Brit Floyd – Wish You Were Here – 50th Anniversary Tour
Mayo Performing Arts Center – Morristown, NJ – May 6, 2025
Review & Photos – Rebecca Wolf
https://www.instagram.com/rebeccawolfconcertphotos/
Having the opportunity to still attend performances of original artists/bands from the 60s-80s, an era we now refer to as Classic Rock, is always a thrill….especially if the vocalists’ abilities remain strong. In the past decade there’s been a boom of 70s and 80s bands returning to the road, often for “one last tour,” revisiting their glory days and sharing their beloved music with adoring fans. However, the further we move away from the Classic Rock era, the more the opportunity to attend these performances slips away. One of the greatest things about music (especially in this day and age) is that once it’s been created, released and made it’s mark, it remains a part of the musical universe. Whether you opt to listen on vinyl, cassette, CD or streaming….at home, in your car, on your computer or on your phone, you can dial back and listen to the music from the decades that filled your heart and soul. However, sometimes it’s still great to hear that beloved music performed live, to experience the sound and spirit of the musicians and vocalists, and the energy of a like-minded crowd.
When you can no longer see the OGs perform, tribute bands are a touchstone to that era, helping to keep the music alive and fans connected to those revered artists. Are they THE musicians you’ve carried in your heart for the past 40-50 years? No. Does the music sound exactly the same? Of course not. But, when it’s a skilled tribute band it’s an opportunity to immerse oneself in the dynamic energy that only a live performance can bring. While there are many tribute bands, particularly for the most well-known Classic Rock artists, a lot of fans are very specific about which tribute bands they’re willing to see, especially when it comes to their favorite artists. Tribute bands can range from those who are known in a local area to those who are known nationally and sometimes internationally. Those well-known tribute bands are considered the best-of-the best….the tribute band to see if the original is no longer an option. One of those “top tier” tribute bands is Brit Floyd, a Pink Floyd tribute band formed in Liverpool in 2011 by Damian Darlington, the band’s guitarist, vocalist, lap steel player and musical director.
Having performed with The Australian Pink Floyd Show from 1994-2011, Darlington set out to create a Pink Floyd tribute that further showcased the nuances of Pink Floyd’s music, visuals and award-winning laser show. For the past 14 years, Brit Floyd has done just that while touring extensively around the globe. The band has performed in some of the most iconic venues worldwide, including Royal Albert Hall in London; Red Rocks Amphitheater in Denver; the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles; and Radio City Music Hall in NYC. Masterfully performing Pink Floyd’s elaborate, psychedelic musical stories requires a band of incredibly skilled instrumentalists and backing vocalists and there’s no lack of talent in Brit Floyd. Sharing the stage with Darlington since the band’s inception is Ian Cattell on bass and vocals. Additional members currently include Edo Scordo (guitars, vocals), Matt Riddle (piano, keyboards, Hammond organ), Randy Cooke (drums, percussion), Ryan Saranich (sax, keyboards, percussion, guitars), as well as backing vocalists Genevieve Little, Eva Avila and Robyn Cage.
On May 6th, these incredible performers brought what’s been called “The Greatest Pink Floyd Tribute Show” to a sold out crowd at Mayo PAC, on their Wish You Were Here – 50th Anniversary Tour. There was excitement in the air from the lobby to the theater, as fans from young millennials to older baby boomers filled the seats. While I was initially surprised at some of the older individuals, it quickly dawned on me that Pink Floyd is THEIR music…their generation. Fifty years ago, when Wish You Were Here was released, they were 20-something diehard Pink Floyd fans. “I saw my first Pink Floyd show in ’77,” an enthusiastic gentleman shared with me. Another fan excited stated, “I was so lucky to find this single ticket yesterday. This is going to be such a great show!” When I admitted to both that not only had I never attended a Pink Floyd concert, but I’d also never seen a Brit Floyd show, their enthusiasm gave me all the confidence that I was going to be hearing an incredible performance of Pink Floyd’s music, paired with an exceptional stage performance and laser light show.
From the moment the band members arrived, opening with “Signs of Life,” from Pink Floyd’s 1987 album A Momentary Lapse of Reason, the darkened stage became highlighted by brightly colored spotlights and magnificent bursts of color. As the song transitioned to “Learning to Fly”, an image of a bald eagle filled the towering, illuminated circle on the stage backdrop. Throughout the show this circle functioned as a portal into the world of Pink Floyd, showcasing scenes from the various songs performed, as the stage was continuously flooded by a glorious array of colored beams of light. During the first set there was a heavy emphasis on 1979’s The Wall, including incredible performances of “Goodbye Blue Sky,” “Empty Space,” “Young Lust,” “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2” and “Mother.” Additional numbers in the set encompassed music from Pink Floyd’s catalog spanning 1973 through 1994, including “The Great Gig in the Sky” and “Time” from 1973’s The Dark Side of The Moon, “Pigs (Three Different Ones)” from 1977’s Animals, “What Shall We Do Now?” from Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall Live 1980–81, “Two Suns in the Sunset from 1983’s The Final Cut and “High Hopes” from 1994’s The Division Bell.”
The evening’s two sets, were divided by a 20-minute intermission. Conversing with two ecstatic fans during the break I was again questioned whether I’d been to a Brit Floyd performance before. When they learned I hadn’t one gushed, “I’m telling you….if you were to close your eyes you’d think you were at a Pink Floyd show. That’s how good they are!” I was duly impressed by this endorsement, which confirmed why it was a sold out performance and the rationale for Brit Floyd being referred to as “The Greatest Pink Floyd Tribute Show.” “We might try to hit The Australian Pink Floyd Show when they’re in the area,” he continued. “They are a step down…but still good.”
The crowd eagerly returned for the evening’s second set, knowing that Wish You Were Here would be performed in it’s entirety. While the first set showcased an incredible onstage light show, during the second set the lighting evolved into a phenomenal laser display. The vibrantly colored lasers flashed throughout the theater and beams of light crisscrossed over the heads of the crowd, as fans remained absorbed throughout the powerful, majesty of Wish You Were Here. With “Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Pts. 6-9” bringing the album to a close, the stage momentarily faded to black before the glow of blue and purple lights and the ominous music of The Wall’s “Comfortably Numb,” brought cheers from the crowd. As the opening lyrics began the audience fell silent, mesmerized by the haunting sound, showcasing incredibly passionate vocals, dynamic guitar jams, and surround by swirls of vibrant lasers and a towering, spinning disco ball overhead.
Following the dramatic ending of the second set, the encore began with the melancholy spirit of The Dark Side of the Moon’s iconic “Brain Damage” and “Eclipse.” The performance came to a close with the The Wall’s energetic, rocking “Run Like Hell,” the theater again filled with flashes of multi-colored lasers, the fans on their feet, dancing, hands waving in the air, reveling in the incredible psychedelic rock of Pink Floyd….and the phenomenal tribute performance of Brit Floyd.
When you can no longer see original bands perform, skilled tribute bands help keep the music alive and give fans an opportunity to immerse themselves in the dynamic energy that only a live show can bring. One of those “top tier” tribute bands is Brit Floyd, “The Greatest Pink Floyd Tribute Show.” The next time I’m at a Brit Floyd show and someone asks if I’ve seen them perform, I will happily be able to YES! Can’t wait for that next performance.
