Concert Review: Run Rabbit Run: A Tribute to Pink Floyd @ The Linda, 03/04/2023
The Linda’s series of prog-related concerts – Mardi-Prog II – got off to a wobbly start Saturday night with the performance of local Pink Floyd tribute act Run Rabbit Run.
The band emerged and launched into a haphazard approximation of “One of these days,” the punchy dual bass guitar-driven opener of the “Meddle” album. It was immediately clear something wasn’t right. Concerned glances between the members as the song trailed off confirmed that they were having difficulty hearing each other. Then a ten-minute or so sound check followed, enlivened by a bluesy jam.
It took a while, but the band picked up the pace, closing out the first set with a brave attempt at “Echoes,” the side-long epic from that same “Meddle” album. To be fair, most of the sellout crowd did not seem to share my misgivings. There was definitely the sense of a hometown crowd rooting for a local band, willing to overlook the occasional flubbed note or off-key harmony.
The second set, where Run Rabbit Run essayed the whole of “Dark Side of the Moon,” was a vast improvement. Unless you have been living under a rock, you probably know that this year is the 50th anniversary of that behemoth of a record. In a rare case of popularity coinciding with quality, it has gone on to sell in the bazillions, quite remarkable for a prog treatise on loneliness, isolation, avarice, and insanity. RRR seemed much more comfortable with this material, and it showed. The two backing vocalists did an excellent job of the emotional and wordless gospel-like showcase that is “The Great Gig in the Sky,” and guitarists Carl Blackwood and Jett Collura acquitted themselves admirably, pulling off Dave Gilmour’s many iconic solos. Collura really sizzled on an extended jam through “Any Color you like.”
Hitting their stride by the end, RRR encored with a confident and rocking “Run Like Hell.”
Were they a perfect facsimile of the real thing, like the note-perfect “sounds just like the album” The Australian Pink Floyd Show? Well, no, far from it. Sound problems and a dodgy light show? Sure. But the audience didn’t seem to mind one bit. It was a cold, snowy Saturday night, and they were determined to enjoy themselves, basking in the warm glow of nostalgia, melting the ice, and listening to great music that has stood the test of time.
Set 1:
- One of These Days
- Blues jam
- Have a Cigar
- Astronomy Domine
- Empty Spaces
- Young Lust
- Echoes
Set 2:
- The Dark Side of the Moon:
- Speak to me
- Breathe (In the Air)
- On the Run
- Time
- The Great Gig in the Sky
- Money
- Us and Them
- Any Color you Like
- Brain Damage
- Eclipse
Encore:
- Run Like Hell
Photo Gallery by Rudy Lu
This is not some huge National act and it should not be held to the same standards. You are reviewing local artists, who put their heart and soul into this performance, while working day jobs and making literally no money from it. Not one dollar. While, I understand it wasn’t perfect, I hope you know how much your words have hurt the people who put this show on. Some of those people being your peers. Pretty shameful, if you ask me. You should give lifting our local scene up a try sometime.
Dear ALM, I am sorry you feel that way, it was certainly not my intention to hurt or slight anyone involved. If you read the entire review you will see that I balanced my negative comments with some positive ones. Yes, not a huge national act, but one playing a 340 capacity venue with the ticket prices what they were would result in them being held to professional standards at least. I am a fervent supporter of the local scene, and regret that I omitted the names of the bands the members represented as I had intended to do. So, belated props to Bendt, Zan & The Winter Folk, Son of a Gun, Haze Riders, Mirk, Against The Grayne, TS Ensemble & Embe Esti. Also, apologies for not naming the 2 singers who did such a terrific job with “Great Gig in the Sky” – Lady T. & Carmen Lookshire.