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Unless you're Muse, concept albums aren't very fashionable these days. But back in the day they were huge: you weren't a proper rock band until you'd cranked out a record with a half-baked plot about a sci-fi armadillo or a deaf, dumb and blind kid who somehow gets really good at pinball. So there's plenty of potential for an intriguing new series called The Concept Album Talks, which kicks off in London next week with an evening based on Pink Floyd's 1973 classic 'The Dark Side of the Moon'.
First off, you won't actually hear the album. Instead the organisers have booked one speaker for each song on the record, and asked them to prepare a talk based on the song title that lasts exactly as long as the song (but isn't actually about the song). So for 'The Dark Side of the Moon' you'll hear nine talks, including someone giving a lecture on the subject of 'Speak to Me' for a minute and 13 seconds, and someone else talking for seven minutes and four seconds about 'Time'. Got it?
It could be fascinating. It could be a shambles. Since it's co-organised by the creator of the surprisingly interesting Boring Conference, we're leaning towards the former, but if you want to head down on Tuesday and find out for yourself, email albumtalks@houstonpr.co.uk or tweet @HamishMThompson or @iamjamesward. You can also let them know which classic prog records they should tackle next. Don't all Rush at once.
The Concept Album Talks is at the Theodore Bullfrog on Tuesday July 21.