeley Jazz Festival.”

Twelve years later, Raymond learned that David Crosby was his biological father. They started a band called CPR with guitarist Jeff Pevar, but didn’t have a drummer at first. Raymond knew just the guy for the job.

This was a pretty amazing time for David. He’d just gotten the liver transplant and was healthy again, and now he’s making music with a son he didn’t even know he had. Absolutely. I’d known James for a long time by this point. And then seeing him play music with his biological father…It was very emotional. I remember seeing them at the Belly Up Tavern, and I was just so blown away, and then having the opportunity to actually be in that band…it was a really amazing experience.

It would have been so easy for Croz to just coast at that point and play his hits with CSN. But he started a new band and went out and played clubs, doing largely new material. That’s one thing I really admired about David. He knew that his name was on the marquee and that people were coming to see him, but he really treated it like a band. He didn’t want a bunch of sidemen. He really wanted it to be a unit where we’re interacting with each other and throwing ideas around.

It was like a dream gig in that way. Prior to that, I was in a band called ESP, which was a jazz quartet. Once I got off the road with Paul Anka, I just went completely into this jazz world. I learned so much from that group and I think I grew a lot as a musician, and it kind of prepared me for CPR because I learned to play free time a lot more free, and David really wanted that. We’d play these tunes like “Déjà Vu” where we’d kind of break it down and turn it into this whole other thing.

Tell me about making the second CPR record, Just Like Gravity . You were a real part of the band then. James obviously was writing a ton of stuff with David, and we went up to Santa Barbara to cut some basic tracks. We did all the tracking up there over a couple of weeks, which is the best scenario. We actually worked the tunes up and played them live before recording them.

Why did the group end in 2004? I don’t really know. I think maybe it wasn’t profitable enough, maybe it was too difficult to keep the engine going. Maybe there weren’t enough sales, and maybe he wanted to just focus on Crosby, Stills & Nash again.

What did you do after the group ended? I got a call from Chris Robinson from the Black Crowes. I toured with him the whole summer. We were a jam band. That was really an education because I had to throw a lot of the stuff I knew out the window, and now it’s all about greasy and funky and rocking. That really was a good experience too. I learned a lot from working with Chris, and he’s another huge talent.

You toured with Crosby and Nash after that. Yeah. That was in Europe in 2005. We went to Europe and it was amazing. Dean Parks on guitar, James on keyboards, and Andrew Ford, who was in CPR, and myself. It was so great. They obviously had their own tunes, so we were doing “Wind on the Water” and all these different songs. The dynamic between the two of them, it was like strength in numbers. The two of them together…their harmonies were unbelievable. I was given the assignment to sing all Stephen’s parts.

That’s crazy. Yeah. I’m singing “Wooden Ships” with those guys, the three-part, and I played drums. It was great. Crosby would really be telling me, “I really need you to deliver tonight,” in a sweet way, but like, “Come to the party.”

Tell me about preparing for that tour. Those guys hadn’t toured together since the Seventies, but they’d both been out playing the catalog. Was it difficult to accommodate them both? Their music was pretty complicated. It’s very involved. We went up to Santa Barbara because Kenny lives up there and Jimmy lived in Santa Ynez, and we rehearsed five days a week for seven hours a day. We worked on form and dynamics. We did this for weeks.

It was a really, really great band. Shem von Schroeck on bass. He’s an amazing singer. He played with Toto and stuff. There was also [multi-instrumentalist] Gabe Witcher and [keyboardist] Gabe Dixon.

We figured it out over time, and Jimmy really knew what he wanted. He was very particular. And Kenny knew what he wanted too. It was interesting. Kenny would come in the morning, work with us, and then Jimmy would work with us in the afternoon. As far as them working their thing out, I think they just kind of figured it out. They found their spots.

Were you a Pink Floyd fan in the Seventies? I had heard Pink Floyd. I think the first single I heard was “Money.” My friend had the 45. Then when I was in that band in elementary school, a friend of mine had Animals . I heard that and I didn’t really understand it, I guess. It was different for me.

How did you meet David Gilmour and get the job? Blind luck. I was playing with Crosby/Nash at the Royal Festival Hall in London, and we had a really, really good show that night. David Gilmour was there, and so was John Paul Jones, but I didn’t know until we were backstage after the gig. I met David backstage, he was real nice, and then that was it.

Then I was on tour with Loggins and Messina and Crosby calls me up, he goes, “David Gilmour is trying to get ahold of you.” I’m like, “What? Come on.” I got ahold of David and he asked me if I was interested in playing and doing his tour.

You didn’t have to even audition? No.

How did that moment feel? I didn’t know how to feel, honestly. At first I thought it was like, “Wow, this is crazy,” but I was just elated, I was thrilled.

I just created a list of songs that David did, put it onto a CD, and I drove around and absorbed all of this music. I was supposed to receive that album. I never got it, and he was going to do a bunch of tunes off that album. But I made notes and got as prepared as I could. Then when I went over there, we rehearsed in this place out in the middle of the country. I don’t know anybody. I’m thinking to myself, “I’m going to be sent home by the end of the week.” But it went great. We got on well, and then I finally got the album and did my homework at night and learned the tunes.

If you look at that band, they all knew each other. They’d been working together for decades in some cases. It must have been intimidating to walk in and see legends like Phil Manzanera. Absolutely. It was intimidating. But they couldn’t have been more welcoming.

