So here's a brief review of the gig that I went to on Sunday at the White Rock Theatre in Hastings - the awesome Think Floyd !
From the first 4 notes of an all-time classic album opener, I knew this was going to be an amazing night and Think Floyd truly delivered on that promise. After warming us up with some old favourites, this talented band launched into a complete rendition of the 1979 album The Wall, complete with sound effects, an eclectic range of instrumentalism, and a quintet of vocals to spice up the performance.
Choosing to break at just the right place for an intermission (“goodbye!”), this left the most haunting part of the composition to kick off the second half. The melancholic euphoria of Comfortably Numb and the musical portrayal of the fall and rise of the protagonist Pink surprised me with an emotional response I haven’t felt from live music in quite some time. Maybe it was the eventual return to performing after a fraught 18 months of lockdown and the genuine passion that Think Floyd have for not only playing the timeless music but also embodying the soul of the legends, but it was definitely a moving experience.
No points for guessing which Dark Side track elicited a powerful and pitch-perfect performance from their guest vocalist or the sublime decision of what to play from the following album but rest assured they were the spot-on choices to round out an evening of musical elation. It’s no spoiler to say that they deserved an encore and the meddlesome choice of closing song left everyone on a high.
Casual listeners of the Floyd can be forgiven for thinking that their music is all prog noodling but a performance like this is a reminder of how much it can actually rock! When bands fall apart, tributes are left to keep the performances alive and at no point did this feel like a poor echo. As declared on their posters, Nick Mason himself claimed that Think Floyd are “brilliant; they’re better than we are” and after seeing them for myself, I’m inclined to agree!
if you haven't bought your ticket to a show this year, DO IT!