The band was formed in the summer of 2005 by guitarists Andy Baker and Chris Clowsley as a result of their desire to not only play but perform the music of Pink Floyd with the same sense of adventure and experimentalism that made the band so unique in the Sixties and Seventies. From the outset their concept has been to capture both the spirit and the tonality of the music without being afraid to add to or adapt the originals to provide that genuine 'live' feel.
Andy and Chris have over sixty years of playing experience between them and grew up to the sounds of Gilmour bending guitar notes to perfection and spending hours working out just how you get 'that' sound.
Ironbridge Brewery Festival - 30/05/09
They are joined by Jim Cooper, a fantastic young musician who can find his way around the five-string and fretless bass with the same sense of space and timing as Waters, Andy Dyehouse who has the ability to nail the right keyboard sound and also blows a mean sax and the powerhouse that is Steve G on percussion. Steve has been on the rock circuit for longer than he cares to admit to but is relishing the new challenge that Mason's unique and quirky drum style is presenting. He has also invested in what he calls some 'Girlie sticks' for the gentler tracks.
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In the Studio
Late in 2005 and again in 2006 the band embarked upon studio sessions to showcase their devotion and dedication in recreating the Pink Floyd sound. The resulting two albums, The First Cut and subsequent Assorted Animals, have been greatly received at gigs and were recently compiled in to one complete album of Floyd covers - The Other Room.
Darkside utilise a vast array of lighting, laser and pyrotechnic effects that form the basis of their stage show. A performance inspired by the shows that made Pink Floyd famous from their debut in the late 1960s, throughout the Seventies and into the 1980s with the blockbusting tours of 'The Wall'. Light projections and moving images complement the band's act and are provided by a dedicated team of sound and lighting engineers that accompany the group, their behind-the-scenes role being an essential part of each gig.
The Pink Floyd Show performed by Darkside
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Darkside Live
Catering the set list of each night's show to each individual venue or theatre, Darkside cover the Floyd's immense back catalogue of records almost to its entirety. Playing tracks from what is affectionately referred to as the 'Barrett Era' with hits like 'Arnold Layne' and 'See Emily Play' all the way to the later Roger Waters driven albums of 'Animals' and 'The Wall'.
A selection of Pink Floyd classics have been compiled in to the double album Up in Smoke, taken from live Darkside performances at Tamworth's Palace Venue, The Theatre on the Steps in Bridgnorth, Savoy Theatre of Monmouth and Artrix in Bromsgrove.
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