As you’re learning the parts, did you develop a deeper appreciation for what Nick Mason brought to Pink Floyd? Absolutely. It’s a sum of the parts. You take one of them out, it’s not that music really. I didn’t want to try to imitate him because I can’t imitate him, but I wanted to honor what he’d done.

What was Richard Wright like? He’s a bit of a mystery man to most Pink Floyd fans. He was such a sweet man, and also I think very underlooked as far as his talent and his jazz background. That’s where we connected. I remember going into rehearsals and he was kind of distant and a little bit withdrawn because he hadn’t been doing that for a while. By the third night of having dinner with him, we were talking about Miles Davis and [Thelonious] Monk. He just lit up talking about them, and we ended up getting on so well. I really saw him come out of a shell. It was beautiful to see, and I miss him. He was amazing. We were even talking about recording together.

When he’d bring out Crosby and Nash for “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” and “On an Island,” it was both of your worlds combining. It gave me a sense of comfort, to be honest with you. It was almost like I had dad there with me or something. It was really comforting to have David and Graham there.

Tell me everything you remember from the day that David Bowie came to perform “Arnold Layne” and “Comfortably Numb.” It was one of the last times he played in public. Oh, my gosh. I just remember the air getting sucked out of the room when he walked in. We have David and Graham, David Gilmour… Robert Wyatt was there that day, and all these heavies. And when David Bowie walked into the room, it was like the messiah walked in. It was surreal, and we were all giddy.

He was real sweet and he did a great job. When he opened his mouth and started singing, “Hello, is there anybody in there…” it was like, “Wow, there it is. Here’s that voice.”

Richard Wright had been signing that part all tour. Guy Pratt told me he was a bit reluctant to hand over his part to Bowie. Oh, that’s right. He was like, “Well, wait a minute. That’s mine.” It was kind of funny.

That night completed your trilogy of the three Davids. Yeah. I went 3D.

The last show was in Gdańsk, Poland. The only other time Richard Wright played after that was the Syd Barrett tribute show the next year. What was that night like in Poland? Incredible. The best part about it was just seeing how emotional people get. It was a sea of people. They had these giant cranes that were holding up those giant screens above so everyone could see individually. You can see it on the cover of the live album.

When did you get the job with CSN? I think that was in 2011.

I had to explain that to Stephen. I said, “Look, I’m not here to take anybody’s gig. I’m only here because David asked me to come up and play for you. That’s it.” I think Stephen appreciated that. Fast-forward, they decided to make the change and I luckily got the gig. Again, right place, right time, a lot of that.

What was it like playing with them for the first time? It was intense, their dynamic. It was palpable, not in a bad way. But there’s a lot of history there. It couldn’t have gone better though.

It must have been tough when they’d want different things from you at the same time. Yeah, for sure. You’ve got to be flexible. I’ve learned not to take things personally as a drummer. “Stevie, it felt fast tonight. Can we slow it down a little bit? Stevie, can we speed it up?” Nine times out of 10, it’s just because of how they’re feeling that night. If the artist is a little tired or if they had too much coffee, whatever.

Were you with them until the very end in 2015? I couldn’t do the very last tour they did because I was doing a tour with David Gilmour. Russ Kunkel filled in for me on those last handful of European dates.

Did you have a sense on your last tour with them that the group was ending? Yeah, I think so. It was winding down. You feel it. It was great though. What a great experience, and we played some great shows.

We sort of took them for granted around then. They toured so much over the years that you didn’t really think about it ending until it actually did end. Then you presumed they’d put it back together, but that didn’t happen. Yeah. It’s amazing to think that a lot of these artists are touring now, like Paul McCartney. Can you imagine back then going, “In 2024, these guys are still going to be touring?”

I was lucky enough to spend a decent amount of time with him. I saw some flashes of real anger. He had a temper. But more than that, I saw incredible warmth. Absolutely. How could you not respect someone like that? That’s the thing about him and the relationship we had. I have nothing but great things to say about David. I feel really lucky too because we are the last tour we did with the Sky Trails Band, my dad was on his deathbed, and I had to leave the tour. I’ve got to tell you, he treated me with so much respect. I was going through hell. I was so close to my dad. I had to leave the tour for a week or something, and he’s like, “You have to go home.” He was just so supportive of it.

I remember being in the elevator after a show because I was going to leave right to go home. We were in Philly or something. I said to him, “David, you’re a really good man.” He didn’t know how to take the compliment. He was like, “What?” I said, “No, no. The way you handled this and the way you’ve treated my family, I can’t thank you enough.” It meant a lot to him. I think he was like, “Really? Wow.” He didn’t hear that a lot.

I can’t say enough good things about him. I mean, we’ve all seen his bad side, and he went through hell in his life, but my experiences with him…he treated me and my family like gold.

It really seemed like David Gilmour was done after the On an Island tour. He just vanished. Tell me about getting called back in for the Rattle That Lock sessions. Not long after the On an Island tour, David called me up and said, “Would you like to come over and have a little jam?” We did those barn jams. I think the whole premise was to get more music written with Rick. Then in ’08, he passed away, so that didn’t happen. But there was a lot of recorded music from that time, which was great. In 2013, I think, I went over there to record some stuff for him, and that’s how it started. We did a couple of days of tracking, and then he put the album together.

