Two successive nights, Pink Floyd music, concerts, people dancing in the aisles, and
that strange smelling smoke wafting through the auditorium. What an experience. It is
a very special treat to see a band that has musicians you actually know personally.
One of the band’s drummers (actually “percussionist") is the son of one of my best
friends (and fellow musician) from high school. He lives in Great Falls now, but was
in Bozeman for the concert. I was also asked by the mother of the bass player to take
photos. One of the keyboard players went to school with my nephew. So it was a nice
connection to the band and music. Linda and I, my sister, and my old friend Ron Fleming
watched the show on the second night from the balcony, so I even got two different points
of view for the performance. (The first night we were about five rows back on the main floor.)
Pink Floyd is one of my favorite bands. I started listening to them with Atom Heart Mother back in the late sixties. (I especially am fond of Rick Wright, the keyboardist from the original British band.) There are two albums I played so much I actually bought another copy to replace the worn out originals: Dark Side and Tumbleweed Connection.
Pinky has two talented keyboardist, “Pinky” (Joe Kirtchner) who plays a “Keytar” (look it up) and Chris Cundy on a Hammond B3. Don't you just love the Hammond backing the guitar licks? The Floyd consists of ten musicians in all, two backup singers, two guitars, two drummers, two keyboards, bass, and a saxophone/acoustic guitar player. Of course, the real Pink Floyd usually had about two backup musicians for each original member when they toured, so it is expected it will take a lot of musicians to duplicate their music.
A special treat both nights was the appearance of Dave Walker, now a local resident. This British veteran of Savoy Brown and Black Sabbath did some vocals and also played the important role of “Pink” in the Wall drama. Add in the Bozeman High School Choir, four “party girls,” and a video show that would make Gilmour and Waters proud, and you had a very professional performance by a hometown band with super talent.
The band members are all professional musicians — no “day jobs.” Almost all perform regularly with various smaller bands in the area, and several teach music at local stores. They gather regularly as “Pinky and the Floyd,” and this series of concerts was the pinnacle of their efforts as they learned every song from the Wall to do the Thursday night performance. Last night was sweeter with the entire Dark Side performed along with many favorites from several PF albums and a reprise of some key Wall selections. The sound system was exceptional, the band was on target all night, no technical glitches — which is saying a lot since this was a very high tech performance with lights and fog. A great time was had by all in an audience that spanned the ages. The usual, friendly concert crowd as old rockers (including yours truly) enjoyed their memories while young kids and couples made new memories of their own.
Get on Google and check out Pinky, and Pink, and Mr. Walker, and add some history and knowledge to my short note. Then dig out your old PF albums — no cheating with CDs — gotta be vinyl. Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em and have a psychedelic trip back to the seventies. Pink Floyd! Pinky and the Floyd!! An honest and talented tribute.
