Month: August 2011

That concert was magnificent, complete with white wall, irresistible grammatically incorrect choruses and a strutting Nazi-like Gratkowski belting out Roger Waters’ lyrics.

You must have been on the dark side of the moon if you haven’t heard or sung along to at least one song from the British supergroup Pink Floyd. PULSE, by New Zealand’s The Pink Floyd Experience, is the latest show to pay homage to the band whose career peaked twenty to thirty years ago and is on stage at The Mandela at the Joburg Theatre in Braamfontein.

It’s the second visit to South Africa by The Pink Floyd Experience which was created by and features New Zealanders Darren Whittaker, Glen Ahearn and Stan Gratkowski.  Huge fans of the Brit band which was formed in 1965, the trio produced their first Pink Floyd tribute show The Wall in 1997 which toured New Zealand, Australia and then South Africa in 2005.

I went to that concert.  Apart from the fabulous music I enjoyed seeing such a wide spread of people and ages in the audience. From kids who must have been born decades after the release of The Wall to excited retirees whose eyes shone with nostalgia as they talked about their memories of the sixties and seventies when Pink Floyd reigned supreme, and music was something you could really listen to, “not like the noise they play on the radio now.”

That concert was magnificent, complete with white wall, irresistible grammatically incorrect choruses and a strutting Nazi-like Gratkowski belting out Roger Waters’ lyrics. We all chanted how we didn’t need no education and exhorting everyone to tear down the wall! It was exciting stuff.  There was the same diverse mix of ages for PULSE.

PULSE pays homage to Pink Floyd’s Division Bell album both from an audio and visual point of view. The title refers to the bell rung in the British Houses of Parliament when a vote is to take place. The 10-piece band, Gratkowski on lead vocals and three back up singers do the original songs justice, particularly What Do You Want From Me. The staging, lighting and the graphics on the large screen behind the band are a faithful rendition to the original concerts. But for me, the first half would appeal to hardcore Pink Floyd fans addicted to their guitar heavy, psychedelic rock phase. I wanted more lyrics to sing along to.

The second half eclipsed the first (pun intended). It featured songs from The Dark Side of the Moon, one of my favourite albums of all time. Even being tone deaf I think I sound pretty good when harmonising to Us and Them. I couldn’t believe I remembered all the lyrics to Money which I hadn’t sung along to in years. Time had the audience attempting to emulate the song’s clock sounds. Not very successfully. By the time the last song was played – Run like Hell – we were on our feet, whistling and stomping for more. Two encores later and the male members of the audience air guitared out (it’s a guy thing) after trying to keep up with the super talented Darren Whittaker, we slowly filed out.

Everyone looked a little faraway, like time travellers wrenched from a younger, more easygoing time when mortgages and divorce didn’t exist and you lived for Saturday nights. I spotted a few accountant-looking types still playing air guitar and making accompanying noises to the music in their heads as they headed for their cars. Ah, memories are made of this!

The show runs until 4 September at the Joburg Theatre in Braamfontein.

By Jacqui Thompson

This music pulses in the veins of the audience even after the show has ended.

Utter darkness, a spotlight shines brightly on the first musician, the spotlight moves, highlighting even more talent until the stage is full of light; the audience hold their breath until the first word is sung. Lights shine and laser beams dance, the overall performance was and still is spectacular.

The night started off with the programme, most people flick through them in absolute boredom, trying to pass the time. But this programme got many audience members laughing. It’s wonderfully written, revealing secrets of the band members’ favourite pranks and activities.

The music had no faults, each and every band member obviously has talent and enjoyed what they were doing and playing. It was so good to see them ‘feeling the music’ whereas many other shows have the members merely playing the music, waiting for the show to be over. I could see the disappointment but satisfaction as the last note of the night was played.

Stan Gratkowski was definitely perfect for the role he played, he did a wonderful impersonation of the real Pink Floyd lead singer, Roger Waters. After doing some research, it’s easy to tell that the performance was done by the book, making sure to keep all the original animations used in the real Pink Floyd performances. The only fault I had with Gratowski was he was very soft compared to the rest of the band. The lyrics were often hard to hear, although it must have just been his voice because when the drummer, Rob Ju, took the stage, every word of his was clear as a bell.

