SILVERTHORNE - When it's trippy, it tends to have staying power, and Pink
Floyd is certainly trippy.
Known for its wildly sonic experiments and brain-warping movie "The Wall,"
Pink Floyd has expanded minds since the 1970s. So it's only natural bands in
the new millennium think Pink when it comes to shows.
Sons of Nothing began paying homage to Pink Floyd through its Floydshow in
2002 when event festival coordinators for the Flyin' Zion Easter Party asked if
the band would play a full set of Floyd. The idea took off, and now Sons of
Nothing regularly performs Floydshows, as well as original shows.
"The reason it works so well as a tribute is because Pink Floyd was never a
band built on rock star personalities," said singer and bassist Thom Bowers.
"It conveys the same experience without us going out there and being
actors."
The band plays about 60 songs ranging from the obscure, experimental tunes
of the early days to the signature cash-register sounds of "Money." It pairs
the music with computer-generated visual effects that respond to the sound and
old film clips Pink Floyd originally used.
"It's not so much impersonation as it is providing the spirit of the music,"
Bowers said. "When we're doing early stuff, we give the flavor of the original
music but also jam and experiment like they did. Then when we're doing
something everyone knows like 'Comfortably Numb' or 'Wish You Were Here,' we
try to keep it as close to the original as possible. I'm a Pink Floyd bootleg
collector, so I may use elements of those when I find a song that's more
interesting than the studio version, but it will always be recognizable.
"The music seems to touch on a lot of universal themes. There's a certain
counter-culture vibe to it. Every year, a new generation of college students
discover Pink Floyd and Bob Marley. As far as a show, there's a lot of younger
people who never got to see the band. I think a lot of people want to capture
something they've been denied because of their age, and for some, it's just
nostalgia."
In a time where tribute bands deliver varying quality of classic
experiences, Sons of Nothing stands out.
"Sons of Nothing can be compared to what Dark Star Orchestra is to the
Dead," said local promoter Mike O'Brien.
Doors open at 7:30 p.m. for the 8:30 p.m. Saturday show at the Silverthorne
Pavilion. Tickets are $15 in advance and may be purchased by calling (970)
262-7370.
