Pink Floyd, best known by casual fans for classic albums such as “The Dark Side of the Moon” and “The Wall,” but loved the world over for its luscious layers of musical achievement spanning decades, has not toured since October 1995. Thank goodness for the Machine.
| IF YOU GO |
| The Machine |
| Where: The State Theatre, 220 N. Washington St., Falls Church |
| When: 9 p.m. Saturday (doors at 7 p.m.) |
| Info: $17 in advance, $20 day of show; thestatetheatre.com |
Founded in 1988, the Machine performs the work of Pink Floyd for those craving a revival that may never come. The group plays Saturday at the State Theatre in Falls Church.
“It’s quality art,” Joe Pascarell, the Machine’s lead guitarist, said. “For the same reason that people listen to Mozart 200 years after he’s dead, people listen to Pink Floyd because it’s good music. It always finds a voice in every generation.”
Unhappy with the bands they were in at the time, Pascarell and pal Tahrah Cohen (drums) decided to “play music that we like,” according to Pascarell, who spoke recently over the phone. The pair played a variety of music, but it was the Pink Floyd covers that caught people’s attention.
“After we did our first gig, people just freaked out at the Floyd,” Pascarell said. “They just freaked out at how well we did it. They went bananas.”
From there, a manager suggested they learn more Pink Floyd songs, and play a few more shows. Thus, the Machine, named for a track off Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” album, was born.
“The coolest thing about it is that it wasn’t a conscious decision to form a Pink Floyd cover band,” Pascarell said.
The Machine performs approximately 80 shows a year. Pascarell says that the most challenging part of recreating Pink Floyd music is not the technical aspects, but the emotional weight of the music.
“Nothing what they’re doing is terribly technically difficult, but it’s as difficult emotionally to get the feeling into what they’re doing,” said Pascarell. “The what-you-play instead of how-you-play-it thing is really interesting. I think that’s the hardest part about it.”
The 45-year history of Pink Floyd is complicated, with infighting and personal battles and bad blood almost as prevalent as the great music. Pascarell’s favorite album is “The Wall,” and recently saw Roger Waters perform the album live in its entirety, twice.
According to Pascarell, the Machine keeps track of set lists from specific venues they’ve played to give audiences a fresh experience.
“One of the things that I’m proud of is that we’re … really sensitive to where it needs to be exactly, like where the record is, and then, hey, we can move it to a new place over here and still be respectful to the tune,” Pascarell said. “We’re able to walk that line back and forth, and give you things in the music without detracting from what you liked about the music being in the first place.”
