Pink Floyd tribute coming to Sydney

PIGS to recreate ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’

Josh Szczepanowski remembers the first time he ever heard Pink Floyd.

He was eight years old and had received a cassette of the British band’s epic album, “The Wall.” The music had a lasting effect on him.

“I was just transfixed by the scope and depth of it,” Szczepanowski recalled during a phone interview done from Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., where his band PIGS had performed the night before. “I was drawn in by what I heard.”

He still loves their music. These days he performs the music of his heroes on stage in PIGS, a five-piece group that is considered to be one of the finest Pink Floyd tribute groups anywhere. Cape Bretoners will get to hear them live when

they perform at the Highland Arts Theatre on Thursday, Nov. 1.

Formed in 2008 in Victoria,

B.C., the group has been touring this year across Canada since Sept. 15 and will wind up the tour on Friday, Nov. 16, in

Lethbridge, Alta. Part of their concert includes the performance of “The Dark Side of The Moon” album, which is celebrating its 45th anniversary of being released, in the second half of the concert while the first half will contain songs from throughout Pink Floyd’s extensive catalogue.

When asked why the group is called PIGS, Szczepanowski says it has to do with the fact there’s a lot of pig imagery through Pink Floyd’s music, including the painting of the pig flying between the two chimneys of the Battersea Power Station on the cover of the band’s 1977 “Animals” album.

The group goes to great lengths to be as authentic and accurate in recreating the sound of the group as possible, right down to using the proper instruments the group used at the time and even the same guitar strings. Szczepanowski takes on the persona of famed guitarist David Gilmour

“We try to be as close to the ground as possible,” says Szczepanowski, adding that members are always on the outlook for the right gear that will give that authentic sound to their show.

“It’s a three-hour show and it’s pretty intensive,” he adds.

Tickets are available at the HAT box office.

CONTRIBUTED Shown here, left to right are PIGS members and their respective roles, Jon Baglo (Snowy White role - guitar), Geoff Howe (Roger Waters role - bass), Iain Rose (Nick Mason role - drums), Josh Szczepanowski (David Gilmour role - guitar) and Adam Basterfield (Richard Wright role - keyboards).

CONTRIBUTED PIGS will perform at the Highland Arts Centre on Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m.