The Australian Pink Floyd show has been touted as the greatest tribute show on earth. After witnessing the show in Grand Prairie, Texas on October 17^th, they not only deserve that accolade, they have earned it. Their dedication to purpose is amazing. I’m talking every detail, from the execution of every note played, to every laser light, to every 3D effect displayed and even the blow up pig on stage; this show is perfect. The next statement I will make is huge: Pink Floyd would have a hard time putting on a better show.

The ONLY thing that was not spot on 100% perfect was when they tried to emulate Roger Waters vocal parts where he has that biting, angry tone. They did a damn good job, but so far as this writer can tell, there is only one person on earth who can sound exactly like Roger, and that is Waters, himself.

Opening number “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” set the tone for the magical performance. The music, as stated before, was perfect. The guitar solo was amazing and the keyboards put one in a trance. If only the ‘real’ Floyd would put forth a set list like the Australian Floyd does! To follow up “Diamond” with “Welcome to the Machine” was brutally delightful. I swear I recycled some brain cells hanging around from 1981, as I felt stoned, and I assure you I have not touched the stuff in decades!

Two songs were performed from Division Bell, arguably Floyd’s weakest album, in “Coming Back to Life” and “What Do You Want From Me.” It would have been much more enjoyable to have the band delve back farther into the Syd Barrett days as “Arnold Layne” and “Careful with that Axe Eugene” were two of the highlights of the evening. That said, I suppose the average attendee was more of a casual Floyd fan and was not even sure what they were hearing when the rare tunes were performed.

Ending Set One was “Dogs” from Animals. If guys named Gilmour and Waters had been in the audience during this song, they would have given the Aussies a standing ovation for the riveting, emotional and angry performance of this song. “Dogs” is a masterpiece and to end the first set with it was genius. The band left the crowd hanging on the edge. They performed a flawless first set without playing a note from either Dark Side of the Moon or The Wall. Those albums would, however, be well represented in the second set of the evening.

Before the second set began, the crowd all put on their 3D glasses. The lights went down and the giant, circular screen in the middle of the stage began with a wonderfully creepy, eerie, spacey and entertaining 3D show that came and went throughout the second set of tunes. “Breathe” was a great choice to open with and “Time” was the perfect song to mix with 3D images of clocks ticking away the moments. “Great Gig in the Sky” gave the background singers time to show and, and show off they did, getting a thunderous applause.

The band ended the second set with Dark Side’s classic “Money,” and two songs from The Wall, “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)” and “Comfortably Numb.” Sandwiched in-between The Wall songs were the musical highlight of the evening, the instrumental “One of These Days” from Floyd’s Meddle album. The song took the already amazing show into the stratosphere. The guitar playing was energetic and the crowd ate up the music the band pumped out. “Comfortably Numb” predictably had the crowd eating out the Aussies hands. This is just a great song, plain and simple. When the second set ended, no one left the arena, as a standing ovation was called for.

The band returned and performed “Run Like Hell” from The Wall as many patrons made the hammer sign with their arms like the did in the movie version of The Wall. Floating pigs and school headmasters adorned the stage and the video and laser show blasted out a spectacular array of images throughout the tune. When the song ended, the band took a bow and left the stage.

The Australian Pink Floyd Show raises the bar for all tribute bands across the board. Instead of thinking of this group as a tribute band, one should think of them akin to a classical orchestra in 2011 playing the works of Mozart. Sure, it’s a tribute to Mozart, but it is much more than that, it is an interpretation of Mozart’s works. The best interpretation captures the artist’s musical essence. This is what the Australian Pink Floyd Show does so well.

You may notice that not one person in the band has been named in this article. During the show the focus was on the music, lights and video screen, the performers spent most of the time in the dark, as not to draw attention to themselves. They realize that the music is what matters and that the performance should be judged on the music, and their individual contributions. Not only was this an amazing night of Pink Floyd music, it was handled with brilliance and class.

Bravo Aussie Floyd… Bravo!