Playing Pompeii must have been a real experience. It’s like you stepped back in time and into that movie. It was really amazing, just the place itself, the ruin and the history. The stage I remember was stripped down a little bit because we only had so much room in there. It’s smaller than you think. It’s not this gigantic place even though they make it look huge. On the DVD, it kind of looks like it’s 200,000 people or something, but it’s only 1,500 people. It’s always challenging when there’s cameras.

Before the last two legs, the band really changed. You and Guy Pratt stayed, but most everyone else was swapped out. What happened? Honest to God, I don’t know. I think David wanted to make a change and there was some other players he wanted to work with. I don’t think it was anything other than that. I never really asked him. I think he likes to change things up, and I think that’s what happened.

It’s a nice vote of confidence that he kept you after firing nearly the entire band. Yeah. I was like, “Okay, I’m going with this. Don’t screw it up.” I’m just so grateful for any of those opportunities. I never took them for granted. My dad had all these great sayings and one thing he would say was, “Success isn’t when you get called for it, success is when you get called back.”

Nick Mason sat in at a couple of shows. What was that like? That was amazing. When he sat in and played “Comfortably Numb,” it was like, “Oh, okay. Now it’s Pink Floyd.” It’s his touch and his feel. It was apparent to me like, “I’m playing it, but I can make it happen. That’s it .” It’s like hearing Ringo or Bonham. You know what I mean?

Are you still in touch with David? Do you think he might make another record? I think so, yeah. I mean, hopefully. I don’t know whether I’d be involved in it or not. [Note: This interview was conducted days before David Gilmour announced his upcoming album Luck and Strange , which does indeed feature DiStanislao on drums. Adam Betts, however, will be playing drums on the tour.]

CSN breaks up in 2015. And out of nowhere, Croz gets super creative and starts releasing basically an album a year. He hadn’t done that much songwriting in decades. What happened? I don’t know. He maybe realized his time was limited. His time had been limited ever since I met him. That was a miracle he lived to be 81 years old. He was a walking miracle, David Crosby.

What happened was he discovered a band called Snarky Puppy, and then he met Michael League from Snarky Puppy. He became a huge fan, and it just turned him on. And then between that and the Lighthouse band he did with James and those guys, he was on fire. It was coming out, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.

His singing voice always stunned me. If you closed your eyes at his shows, it sounded like 1968. It was incredible. A little over a year ago, James called me up and said, “Hey, Croz wants to get together.” It was after Covid obviously and all that. “He wants to see if he can still sing.” We got together. There’s a guy named Steve Postell who learned all his acoustic guitar parts because Croz was like, “I can’t tour because I can’t play guitar.” He had a problem with his fingers. James was like, “What if you just sang?” We got together and we got in a room. It was really fun. Croz was like, “I can do this. I think I can do this.” Next thing I know, I’m hearing from management that we’re going to put a tour together. This was last January, and he passed away.

When’s the last time you saw him? It was that day, so I got to play with him one last time.

What songs did you play? Oh, we did all of them. We went down the list. We did “Wooden Ships,” “Déjà Vu,” “Long Time Gone.” We didn’t do “Almost Cut My Hair.” He actually didn’t like doing that tune. He was kind of burned on it. We were like, “Come on. You got to do it.” Everyone loves it and it’s great.” We played most of those tunes just to see if he could pull it off.

The positive way of looking at it is that we got so many more albums and tours than seemed possible just a few years earlier. His final chapter was incredible, and nobody saw it coming. Absolutely. I’m so happy he had that renaissance at the end. That’s amazing in its own right, and I think he’s inspiring a lot of other artists, “I got to do another album.” In that way, it’s been really amazing.

You’ve spent so much of your life on the road. What’s the secret to doing that and not letting it drive you insane or letting it ruin your personal life? It’s a challenge for sure. You’re giving up a lot of things. When I’m on the road and I know I have a show to do, I’m pretty focused. I spend the whole day kind of preparing for that show mentally, and also I want to make sure I’m eating right and exercising. Sleep is the hardest thing. You have to get enough rest.

I haven’t really been touring a lot since Covid, which has been great, actually. I have a studio here. I’m producing a lot more. I’m writing, and I have my own jazz quintet too called Solar Flare. I wrote a new jazz record and I want to do another one. The Our House tour will be my first tour in five years.

The Black Keys Cancel Upcoming North American Leg of International Players Tour

See bradley cooper join pearl jam to sing 'maybe it's time' at bottlerock, 'liar' 'panderer' libertarians relentlessly boo and heckle trump, scandoval lawsuit: raquel leviss' claims against tom sandoval survive challenge.

You’re best known for working with two guys named David. It’s interesting that they knew and respected each other even though their music was fairly different. They were really good friends. I think the fact that David Crosby was doing so much great work might’ve inspired David Gilmour to do a new album and vice versa. Those guys all kind of inspired each other. They’re friends, and that’s really cool to see. There’s a support system there.

Lizzo Reacts to 'South Park' Shout-Out in Ozempic Episode: 'Damn, I’m Really That Bitch'

• 'that's crazy'
• By Daniel Kreps

Bruce Springsteen Postpones Four European Concerts Due to 'Vocal Issues'

• doctor's orders

DOJ vs. Live Nation: What Happens Now?

