The Pink Floyd Experience, Auckland NZ, 2019

The Pink Floyd Experience

13th June 2019
Bruce Mason Centre, Auckland, New Zealand

Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Reef Reid.

Pink Floyd were an English rock band who arguably created some of the most well-known and aesthetically pleasing music in the world today. Roger Waters lyricism was second to none, David Gilmours guitar playing often referred to as ‘the missing link between Hendrix and Van Halen’, and when combined with the talents of Nick Mason and Richard Wright, Floyd were a formidable quartet who mixed the elements of progressive and psychedelic rock in all the right ways.

Sadly, since their 1965 founding, Wright has passed away, two of the remaining members Waters and Gilmour unlikely to ever step onto a stage together again – the last time they did as a part of Pink Floyd being well over a decade ago during the infamous London Live 8 concert in 2005 which was the first (and regrettably last) time they had in over twenty-four years.

Enter The Pink Floyd Experience; created in 1997 and touring internationally since 2004, this outstanding collection of performers and crew deliver breathtaking shows that encompass not only Pink Floyd’s music, but their ideals, atmosphere and the overall thrill of attending a live Pink Floyd show.

This year’s tour sees them once again take on what seems like the impossible, a two part show where the first half delivers a collection of the band’s personal Pink Floyd favourites, the second a tribute to The Wall, one of the greatest concept albums of all time, which coincidentally is also celebrating its fortieth anniversary.

With the familiar framed round circle screen above them, upon which are projected a combination of images, colours and objects that often appear to consume themselves, the band take the audience through a selection of half a dozen tracks beginning with the ambient ‘Echoes’ from Floyd’s 1971 album Meddle. Immediately Darren Whittaker draws every eye in the room towards him, his lead guitar work throughout the night capturing the ethos of Gilmours visionary song writing, his form subtle and understated as he lifts the music, allowing it to speak for itself. Alongside him Martin Mitchell also on guitar and Ken Te Tau, who covers the bass components of the music of Pink Floyd, his ability to coax that wonderful timbre from the thick strings sure to make even Waters himself smile.

Completing the core of the band is Rob Ju on drums (who also has an enviable set of pipes that come into play at the end of the evening), Jeremy Fitzsimons on percussion and Glen Ahearn on keyboards who both share the rather important task of handling all of the programming and those intricate sound effects that make Pink Floyds music what it is.

Moving through impeccable versions of ‘Breathe’ from The Dark Side of the Moon and ‘Have A Cigar’ from Wish you Were Here – which sees the audience introduced to the lead vocalists for the evening, the incomparable founding member of The Pink Floyd Experience, Stan Gratkowski and latest addition to the cast Matt Pike – and fans are lost within the sweeping waves, some, heads back with eyes closed, others already having moved to the aisle to allow the melodies to flow through their limbs as they submit their physical form in tribute.

Closing with ‘On the Turning Away’ the first half which has been a feast of aural and visual delights, the world class stage lighting complimenting the musicians every step of the way, comes to an end, a short intermission allowing the fans to digest and savour all it had to offer.

Pink Floyd’s 1979 album The Wall, is the definitive rock opera; it’s protagonist, Pink, a jaded rockstar, the wall a representation of his desire to isolate himself from the world that he has become weary of. An album of critical acclaim it spawned some of the greatest Pink Floyd tracks ever written.

The Pink Floyd Experiences tribute to this phenomenal masterpiece is a rollercoaster ride of emotion, encapsulating both theatre and rock show it is incredibly gripping from beginning to end. Where the group has been shackled by copyright boundaries over certain imagery, they have instead compiled their own which while staying true to the very essence of The Wall, allows them to add their own unique character to this flawless production.

As the evening progresses the wall is built, separating the band from the audience one brick at a time, the claustrophobic effect taking its toll on Pink (played by the prodigious Gratkowski) as he ever slowly breaks down before them.

Crowd favourites elicit sing-a-longs to tracks such as ‘Another Brick in the Wall’, but never to the point that imposes on the stage performance itself, fans intuitively understanding the production and allowing The Pink Floyd Experience to shine where required. Highlights of which there are far too many to name include a beguiling rendition of ‘Mother’ by Matt Pike, who also delivers some stunning violin as well as vocal harmonisations to the mix, a heart-wrenching version of ‘Hey You’ that almost had the entire venue holding it’s breath and of course the anthemic ‘Comfortably Numb’.

Throw these together with the balls to the wall versions of ‘Young Lust’ which features the lovely Kirsten Te Rito (who steals every scene that she graces) and ‘Run Like Hell’ and The Pink Floyd Experience is everything that you could ever hope for and more. A spontaneous standing ovation at the end, communicating to those on stage just how much their efforts were truly appreciated; a final encore the chance for fans and cast to bond as one over their love of Pink Floyd as drummer Rob Ju led everyone through ‘Wish You Were Here’ sealing the night.

The Pink Floyd Experience are the real deal, their professionalism and dedication to the music not only genuine but well worth every cent.

Were you there at the Bruce Mason Centre to witness this magnificent tribute show? Or have you seen The Pink Floyd Experience somewhere else? Tell us about it in the comments below!

Setlist:

Set 1:

1. Echoes
2. Breathe
3. Have A Cigar
4. Pigs (Three Different Ones)
5. High Hopes
6. On The Turning Away

Set 2:

1. In The Flesh (Pt 1)
2. The Thin Ice
3. Another Brick In The Wall (Pt. 1)
4. The Happiest Days of Our Lives
5. Another Brick In The Wall (Pt. 2)
6. Mother
7. Goodbye Blue Sky
8. Empty Spaces
9. Young Lust
10. One Of My Turns
11. Don’t Leave Me Now
12. Another Brick In The Wall (Pt. 3)
13. Goodbye Cruel World
14. Hey You
15. Is There Anybody Out There
16. Nobody Home
17. Vera
18. Bring The Boys Back Home
19. Comfortably Numb
20. The Show Must Go On
21. In The Flesh (Pt. 2)
22. Run Like Hell
23. Waiting For The Worms
24. Stop
25. The Trial
26. Behind The Wall
27. Wish You Were Here [encore]

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