The lighting effects were amazing and really had a massive, positive impact on the performance. Unfortunately, I had a few unintentional lighting effects added to my experience in the seats next to me and rows in front of me. I don’t know how much good it will do to have an announcement before the show, requesting no photography – especially with flash – and that all cellphones should be turned off. Also, I would appreciate it if the audience had a bathroom break beforehand to avoid having to go during the show.

If the performance had any glitches, I did not see or hear them. The show is a must see for all Pink Floyd fans. This is no mere tribute show, the band members and vocalists all contribute to making the performance seem so realistic, as if one were watching the originals making music. Five stars is even a bit of an understatement; this show requires no judging, it already seems perfect.

Jaylin de Klerk (ARTSLINK SOUTH AFRICA) 08/19/2011

Those mildly interested in this iconic band may well find this is a laid-back musical exploration into the extensive songbook of Pink Floyd. It’s all about quality musicianship and a fine eye for detail. There are no undue stage histrionics.

The producers of this show, which comes from Down Under, have conceived a concert that recreates the band’s landmark stadium show, The Division Bell Tour, which was released as an album in the 1990s entitled ‘Pulse’.

The musicianship is an outstanding factor in the show. Three performers, ace guitarist Darren ‘Daz’ Whittaker, singer Stan Gratkowski, both the brains behind the concept, and saxophonist Roger Rangitaawa, whose moody musical attack adds texture to the numbers, featured prominently.

The Pink Floyd Experience was last in Johannesburg in 2005 with their presentation of The Wall, and with their new show they again demonstrate the art of creating atmosphere. Employing laser technology that wraps around the audience, back screen projection and some awesome lighting patterns, this seven-piece band, with three dynamic female vocalists, tap into the whole psychedelic era that helped define Pink Floyd and its music.

It’s a visual and aural spectacle to behold. It’s all about the music, which requires attention, as this tight band swoop and soar through some of the most profound compositions of the rock era.

Rather than presenting a flamboyant stage presentation, the onus here is on the interpretation of the music – and it’s as near as you can realistically get to the real thing. Singer Gratkowski has a wonderful grasp of the intricate lyrics and a fine voice to boot and he stays glued to the microphone. Surrounding him are Rob Ju on drums and acoustic guitar, Jeremy Fitzsimonson percussion, Ken Te Tau on bass and Glen Ahearn (another founder member) on keyboards. And standing deep are the three backing vocalists, Stephanie Hearfield, Lynley Joy Goodisson and Wini Baxter. And what a sound they manage to create.

The first half featured material such as Shine on You Crazy Diamond, the haunting A Great Day For Freedom (with slide guitar by Whittaker), and Mother, another highlight.

The second half was devoted to The Dark Side of the Moon with more than a dozen songs, including my all-time favourite, Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2), which certainly had the large audience going.  In the closer confines of a theatre, as opposed to an outdoor arena, Pink Floyd’s music has a rare intimacy and this was potently telegraphed to an appreciative audience.

This concert goes a long way in giving us some idea what they were all about.

The Pink Floyd Experience Pulse 2011 is on at The Mandela, Joburg Theatre until 4 September.
Feldman has been a journalist and arts critic for over 45 years and served on The Star in various capacities for 35 years, ending up as a specialist writer on films, music and theatre. During that time he travelled extensively on assignments and interviewed many international film and pop stars, both in South Africa and overseas. He also covered some of South Africa’s biggest film and musical events. He is active in the freelance field and his work over the past 12 years has appeared in a variety of South African newspapers and magazines. He writes regularly for Artslink.co.za, The Citizen, South African Jewish Report, The Sunday Independent and is a contributor to “Eat Out” Magazine. He also contributes movie reviews on Mondays to The Gordon Hoffman Easy Morning Show on 1485 Radio Today (www.1485.org.za) and has worked on TV in his specialist capacity. Over the years Feldman has been the recipient of several awards for his contribution to music journalism and the SA record industry. He wrote lyrics for some top artists, including Sipho Mabuse, and had a hit disco single, “Video Games,” which was released in 1988. After retiring from The Star in April, 1999, Feldman joined the PR and events management company, Dlamini Weil Communications, where he currently works as an entertainment and media consultant.

Peter Feldman (ARTSLINK SOUTH AFRICA) 08/19/2011 09:33:47