REVIEW: Australian Pink Floyd, Echo Arena

Jul 6 2009 by Emma Pinch, Liverpool Daily Post

AUSTRALIAN Pink Floyd are fast becoming as legendary in their own way as the genuine article. The arena-filling appeal of a tribute band is to the uninitiated, quite baffling. It wasn’t explained either by the first sight the Antipodeans rockers who were kicking off this year’s Summer Pops – diminutive black-clothed figures largely lost behind a jungle of lasers and 40ft animation.

APF The Wall tour does exactly what it says on the can, it recreates the 1979 concept album from start to finish.

A rock opera about personal isolation loosely based around the experiences of Roger Waters, the story is told in song and via a cartoon character called Pink who, after a string of losses, gradually builds a wall between himself and society.

Another Brick in the Wall had everyone stamping along, but it wasn’t just the headliners that had fans twanging their air guitars. Most knew the album back to front and heads worked appreciatively to each climax of every screaming instrumental, particularly the heartfelt Is Anybody Out There.

Comfortably Numb was flawless, as was the extravagant Vera/Bring the Boys Back Home.

The huge balloon pig was a fun nod to authentic detail, but the relentlessly dark animation projected over the band’s heads, with its marching hammers and graphic portrayal of man-eating female flowers was just authenticity overload.

What the Aussie version doesn’t do is try to be the band.

There’s no limelight seeking posturing, role-playing or, apart from the obligatory “G’day”, even speaking from the members of Australian Pink Floyd.

They entirely concentrate on turning out a near perfect reproduction of the music as it was meant to be played; live and loud, and they let the album’s epic score with its choirs, voice overs and military tattoos do all the entertaining.This is one tribute band who won’t be playing for beer at the Dog and Duck anytime soon.

EMMA PINCH