MacFloyd at the Edinburgh Fringe

…we came in?

Pink Floyd. I could write so much about Pink Floyd. They were leaders, revolutionaries and pioneers of their field. Without Pink Floyd we may never have gotten to the exceptional heights that experimental rock now inhabits. So many artists owe thanks to these 5 talented guys from the vibrant artistic hub that was 1960’s London. Yes, there is alot I can say, dissect and analyse about Pink Floyd, but I’m not here to talk about the original band. No, I’m here to talk about the triumphant, electrifying talent that is MacFloyd.

2015 marks the 40th anniversary of the album “Wish You Were Here”, a heartfelt, yet cynical slice of sonically mastered musical perfection that presents Pink Floyd at their absolute pinnacle. What’s even more astounding is just how MacFloyd, a Scottish Pink Floyd tribute act who have gained quite a cult following in the UK, manage to tackle such perfection and make the album their own. There’s no hesitation, anxiety or hiccups in their performance, just sheer confidence, exuberance and fearlessness. MacFloyd know this album, from every shimmering stroke of the keyboard to every smooth twang of the guitar to every strained cry of raw vocals. This is what MacFloyd sells to their audience; an absolute victory over the idea that a piece of art is somehow untouchable, unreachable and sacred.

In the flesh, MacFloyd really let Pink Floyd’s material shine onwards for a new and old audience to experience. MacFloyd are more than just an echo of the original Floyd however, they are a whole new machine that lets the art that Pink Floyd have created live on through a passionate body who love and respect the band and material that has influenced so many artists over the past 50 something years. The band members pour their own talent and personality into every song and show skill and nuance when creating a familiar soundscape. Even when bantering with the audience you can clearly see the sheer heart and dedication that MacFloyd feel for their vision and fans.

From the blistering exhilaration that is “Dogs” to the soft, gentle paranoia of “Mother” to an all out dominant performance of the “Wish You Were Here” album, MacFloyd are an absolutely essential act to see live. They will leave you feeling a new found sense of wonder and excitement for everything Pink Floyd and will make you feel happy in the knowledge that you have experienced something so close to the majesty of the original Floyd experience. I just wish they had performed something from “Atom Heart Mother”, an album that I absolutely adore even though the band themselves were rather tepid towards it. In fact, here’s an essay regarding my feelings for “Atom Heart Mother” and Pink Floyd in general…