Pink Floyd's Gilmour performs in Popeii for first time in 45 years

POMPEII, Italy, July 12 (UPI) -- David Gilmour of Pink Floyd fame played two shows at the Pompeii Amphitheater, marking the first time he has played there in 45 years.

Gilmour performed in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius July 7 and 8, where he had previously played for the 1971 film Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii, uncut.co.uk reported.

The guitarist played a number of Pink Floyd classics, along with songs from his current album, Rattle That Lock.

Among the songs he performed was "One of These Days" -- the only one he also performed there back in 1971.

He also sang "The Great Gig in the Sky" with backup from vocalists Louise Marshall, Lucy Jules and Bryan Chambers, then "Wish You Were Here" in a new arrangement featuring a honky-tonk solo performance by keyboardist Chuck Leavell.

Gilmour's concerts at the stone amphitheater, which had famously been buried in ash when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, and not uncovered until after World War II, included an audience, unlike the 1971 gig, NME reported. It was the first audience for a Pompeii Amphitheater performance in nearly 2000 years

"It's a magical place and coming back and seeing the stage and the arena was quite overwhelming," said Gilmour, an honorary citizen of Pompeii. "It's a place of ghosts...in a friendly way."

Gilmour is scheduled to perform a five-night run at London's Royal Albert Hall in September as part of the Rattle That Lock World Tour 2016.