• Live Nation Suit
• By Catherina Gioino

Watch Taylor Swift Debut 'The Tortured Poets Department' Title Track in Lisbon

• surprise songs

See Bradley Cooper Join Pearl Jam to Sing 'Maybe It's Time' at BottleRock

• old ways die

Most Popular

Morgan spurlock, 'super size me' director, dies at 53, matthew perry death sparks dea, lapd joint criminal investigation, prince william & kate middleton are 'deeply upset' about the timing of the sussexes' brand relaunch, diddy yelled "like a lunatic" at chaka khan and had her son beat up, alleges her daughter, you might also like, the black keys quietly cancel international players tour 2024, inside l’oréal’s lights on women’s worth awards with elle fanning, viola davis and helen mirren, the best yoga mats for any practice, according to instructors, palme d’or winner ‘anora’ and best actor jesse plemons get oscar boost at cannes, helio castroneves is chasing more history at the indianapolis 500.

Rolling Stone is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Rolling Stone, LLC. All rights reserved.

Verify it's you

Please log in.

Popular currencies

More currencies, from pompeii: mount vesuvius & pompeii day trip.

• Transfers included
• Instant confirmation
• Mobile ticket

Unveil ancient history and breathtaking views on a 5-hour tour of Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii Archaeological Park with an audioguide.

Explore Vesuvius and Pompeii in a single day with round-trip transfers and audio guides.

Ascend to the crater of Mount Vesuvius, which buried Pompeii in AD 79, and enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.

Wander through the ancient streets, well-preserved homes, public buildings, and extensive ruins of the Pompeii Archeological Park.

Marvel at the impressive frescoes, mosaics, and architecture and get glimpses of ancient Roman lives with an audio guide.

Fun fact: The legendary rock band, Pink Floyd, recorded a concert film at the Pompeii Archaeological Park, back in 1972.

Entry to Mount Vesuvius

Round-trip transfers from Pompeii

Entry to Pompeii

Audio guide for Pompeii in Italian, English, French, Spanish & German

Entry to Herculaneum (optional)

Expert archaeologist guide to Pompeii ruins (optional)

Headsets (optional)

Small group tour - Pompeii 20 guests; Vesuvius 8 guests (optional)

Cancellation policy

You can cancel these tickets up to 24 hours before the experience begins and get a full refund.

Your experience

Step back in time to the ancient roman marvels.

Unleash the explorer within you with a combo ticket that lets you explore Pompeii and Vesuvius in a single day. With round-trip transfers from Pompeii, relax and soak up the captivating scenery as you travel between these iconic landmarks on a small-group tour.

Get Set for an Epic Day of Discovery at Vesuvius & Pompeii

Start your 5-hour tour by ascending the majestic Mount Vesuvius, a volcano that once created havoc on the ancient city of Pompeii. Stand at the edge of its volcanic crater and take in the awe-inspiring views of the Bay of Naples and the surrounding region. Next up, immerse yourself in the rich history of ancient Romans at the Pompeii Archaeological Park. Stroll through the streets frozen in time and step inside the once-thriving amphitheater. Marvel at the well-preserved frescoes and mosaics that once adorned the walls and floors of houses, public buildings, and temples.

Enhance your trip furthermore with an audio guide and uncover the secrets of these ancient wonders and learn about the daily lives and tragic fate of Pompeii’s inhabitants.

Know before you go

What to bring.

It's recommended to wear comfortable shoes as this experience involves a fair amount of walking.

Bring along your sunglasses, hat, water bottle.

Guide dogs are allowed on this tour.

How to redeem your tickets

Your voucher will be emailed to you instantly.

Please display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID to your guide.

Kindly ensure that you arrive 15 minutes before the start time of your tour to avoid any delays.

Meeting point

• Please check your final voucher for the meeting point details and specific instructions.

Why Headout?

Similar experiences you'd love.

Top things to do in Naples

Browse By Themes

Nearby cities to explore.

World at your tap.

We've served 25 million+ guests and we are here for you

25 million +

In the Media

24 x 7 Help Center

Love Exploring

Incredible facts about Pompeii's tragedy you might not have known

Posted: 24 May 2024 | Last updated: 24 May 2024

From tragedy to treasure

Until the fateful events of AD 79, Pompeii was much like any other Roman resort town. Set on the beautiful Bay of Naples, 14 miles south of Naples itself, it was home to lavish villas, vineyards and olive groves fed by the rich volcanic soils of Mount Vesuvius – but this active volcano was soon to erupt, burying the town in a thick layer of debris.

Ironically, the disaster that proved Pompeii’s undoing also preserved it for years to come, and uncovering this town frozen forever in time helped establish the foundations of modern archaeology.

Click through the gallery to discover the fascinating story of Pompeii...

A quirk of geography

Pompeii was one of several towns that sprang up along this sweeping south Italian coastline, drawing on influences from the ancient Greeks and the Etruscan civilisation. They spoke a language called Oscan, until Rome’s influence grew and Latin became the dominant tongue.

What those ancient inhabitants didn’t know, however, is the spur of land where the town developed actually formed on a prehistoric lava flow, and there’s evidence of many earlier eruptions from Mount Vesuvius, with similarly devastating consequences.

The Hamptons of ancient Rome

By the time of the first century AD, in the years before the volcanic eruption, Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum had prospered into thriving resort towns as a summer retreat for the Roman elite. Well-to-do Romans built elegant villas filled with mosaics, artworks and elaborate fountains, and its paved streets were filled with shops, taverns, public baths – and a few houses of ill repute!

The population was well over 10,000, with a mix of wealthy merchants, shopkeepers and slaves.

Gladiators, ready – for a riot!

