REVIEW: Signs of Life Turn to the Dark Side…..of the Moon

On Saturday May 4th Cincinnati’s renowned Pink Floyd tribute band played to their biggest audience to date at Hobart Arena. It was presumably one of the happiest days of their lives. Not every band can get up and play precisely pink but Signs of Life www.facebook.com/SignsOfLifePinkFloyd take it a ‘few’ steps further adding a large screen, trippy lighting, sound effects and play PF classics with near perfect clarity and precession to satisfy the most casual to the most critical, die-hard fan. After all when you play Pink Floyd you’re paying tribute to musical perfection and a band you not only see and hear but experience. If that in itself wasn’t challenging enough they celebrated the 40^th anniversary of the bands 1973 landmark/legendary Dark Side of the Moon record. Played mid-set in its entirety with several other classics the crowd was treated to a night of mesmerizing audio/visual stimulation.

The bands eighth record, recorded at Abbey Road Studios was to become one of the greatest records of all time selling over 50 million copies worldwide, though only being number 1 for a week, had a 741 week run in billboard charts from 1973-1988. It’s the sixth best seller ever in the UK and shot the band into the stratosphere. Highly regarded for its iconic music and sounds Dark Side in record form was comprised of five continuous songs on each side lyrically representing stages of life including conflict, greed, death and mental health. In its earliest live performances it was called Dark Side of the Moon: A Piece for Assorted Lunatics. The iconic artwork inspired by the bands stage lighting represented the bold but simple design wanted. The band has also stated that the dark side of the moon is not somewhere over the rainbow.

Lights went out as Dan Barger walked slowly up through the crowd in the flesh playing clarinet starting the ambiance. Sorry… Pink couldn’t make it out tonight but no worries. Troy, Ohio you wanted the best, you got the best. The hottest Pink Floyd tribute band in the land…. Signs of Life! The marching hammers were released on screen as a large captor plane soared through the dark sarcasm in the arena. The show starts its transcendent musical build toward the moon brick by brick with creepy porcelain baby dolls appearing and falling into the educational abyss meat grinder as all the letters and grades float into place. From the lost youth of school we’re welcomed into the life and mind of the factory accompanied by mechanic thunder and watch the machine’s early new model shine fade as the building blocks of architecture and industry turn off by age, decay, constant repetitive use and neglect.  Silver tipped lights spray the audience shining on like crazy diamonds as serene keyboard wave’s splash over and steam fills the stage with long beams of illumination. They’re a girl’s best friend, especially when pink.

There was no smoking in the building but the lads and ladies treated themselves to a cigar anyway.  The wall continues to loom ascending skyward built by all the young lust calling to see about the great big gig in the sky.  While they wait we’re taken on a swirling mind bending journey through the astronomically divine cosmos. Icy blue lasers permeate the air as loud bass thumps the speaker’s, loud drum beats jolt you from the calming tranquility of the keyboards as blood splatters, glass shatters as the screen’s consumed by metaphorical violence as Jon Stankorb takes a seat slicing guitar notes into little bitty pieces.

Slowly the birth of a heartbeat invades the silence; voices and laughter speak to us as we learn to breathe in the air on the Darth side. We’re on the run chasing time before the alarm goes off ticking away the moments that make up the dog days as we hear the beauty of heavens voice in the form of Jennifer Lauletta sing through the air. It’s no secret floating adrift in space without a helmet causes brain damage but the longer you last the prettier the astral colour’s get. Only a lunatic would do it, but if you can last till the eclipse we’ll see you on the dark side of the moon.

After a well-deserved/earned standing ovation the band exited stage but the rowdy crowd brought them back. Encoring with Wish You Were Here, then we all got Comfortably Numb before preparing to Run Like Hell to beat traffic.

The Essence of Pink Floyd is: Jon Stankorb-Lead vocals, lead guitar/lap steel guitar, John Hoerr-bass/ vocals, Tom Bartel-keyboards/vocals/percussion, Tony Sager-drums/percussion, Rich Biondo-Acoustic/electric guitars, Reyna Spears/Akilah Ruiz/Jennifer Laulettas -vocals.  signsoffloyd.com