The thing about Tribute acts is that if they’re based on a band with an idiosyncratic front man, it can all too easily end up as bad pantomime. Trying to copy a Johnny Rotten or a Jim Morrison, well it’s never going to be easy is it? But if you take a band that has always put the music first, and backed it up with theatrical productions and lightshows, well that’s going to be a lot more faithful in it’s replication. Which is where Brit Floyd come up trumps. Large ensemble band of seasoned musicians, and backing singers? Check. Awesome Mothership of a lightshow with more lasers than Jean Michel Jarre could wave a stick at? Check. Enormous inflatable piggies? Check. Hell, they’ll even throw in an entire class of eager schoolchildren to let you know what they think of their “Edu-Ca-Shun”.
The set list covers all the high points of Pink Floyd’s career, with enough proggy solos here and there to satisfy even the most hard core of fans. Highlights include a celestial rendition of ‘Great gig in the sky’ with Ola Bienkowska singing her heart out. ‘Wish you were here’ is the truly moving sing along it should be, without ever descending into crowd pleasing cheese. ‘Comfortably Numb’, possibly one of the greatest songs ever written by Floyd is the icing on the cake, treated in a suitably theatrical fashion.
Unlikely as it is that the remaining members of Pink Floyd will ever share a stage again, Brit Floyd are in the premier position to give the fans what they want. The enduring quality of the music, the size and eye popping mastery of the production, it’s all any Floyd fan could hope for. And sure with all those lights, if you squint you could imagine it’s the real thing anyway…
Brit Floyd are touring the UK during the summer, for tour dates go to: http://www.britfloyd.com/
Photos: www.markwilliamsphotography.com/