Pompeii’s amphitheatre held up to 20,000 spectators for thrilling gladiatorial battles that drew people from surrounding villages and had the crowd baying for blood. But none more so than in AD 59, when a huge riot broke out between the people of Pompeii and those from nearby Nuceria.

What started as name-calling and jeering soon escalated into throwing stones and clashing swords – and a bloody brawl ensued. The senate in Rome investigated and punished Pompeii with a 10-year ban on hosting the games.

The signs were there

The devastating volcanic eruption in AD 79 wasn’t the first time Pompeii had been hit by a natural disaster. An earthquake shook the Campania region in AD 62 (or AD 63 – the exact date is unclear) in what experts now understand was a harbinger of a bigger catastrophe to come.

In fact, the people of Pompeii had become so used to tremors rumbling through the town that the increase in seismic activity in the lead-up to the eruption was not treated as a cause for concern. 

Vesuvius erupts

On an ordinary day in AD 79 – long believed to be 24 August, although more recent research suggests an autumn date of 24 October – the fate of Pompeii, Herculaneum and the surrounding villages changed forever. Roman author Pliny the Younger, who was across the Bay of Naples in the port town of Misenum at the time, offers the only surviving eyewitness account.

He wrote of “a cloud which appeared of a very unusual size and shape”, as Mount Vesuvius exploded in a sky-high plume that is now called a ‘Plinian eruption’.

People flee Pompeii in panic

As people were sitting down to lunch, a light dusting of ash began to drift over Pompeii, followed by heavier downfalls of white pumice stone and debris raining over the town, driven south from the spewing cone of Mount Vesuvius. Some townspeople managed to flee – clinging to as many treasures, jewellery or coins as they could carry with them – while others sought shelter in basements as the roofs of houses began to collapse under the weight of the rocks.

The danger continues

Debris continued to pile up at the doors and windows of houses around Pompeii, leaving residents trapped as ash clogged the air and it became impossible to breathe – but an even greater danger lay around the corner. In just a few hours, a fast-moving current of lava, ash and noxious gases known as a ‘pyroclastic flow’ surged from the volcano, engulfing the town and turning it into a boiling-hot inferno.

As wave after wave spilled from the fiery summit of Vesuvius, temperatures spiked at more than 300°C (572°F), leaving no one able to survive.

Desperate to escape

Later discoveries would reveal heart-rending tales of people trying – but failing – to escape the deadly lava flow, often with a handful of silver and bronze coins or a clutch of their most valuable treasures to see them on their way. One woman was discovered near the city gates with the gold statue of Mercury, god of speed, in her hands; while another find revealed three horses harnessed and ready to take their owner to safety – except they must have waited too long as they never made it out of town.

Herculaneum was hit too

Pompeii is better-known and draws many more visitors, but its compact neighbour, Herculaneum, is actually closer to the foot of Mount Vesuvius and suffered a similar fate. Here, many people tried to hide or flee to the beaches to seek refuge, but there was no escaping the super-heated surges of ash and lava that poured through the town.

It’s a grisly thought, but scientists believe the extraordinary temperatures could have literally boiled their blood and brain tissue, even transforming tissue into glass.

A darkness came

A teenage Pliny the Younger watched the events unfold from a seemingly safe distance, but he too was caught up in the panic. At first, he remained in Misenum with his mother, until neighbours pleaded with them to flee and join the crowd of people massing through the streets in search of sanctuary.

“We had scarcely sat down when a darkness came that was not like a moonless or cloudy night, but more like the black of closed and unlighted rooms. You could hear women lamenting, children crying, men shouting,” he wrote later, in a series of letters to Roman historian Tacitus.

One last unending night for the world

Pliny the Younger’s eyewitness account not only tells us much of what we know about Pompeii, but also offers a very relatable insight into chaos and confusion as people scrambled for safety, looking back over their shoulders at the approaching cloud and despairing of their chances for survival. “There were some so afraid of death that they prayed for death,” he wrote.

“Many raised their hands to the gods, and even more believed that there were no gods any longer, and that this was one last unending night for the world.”

Pliny the Elder to the rescue

While the young 17-year-old stuck by his mother’s side to get her to safety, his uncle – Pliny the Elder – dashed into the fray. A noted navy captain and ally of Emperor Vespasian, he sailed a fleet of ships to the small town of Stabiae in an effort to rescue a friend who was stuck there.

He made it, but by next morning, falling debris had left him stranded on the beach, where he was overtaken by the fumes – or, if more recent theories are true, was struck down by a stroke or heart attack – and died.

Buried under ash

Flows of lava and toxic gases continued for days, long after there was any hope of survival, leaving Pompeii and Herculaneum buried under dense layers of ash at a whopping 20 feet (6-7m) and 66 feet (20m) thick respectively. This offers a clue as to why the smaller town is less-known than its headline-grabbing counterpart, as it was buried deeper and took longer to excavate than Pompeii.

Yet in both cases, the ash preserved not only the bodies of the volcano’s victims, but also surprising insights into daily life in this Roman riviera.

Pompeii's secrets laid bare

The tragic tale of Pompeii slid into obscurity over the years and the bodies lay buried deep below the surface. That is, until the site was discovered quite by accident in the late 16th century, when Swiss architect Domenico Fontana was laying foundations for a building in the Sarno River valley.

Even so, it wasn’t until 1709 when another chance discovery revealed the location of Herculaneum that people began to put the pieces together. Within 40 years, the first dig had started to uncover these long-lost secrets – and thus laid the roots for the modern study of archaeology.

