We sent Iulia down to Royal Concert Hall to see Pink Floyd - of the Australian variety...
Many a day have I spent pottering about in a Pink Floyd T-shirt and many an evening have I forced the likes of Comfortably Numb and Money upon reluctant ears (sorry mum!). I’ve loved Pink Floyd for years now, and I have numerous prized memories attached to their music, so to have had the chance to hear all my favourite songs live? Yeah, that was nothing short of incredible.
If you’re like me and have the music taste of a dad from the 70s (aka great taste), you might understand the pain that comes with the fact that not many of your dearest bands tour anymore. Which is why tribute bands like Australian Pink Floyd are so special.
Their sound last night at the Royal Concert Hall was so clear and meticulously practiced and executed, everything sounded note by note just like on the albums. Even the two alternating singers somehow recreated the vocals perfectly. The setlist didn’t disappoint either, they played songs from all albums in the band’s career, and every single one was met with great enthusiasm by the crowd. You could tell they meant a lot to everyone present.
The show kicked off with the atmospheric Shine on You Crazy Diamond, followed by a brilliant rendition of Learning to Fly, both accompanied by a mesmerizing show of lights and lasers. Time followed, along with the astounding Great Gig in the Sky, which served us the most amazing female vocal performances I’ve witnessed live. I was drowning in a sea of chills after that one.
The band then travelled to the bleaker side of Pink Floyd, with Welcome to the Machine - a song about the money-grubbing record producers controlling the music industry (nothing’s changed there, huh) which contributed to Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett's mental collapse. This was followed by the slightly more popular, yet equally bleak number that is Another Brick in the Wall. A huge inflatable teacher ominously scrutinizing the audience during the interval took up most of the stage, making sure they weren’t eating their pudding!
The second half of the show continued where it left off with more tracks from The Wall album. By now the audience was at the mercy of the band and during Mother gladly responded to the “Mother should I trust the government?” line with a resounding “NO!!”. Whether Pink Floyd are simply timeless or the political state of the world seems to refuse to change for the better is a story for another time, but one thing is certain - Pink Floyd’s music is still relevant to this day.
Mother was followed by a montage of soundbites that paid homage to their homeland – Neighbours, AC/DC and Kylie, before the audience was sent to a cheer with the long-awaited Wish You Were Here. You could almost forget that you’re not watching the real thing if not for the graphics with lots of Australian links playing in the background and the occasional giant kangaroo inflatable taking over the stage. ‘Wait, what?’ you might say. Yes, they had a giant kangaroo join the stage at one point and I loved every second of it!
Of course, the show ended on the slightly predictable, yet inarguably legendary number that is Comfortably Numb which had an even bigger reaction than its previously celebrated counterpart. Whether you can tell Pink Floyd from their Australian counterparts or not, no one can deny that the show was an absolute blast. Every musician in the band was incredible. They had very big shoes to fill and they absolutely nailed it! Having the chance to experience one of my all-time favourite bands live was honestly invaluable.
Thank you, The Australian Pink Floyd Show!
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