Fans of the iconic English rock group Pink Floyd won鈥檛 want to miss a concert coming to Estevan next month.
Tribute band Pigs, who take their name from a song from Pink Floyd鈥檚 1977 album Animals, will perform at the Orpheum Theatre in Estevan on April 3, starting at 8 p.m. The Energy City will be an early part of Pigs鈥� In the Flesh tour, and it promises to be a great show in the intimate setting of the Orpheum.
The group bills themselves as Canada鈥檚 most authentic Pink Floyd experience. They are comprised of vocalist and lead guitarist Josh Szczepanowski, who has the role of David Gilmour; K.C. Hingley, who has the role of Roger Waters and plays bass guitar; Adam Basterfield, who portrays Richard Wright and plays keyboard; Mike Quirke, who plays Nick Mason and is the drummer; Jon Baglo, who plays guitar as the band鈥檚 Snowy White; Peter Ransford, who plays saxophone and portrays Dick Parry; and Anneda, who has the role of Clare Torry and handles background vocals.
VJ Photon is the long-time visuals artist.
Szczepanowski said he became part of Pigs by accident. He was part of another band with a friend, and he won tickets to see a Pink Floyd tribute band, but the act wasn鈥檛 very good.
鈥淚 thought 鈥業 could do that better,鈥� and here we are,鈥� said Szczepanowski.
He hasn鈥檛 always been a big fan of the group, as he wasn鈥檛 introduced to them until he was in his early 20s, but he quickly became hooked on their music.
鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful. It鈥檚 the kind of music that really speaks to everybody. It鈥檚 a really inclusive music, which is funny because it鈥檚 mostly about loneliness and distance and having a hard time.鈥�
Pigs was chosen for the name because it鈥檚 nice and simple, and easy for people to remember.
Spectators who attend the concert can look forward to a rock show. Szczepanowski noted a lot of tribute acts feel like a karaoke night, and so they don鈥檛 deliver a dynamic performance. Pigs strives to ensure they鈥檙e playing songs that were once played live, and with some energy.
There鈥檚 also a big screen and lasers to go with the show.
鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to put forward the same sort of feeling that they had in their mid-1970s tours,鈥� said Szczepanowski. 鈥淪o that鈥檚 the pigments they were using, that鈥檚 the kind of look that we鈥檙e going for.鈥�
Pigs wants the concert to be as authentic to the 1970s as possible, rather than the way Pink Floyd was in the 1980s and 1990s. They also have the instruments and backline used from the 1970s.
Pigs鈥� members are also in their mid-to-late 30s, which was the Pink Floyd band members鈥� ages in the 1970s.
Szczepanowski, Basterfield and Quirke are the only members left over from the band鈥檚 inception about a dozen years ago. But for this tour, Hingley, who was the original Waters but eventually left Pigs, will be rejoining them.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great to have him back, and it鈥檚 sounding pretty good,鈥� said Szczepanowski.
They do about 100 shows per year, Szczepanowski said, and most of the shows are outside of their southwest B.C. base. Pigs is particularly in demand in eastern Canada, which is where they鈥檒l head after the performance in Estevan.
鈥淎nd then of course, everybody has their own bands and jobs back home, so it鈥檚 a lot of work,鈥� said Szczepanowski.
Spectators are usually very appreciative of their efforts. Pigs members get a chance to share stories with them, and the fans are often moved by the concert.
鈥淭his is music that was very important to them throughout their lives, and so I think they all really appreciate it being performed in such an honest and articulate way,鈥� said Szczepanowski.听
听
