A rare tribute concert to both Pink Floyd and The Beatles will take to the stage in Maple Ridge.
Fab + Floyd features PIGS: Canada’s Pink Floyd, and The Day Trippers: Vancouver’s Own Beatles Experience.
Josh Szczepanowski, PIGS band leader, says that this show is going to be different than any show his group has ever played.
“Playing with the Beetles tribute band is very different for the group. Pink Floyd never did that and neither do we,” he said.
PIGS will be performing the entire album Dark Side of the Moon, which Szczepanowski admits, they don’t often do. They have only played the entire album three times over the past four years.
“I like the way it’s universal. They are talking about such big themes that you can always find something in it,” said Szczepanowski of Pink Floyd’s music.
“I found that even after all these years listening to Dark Side of the Moon, for example, and after all these years of playing these songs, I still find something new all the time. And it still has the power to move me a little,” he said, adding that there’s a lot of depth to Pink Floyd’s music compared to others.
Szczepanowski found himself lead vocalist of the band almost by accident. The bass player in his original band had to go away on tour and they found themselves with nothing to do.
“We played a couple of Pink Floyd songs. That was the first time I had ever sung in a band and we accidentally discovered I had the same singing voice as David Gilmore,” said Szczepanowski, who hadn’t been a huge fan of Pink Floyd at the time. That was 10 years ago.
Szczepanowski is more about the gear.
“I spent a lot of time carefully studying how all the sounds were made and how everything was done. For me, that’s what interesting,” explained Szczepanowski.
“I would doubt there’s a lot of people walking around who know more about the in depth of the gear side of things than me,” he said, adding that keyboardist Adam Basterfield is the man who knows all things Floyd.
Szczepanowski says the band strives hard to emulate the look and feel of the late 1970s, complete with lasers and a Mr. Screen. And they are very much a real rock band.
“Which I think it surprises people a little bit, but it’s great to do [a tribute band] that way,” he said.
The Day Trippers will be performing the music from the iconic The White Album in celebration of the album’s 50th anniversary, as well as selections from Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and Abbey Road. It is the 45th anniversary of Dark Side of the Moon.
As for both bands taking the stage together, Szczepanowski says that although there is a lot of cross-over in real life, with Dave Gilmore and Paul McCartney being good friends, it would be logistically impossible for them to do.
“We would need a bigger crew,” laughed Szczepanowski.
FAB + Floyd takes place at 7:30 p.m. on June 8 at the ACT Arts Centre, 11944 Haney Place in Maple Ridge. Doors open at 7 p.m. and tickets are $51.
• For more information call 604-476-2787 or go to theactmapleridge.org.
