Are You (Pink Floyd) Experienced?

If someone had told me in the heady days of my youth that I would one day pay to see a bunch of guys pretend to be Pink Floyd, I would have accused them of reckless substance abuse and written them off as hopeless idiots.

Yet yesterday, Friday March 13, at 8 pm, I found myself sitting in row 'U' at the Orpheum in Los Angeles, enjoying 'The Pink Floyd Experience' with my teenage son.  He was there because he loves the music and is a rabid guitar player.  I was there despite never really loving the music and never being more than merely interested as a player.

At some point, my son might have pondered why he'd come, since he was one of only a smattering of young people in the crowd.  Looking around the nearly sold-out house, I saw mostly a sea of gray.  Albeit an enthusiastic sea of gray, it must be said.

And well they might be.  The Faux Floyd performed many of the real band's best-loved hits and performed them with precision and panache, if not with the utmost soul of the songs' creators.  Of course, it's doubtful that the remaining original band members could (or would) give such faithful, pitch-perfect renditions of the tunes.  That's what makes tribute bands worth seeing.

The group's vocals, frequently a problem area for copycats, were anything but.  Main vocalists Graham Heath and Tom Quinn delivered the lines smoothly and accurately.  Both men also contributed the lion's share of guitar duties, with Quinn performing the complex and compelling leads of David Gilmour as if he was Gilmour's long-lost twin.  The solo in 'Comfortably Numb' was a highlight of the evening.

Quinn's bio states he was a disciple of Gilmour, but also lists Leslie West as an influence.  If he ever tires of the Pink Floyd Experience, I hope he follows with a Mountain Tribute.  Quinn also mentioned Joe Walsh as an inspiration, so maybe a doppelganger James Gang could be in the offing too?  The man does have his options...

If not as much in the spotlight, the other members of the band were equally important to the result, with excellent performances by all.  Bass player Gus Beaudoin set down a steady framework of rhythm alongside standout drummer John Staten, with keyboardist John Cox and sax player Jesse Molloy completing the soundscape.  Molloy contributed timely guitar and vocal backings to the mix as well.

The band played from 8 until 11 pm, with a 20 minute break in the middle, giving the mostly elderly fans ample opportunity for refreshments and that all-important bathroom session.  From the rich aroma filling the air, quite a few were using the break to augment the experience chemically too, although I couldn't see anyone actually lighting up. Perhaps the smells were just another part of the faux tableau, added to heighten the experience?  Dunno - the lines were long at the snack stands.

At the end of the show, as we all filed out, relatively orderly as befitted our dignified years, the band followed to meet and greet their fans in the Orpheum's lobby.  You would have thought it really was Pink Floyd and not just an Experience.

And my son?  He was riveted on the guitars and the bass the whole show, and seemed to thoroughly enjoy himself.  After all, he is a bigger fan of Pink Floyd than I.  

My great pleasure, aside from the beauty and thrill of the music, was watching the older generation and reflecting on what a great (if sometimes strange and bumpy) trip our lives have been.

That, and seeing an oversized inflated pink pig released to soar over the balcony.  Entertainment doesn't get much better than that ...