Originally published by L.S.Media. July 6th 2009.
For all Pink Floyd fans, the lack of news concerning any type of gig celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of one of the best selling albums of all time is a bit too much to bear. What with the untimely death of keyboard player Richard Wright within the last year and the still apparent animosity between Roger Waters and David Gilmour, the next reunion might well be when they all take part in the Great Gig in the Sky.
Thankfully the opening act of this years Liverpool Summer Pops at the Echo Arena had it covered and then some!
The Australian Pink Floyd Show has, for many years, more than filled the void for any Pink Floyd fan and comes with all the grace, incredible lyrics, superb guitar work and stunning visuals but with none of the baggage. A band that is held in such high regard that even David Gilmour had them play at his wedding.
The main thing that has changed from when Pink Floyd took the original show out on the road during 1979-1980 is the lack of wall that used to be built between the performers and the audience. Originally used to alienate “Pink” from the crowd and to give a sense of singularity and disorder which the crowd took to their hearts. Now, with 21st century technology, there is no need for that as a giant screen behind the band shows incredible, yet simple artwork showing the “wall” being created during the show whilst the audience gets to still see the band on stage.
From the opening bar T.A.P.F.S made it their own by tweaking it here and there to give it a subtle but enjoyable Australian twist.
The musicians on stage recreating this friendly spectre of times past did everything right as they played In the Flesh and every teacher’s nightmare from the period, Another Brick in the Wall (Part Two) with its haunting cries of “we don’t need no education” and the screen behind showing updated cartoon work of the artist Gerald Scarfe.
Much credit must go to everybody on stage who seemed to pour every drop of emotion into playing the stunning Comfortably Numb and the sardonic Run Like Hell.
T.A.P.F.S finished an excellent and nostalgic set with some of the Pink Floyd’s other notable songs, including Shine on you Crazy Diamond from Wish you Were Here which featured a photographic tribute to the late great Syd Barratt, Brain Damage from Dark Side of the Moon, One of these Days from Meddle and a beautiful version of the afore mentioned Wish You Were Here.
If this is only the start of this years Summers Pops then the next month will see some of the best music that Liverpool has witnessed for a long, long time.
Ian D. Hall