Treasures through time

This was no systematic archaeological expedition, but rather a small band of explorers digging up the Campania countryside to see what ancient artefacts they might uncover. It was less for the pursuit of academic inquiry and more to find artworks or other ancient treasures to display.

Spanish army general Roque Joaquín de Alcubierre and Swiss architect Karl Weber led the sometimes-haphazard efforts to dig through the layers of rock, soil and sediment that had kept the towns hidden and preserved almost totally intact for many hundreds of years.

Digging for victory

Initial excavations were underwhelming, but in 1755, the ‘praedia’ (estate) of Julia Felix was uncovered, revealing a huge complex of buildings that included apartments for rent, baths open to the public and impressive gardens that featured waterfalls and pools, along with magnificent frescoes depicting everyday life in Pompeii – all owned by a woman, a subject of much scholarly debate since.

This was a sign of the finds to come, so King Charles VII of Naples brought in a ban on exporting antiquities – arguably so he could keep them for his royal palace museum at Portici.

Up Pompeii!

For many years, the site was only referred to as La Cività as there was no way of being certain about which town or city it was – but that changed thanks to a discovery made in 1763. An inscription was found that read: ‘Rei publicae Pompeianorum’, which meant scholars could at last link the site with the written references to the tragedy of Pompeii – including those from Pliny the Younger.

That also halted some of the sloppier methods of excavation and led to a better understanding of the need to preserve this one-of-a-kind site.

Go retro for the Romans

These discoveries were the talk of the town among 18th-century western society and helped fuel a revival of interest in antiquities, coinciding with the rise of the Neoclassical style of architecture and a newfound fascination with all things ancient. Historians have linked this directly to what was being uncovered in Pompeii, as the elaborate villas and frescoes helped drive a design trend for Britain’s wealthy elite to have rooms recreating this classical style, and architects like Robert Adam and Sir John Soane began using these motifs in their work.

Pompeii inspires artists

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius inspired countless artworks recreating the drama of Pompeii’s demise – albeit with varying levels of accuracy – both tapping into and helping to maintain public appetite for this tragic story. They include French artist Pierre-Jacques Volaire, British painter Joseph Wright of Derby (who created more than 30 works on the subject) and Russian Karl Bryullov, whose work is pictured here.

The last of these even prompted another creative endeavour in Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s popular potboiler novel The Last Days of Pompeii , which helped shape modern understandings of Pompeii.

Becoming a tourist hotspot

This ongoing fascination with Pompeii earned it a spot on the Grand Tour, the rite of passage around Europe often taken by young men of the upper classes in Britain and elsewhere, becoming some of the first tourists to take in these ancient ruins. Unlike the grand edifices of Rome, the ongoing discoveries at Pompeii revealed details of daily life – from the loaves of half-baked bread still in the bakery ovens to the graffiti still scratched on the walls – and it went on to become the world’s first open-air museum.

A young upstart archaeologist

Much of what we know about Pompeii is thanks to the efforts of Italian archaeologist Giuseppe Fiorelli, who took over the site in the 19th century and developed pioneering new techniques. In his early 20s, he challenged the establishment by dividing the site into different regions – a more rigorous method of study – and excavating in a way that reduced potential damage.

He wasn’t without controversy though: during a time of political turmoil in Italy, he was caught up in the nationalist movement and imprisoned in 1849 – though some say he was only reported by rival archaeologists.

Casting off

One of the most distinctive symbols of Pompeii is the series of plaster casts that recreate in 3D reality the dying moments of many of the victims, another legacy of Fiorelli’s pioneering techniques that is still in use today. He realised there were gaps in the dense crust of rock and ash and deduced this must be where organic matter had rotted away.

By carefully pouring in plaster of Paris to the empty spaces, then gently removing the surrounding ash, he brought to life the facial expressions, clothes and final poses of the people of Pompeii, in surprising – and heart-rending – detail.

What to see in Pompeii

After decades of excavations, most of Pompeii’s key landmarks have been uncovered – including the grand amphitheatre, one of the oldest surviving examples. It played host to countless gladiator battles over the years, and there are still remnants of paint from the posters that once adorned the walls promoting these events or highlighting certain participants – the celebrities and sports stars of the time.

The forum is another must-see. This huge square was once the focal point for public life, where people would go shopping, visit temples dedicated to Apollo, Venus and Jupiter, and catch up on the gossip of the day.

Who lives in a house like this?

As well as public buildings, there are plenty of private homes and villas to visit that reveal even more about the lives of the Roman elite. The Villa of Mysteries is one of the most popular thanks to its bright frescoes, which have lost none of their vibrancy in the intervening centuries, which showcase an initiation into a cult that worships Dionysus, the god of wine.

Other highlights include the House of the Small Fountain, which features a pretty mosaic-covered fountain in the garden; and the House of the Faun, named for the bronze statue of a dancing faun in the lobby (a copy of the statue can be seen in the building today, while the original can be found at the National Archaeological Museum of Naples). 

Some things never change

One of the strangest things about exploring Pompeii is how many parallels there are between behaviour then and now, proving how little has changed in nearly 2,000 years. At the entrance to the House of the Tragic Poet, a mosaic sign reads ‘cave canem’, or ‘beware of the dog’, which appears in several spots around Pompeii.

