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 Preston
Guild Hall
Monday 27th March 2006
By Anna Newby
As the audience continues to arrive, filling the last few seats of the
compact venue, the lights suddenly dim and the loud bass of the "Speak
to me" intro crashes out. For what seems like an age, pulsating beat
shakes the room. Certainly a memorable start to the show, if not
somewhat intimidating!
From the outset, the explosion of lights and sound effects, brilliantly
recreated from "Dark Side of the Moon", blend effortlessly together.
"Time", with its powerful vocals and more structured tempo, sets itself
apart from the first few songs.
It's easy to see why this tribute band attracts such a huge following.
Their accuracy and attention to detail cannot be faulted, remaining true
to the original material and transporting their audience to the 1973
"Dark Side of the Moon" tour in amongst the long-haired hippies of the
Genesis / Santana persuasion.
The breathtaking vocals of "The Great Gig in the Sky" felt, quite
simply, like an unprecedented slap in the face; something new, something
big, something truly amazing. Soaring notes, real emotion and a
believably strong delivery leaves you wondering: just what is this
wonderful message that this woman really wants the world to know?
With all eyes transfixed on the witty projected images, and the band’s
nondescript and understated wardrobe, the musicians become secondary to
the show.
Their clever, thought-provoking imagery makes a play on the band’s
Australian background, replacing many of the key images with Kangaroos.
You may remember, for example, the marching hammers of "Another Brick in
the Wall"; Aussie Floyd have cleverly replaced the hammerheads with
Kangaroos! The most amusing example, however, comes during the recital
of "Brain Damage"; in amongst images of nuclear explosions, Margaret
Thatcher and President Bush, a short clip of Dame Edna Everidge was
slipped in, animating lyrics such as "the lunatic is in the hall".
Given the brevity of the "Dark Side of the Moon" album, the audience is
suddenly thrown from hard hitting rock into silence, a "thanks for
coming tonight" and a "see you in a bit".
"Shine on You Crazy Diamond", the infamous tribute to former ‘Floyd
member. Sid Barrett, brings us swiftly back into the room. The wailing
guitar solos fills the air, gospel style backing vocals lending a
richness to the overall sound and making all the hairs on the back of my
neck stand on end. Having filled the Kings Dock Waterfront Arena,
Liverpool in 2004, this lowly auditorium doesn't do the band’s huge show
much justice.
The second half of the concert explained the high volume of under-30s, a
generation who have never had the opportunity to see the real Floyd in
action. Trans-generation classics such as "Another Brick in the Wall",
made accessible to this generation through chart-hitting covers, demand
considerably louder applause and cheering.
The end of the gig approaches, and in the post-encore interval, a couple
of people make their exits, missing an amazing finale.
The band tease the audience with the intro riffs to "Run like hell", one
long guitar scratch and silence. Another screech and silence again. The
crowd goes wild, chanting and clapping in anticipation, pleading for
more. Then it comes, "Run like hell", with all its drama and panic,
followed by "Wish You Were Here" & "Comfortably Numb", the other two
wider known, cross-decade tracks.
All this grandeur and panache makes me wonder, is Floyd the only band
with a legacy so great that scores of people will flock to watch a
tribute show? And are there any bands from our generation who are likely
to make such an impact on the masses that, in twenty years time, scores
of people will be flocking to see their tribute shows too?
Recommended Links:
www.aussiefloyd.com
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