Roy and Lily in their Pink Floyd t-shirts pre-concert.
Pink Floyd. What can I say. I’m a fan. Have been a fan like, forever. Roy’s a fan too. In fact, in the last century, Roy and I have both been fortunate enough to see Pink Floyd on two of their world tours. In 1987, while attending the University of Tennessee in Knoxville (Go Vols!), I saw them on their, “A Momentary Lapse of Reason” tour in Atlanta and ten years later, Roy saw them in Nashville on their “Brain Damage” tour.
This past winter, Roy called to tell me that Brit Floyd, a nine-piece British based, Pink Floyd tribute band would be performing at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in August to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the release of Pink Floyd’s, “The Wall” album and would I like to attend with him. Yes please!!!! And as a bonus, young super-fan Lily would be joining us. That’s some good parenting on Roy’s part. So proud.
Tour poster with all the dates in North America and concert ticket.
Pre-show selfie. I had perma-grin the entire time. My face hurt from smiling so much.
The two disc, 1979 release of the rock opera, “The Wall” was Pink Floyd’s 11th studio album and one of the best selling albums of all time. This release was a semi-biographical creation by songwriter Roger Waters which reflects his childhood growing up in post WWII Britain. This was also the basis of their 1982 film by the same name. We must have listened to this album and watched the movie a gazillion times.
This was a totally different kind of rock concert. Instead of hand waving, foot stomping, screaming adoration, it was more like sitting in your living room, spinning the vinyl on your stereo and just letting the music wash over you with the added bonus of a million dollar laser light show swirling around you.
Lights, lasers and video accompany music from the 1977 album, “Animals” featuring a giant inflatable pig with glowing eyes stage right.
Dramatic, theatrical production of “Comfortably Numb”.
There were a couple of grand audience sing-along moments that just made the evening. The first participation moment was during the song, “Another Brick in the Wall” which includes the infamous lyrics, “We don’t need no education” with the choral refrain, “Hey teachers leave those kids alone”. That really made the crowd crazy happy.
The other crowd pleaser sing-along was “Wish You Were Here” with the refrain, “We’re just two lost souls, Swimming in a fish bowl, Year after year.”
The musicianship and prowess of the performers was simply staggering. Several of the musicians were classically trained having attended esteemed conservatories while others got their chops gigging with their families as well as performing with well known artists both in the studio and on the road.
The three back-up vocalists were phenomenal. Eva Avila sang “The Great Gig in the Sky” with a mind-blowing, stratospheric range. We were held spellbound and I found myself sitting there with my mouth agape.
Individually or as an ensemble, they created a layered and textured soundscape.
With a couple of acoustic guitars, a clarinet, and a squeeze box, the encore concluded with the band gathered center stage to perform an acoustic rendition of “Outside the Wall”. After the electric wails, heavy bass, percussion and glimmering lasers it was a quiet, melancholy, perfect end.
Lily and Roy walking to the parking garage with the state capitol standing proudly in the foreground and Lily fast asleep on the way home.