Many walls were also etched with graffiti boasting of sexual conquests, appealing for the return of stolen goods or the rather more mundane: ‘On 19 April, I made bread’, says one, like a precursor to modern-day social media posts about sourdough…

Woes of war

In autumn 1943, Pompeii was hit once again by a fiery blast from the heavens – except this time it wasn’t lava flowing from a volcano, but rather Second World War bombs being dropped from the sky. Allied forces bombarded southern Italy in an effort, dubbed Operation Avalanche, to destroy the German troops’ supply routes.

But while aiming at the road and rail routes alongside the ancient site, numerous bombs actually fell on Pompeii, striking the museum and several key monuments. To add even more woe, Vesuvius blew again the following year – its most recent eruption to date.

Pompeii earns UNESCO status

The world had seen the cultural value of Pompeii’s ancient ruins for centuries by the time it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, along with nearby Pompeii and the ruins of Villa Oplontis in the modern-day town of Torre Annunziata. Not only did that afford an extra level of protection to the precious sites, but it also meant that when torrential flooding hit in 2010 and 2014, experts from the international body were on hand to help with restoration.

Recent revelations from Pompeii

More than 275 years since the first dig began at Pompeii, you’d think archaeologists would have found everything they could possibly find here – but in fact, only about two-thirds of the site has been excavated. Recent investigations of previously untouched areas have uncovered a first-century snack-food stall serving chicken and duck with red wine to hungry passers-by.

Plus there’s been political graffiti, a perfectly preserved painting depicting the ancient Greek myth of Leda and the Swan, and a memorably well-endowed rendition of fertility god Priapus – and the revelations keep on coming.

How to visit Pompeii

Pompeii is a treasure trove of ancient history so every visit is a chance to learn something new. It’s open year-round (shorter hours in winter), and has three entrance gates – Porta Marina near the train station, Piazza Anfiteatro and Piazza Esedra – each with a ticket office. It’s best to go with a licensed guide who can bring to life a pile of rubble by delving into the complex stories behind each point of interest.

And don’t forget Herculaneum, which is smaller, easier to get around and less crowded, making a great addition – or alternative – to continue the adventure through the ancient world.

Liked this? Click on the Follow button above for more great stories from loveEXPLORING

Now discover the most remarkable ancient sites you've probably never heard of...

More for You

'Lunatic fringe': Shane Jones slams Budget Day protest action as 'militia of scallywags'

Pensioner becomes accidental beekeeper after huge swarm appears in his garden

Open banking: How to opt in - and out - of the new payment system

Woolworths, Coles, IGA: Popular sauces are pulled from the shelves

Keep pigeons out of your garden using cheap item they think is dangerous

Olly Alexander confirms name change at Radio 1’s Big Weekend festival

'Like a bus had hit me': Kiwi travellers warned amid spike in 'bone-break fever' cases

History’s Longest Suffering Wife

The greatest war movie of all time—and see the rest of the top 25, based on data

Pep Guardiola names the Man Utd star who 'made the difference' in FA Cup final

Parents could be FINED if their teenagers fail to do National Service

Dad's homemade 'natural weed killer recipe' works in 24 hours and will clear patios

Singer behind 17-minute rock classic dies

Young British workers ‘game the system’ to take more sick days than migrant staff

Sondra Locke, Clint Eastwood and the tragic disappearance of a Hollywood trailblazer

'Clear signal of a slowdown': What banks are predicting from Budget 2024

Māori and Pasifika at risk of hospitalisation from ‘extremely contagious’ severe respiratory infection - health experts

Irish ambassador subjected to 'unacceptable' treatment by Israel, Martin says

Melt away ugly green stains from your fence with kitchen item that 'kills algae'

World-class soprano denied right to settle in the UK

• The Alte Oper
• Guided tours

Meeting point: Stage entrance Guided tours of the Alte Oper

Come with us to the back! We cordially invite you to get to know the Alte Oper on a guided tour and learn interesting facts about its architecture and history. The volunteer guides from the ranks of our support group, the Society of Friends of the Alte Oper, will be happy to show you around the building and the complex processes that are necessary to ensure that everything runs smoothly when the stars of classical music and entertainment take to the podium. In the process, they also provide a glimpse into those rooms that otherwise remain hidden from the public. Where does a conductor focus in the last minutes before a concert? What does the workplace of a stage manager look like? Where are the concert grand pianos stored?

The approximately 90-minute tours are open to the public on selected dates, but can also be booked individually as an exclusive group tour with a maximum of 20 people.

• Tours are generally conducted in German. In the course of 2024, individual dates will also be offered in English. • Due to the space available, we are unfortunately unable to offer wheelchair accessible tours. • Should it happen that a planned tour cannot take place due to changes in the Alte Oper's event programme at short notice, the ticket price will be refunded. • Group tours can only be booked by private persons, not by resellers. • The guided tour is not recommended for children under the age of ten. • Please arrive 15 minutes before the tour at the stage entrance of the Alte Oper. Guests who arrive later will unfortunately not be able to attend and will not be entitled to a replacement. • The cost for a public group tour is 8 euros per person. Please note that there are additional fees for online bookings . For closed group or individual tours, the possible dates and further conditions will be agreed separately. Please use our order form.

