What unusual item did Pink Floyd use in their live shows during the 1970s?

Pink Floyd used a giant inflatable pig in their live shows during the 1970s.

The prop was introduced during the band's 1977 In the Flesh tour, which supported the album Animals. Known as Algie, the original pig was designed by Roger Waters and built as a huge helium-filled balloon. It floated above or around the stage during performances of "Pigs (Three Different Ones)," turning the album's political imagery into a striking live spectacle.

The pig was connected to Animals, whose cover shows Battersea Power Station beneath a flying pig. The original 40-foot inflatable was photographed above the London landmark in December 1976. During the photo shoot, it broke loose and drifted across flight paths before landing on a farm in Kent.

Pink Floyd's 1977 shows also used other elaborate effects, including paper sheep, a staged family, pyrotechnics and a low-flying band jet at one concert. The pig remains the band's most famous stage prop. Later versions appeared in black or carried political messages, but the original 1970s symbol was the inflatable pink pig Algie.