• Italy's news in English since 1985
• Where to buy your copy of Wanted in Rome
• Magazine issues
• Work with us
• Privacy Policy
• Insert your Classified
• How to insert your Classifieds
• Jobs vacant
• Jobs wanted
• Accommodation vacant in town
• Accommodation vacant out of town
• Property for sale in town
• Property for sale out of town
• Rooms and flat shares
• Holiday Accommodation
• Accommodation wanted
• Insert your Yellow Page
• About our Yellow Pages
• 29 Best Things To Do in Rome
• Visiting the Vatican Museums: All You Need to Know
• What and where to shop in Rome
• Advertise with Us

Wanted in Rome Magazine

Latest news

• Classifieds
• Yellow Pages
• Images of the day
• Video of the day
• Ukraine crisis: Italy
• Coronavirus in Italy

Urban areas

• Pigneto neighbourhood
• St Peter's Area
• Trastevere neighbourhood
• Campo de' Fiori neighbourhood
• Flaminio neighborhood
• Historic centre area
• Colosseum, Monti
• EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

A Beautiful World: Mario Testino exhibition in Rome

Ara Pacis exhibition brings Ancient Rome theatre to life

Rome celebrates Filippo and Filippino Lippi with exhibition

Determined Women: Angèle Etoundi Essamba exhibition in Rome

Rome's rose petal ceremony at the Pantheon

Russell Crowe and his band to play two intimate concerts in Rome

Rome to host russell crowe's indoor garden party concerts in june ..

Gladiator star Russell Crowe is to perform two "immersive" concerts with his band The Gentlemen Barbers at the Forum Theatre in Rome as part of a summer tour of Italy.

The Indoor Garden Party concerts, featuring Irish singer Lorraine O'Reilly, will take place at the theatre in Piazza Euclide on 26 and 27 June.

"These shows will be wild" - Crowe wrote on X - "Intimate theatre. Fully immersive. Will be like nothing else on this tour."

Organisers say the two shows at the Forum Theatre will offer fans a multi-sensory experience, with "breathtaking" videomapping in addition to sound and lights.

The Forum Theatre. Piazza Euclide. Tickets on sale Friday Rome time. Will be on TicketOne. These shows will be wild. Intimate theatre. Fully immersive. Will be like nothing else on this tour. June 26 and June 27. pic.twitter.com/WffRQe3ytk — Russell Crowe (@russellcrowe) May 22, 2024

Crowe's Italian tour includes dates in Ascoli Piceno, Bari, Cosenza, Piacenza, Siena and Varese, with special shows in the ancient amphitheatre of Pompeii and at the Temple of Venus and Roma in the shadow of the Colosseum.

Indoor Garden Party

Famed for his roles in blockbuster films such as Gladiator and A Beautiful Mind , Crowe has long led a parallel career in music, with a repertoire ranging from rock to folk and country.

Crowe, who was born in New Zealand but has spent much of his life in Australia, recently discovered that he has Italian heritage, tracing his roots to Ascoli Piceno  in the central Marche region.

• Why Russell Crowe is a gift to Rome tourism

Two years ago Crowe was honoured as  Rome's ambassador in the world  in recognition of the special bond that ties the Hollywood star to the Eternal City.

Tickets for the Rome concerts are on sale via Ticketone.it and usual ticket outlets.

Photo: Massimo Todaro / Shutterstock.com .

General Info

View on map.

Piazza Euclide, 34, 00197 Roma RM, Italy

Siena Cathedral unveils stunning mosaic floors this summer

Italy faces strikes by airport workers and cabin crews on 28 May

Rome seeks to host grand finale of Giro d’Italia every year

Italy's museums free for Festa della Repubblica on 2 June

Rome hosts grand finale of Giro d'Italia 2024

Latest Whats'on

Latest Classifieds

VILLAGE FLAT FOR SALE – NORTH OF ROME

English Mother Tongue

Websites, graphics for web, software assistance

Looking for a girl in Rome

PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER

Latest Yellow Pages

Advanced Certificate in Cultural & Heritage Venue Protection Offered in Rome

Chase Buchanan USA

Larry’s Cooking Session & Home Restaurant

Acorn International School

Fairytale and fantasy: Rome's Coppedè quarter

EVENTS THIS WEEK

Stay connected.

The Wanted Network

Wanted in Milan

Wanted in Europe

Wanted in Africa

Latest What's on

Latest classifieds

• IT, computers

More like this Related

Best things to do in Rome in June 2024

Where to find Blue Flag beaches near Rome in 2024

Where to find Italy's Blue Flag beaches in 2024

David Gilmour to play six concerts at Circus Maximus in Rome

La Casa delle Farfalle: Rome's Butterfly House

Angelina Mango represents Italy at Eurovision 2024

Io Capitano and There’s Still Tomorrow triumph at Italy's David di Donatello Awards

Lily Collins in Rome to film scenes for Emily in Paris

Wanted in Rome TM

• Things to do in Rome

Wanted in Rome ™ is member of the Wanted World Wide Ltd network. Click here to find out more about our Network or Follow us on social networks.

Wanted in Rome

• User Registration

© 2024 / 2025 Wanted World Wide LTD Network. All Rights Reserved. Made with Kraken PMS.

• ARTS & MUSEUMS
• EDUCATIONAL

Error report has been sent successfully.

We will review your submission and make any necessary updates.

If you're a band, promotor, venue, or artist representative,

Consider becoming one of our verified users!

- speed up the creation process

- Add multiple events and artist at once

- Skip the holding period and publish automatically

Frankfurt Private Shopping Tour

Please Wait...

Similar Events