Becoming a Pink Floyd tribute band was happenstance, according to PIGS lead guitarist and vocalist Josh Szczepanowski.
“We were just sort of mucking about in the rehearsal studio and played a couple of Pink Floyd songs and it turns out they sounded really good,” said Szczepanowski. “It was sort of by accident, which seems like a Floydian thing to happen.”
The Victoria-based group has been meticulously recreating the live sound and concert experience of 1970s-era Pink Floyd and has perfected its craft in front of sold-out audiences throughout Canada for more than 10 years. Group members have gained an encyclopedic knowledge of all things Pink Floyd in the process, according to Szczepanowski.
PIGS is kicking off a Canada-wide tour later this month, and will play Powell River’s Max Cameron Theatre on Saturday, September 22. The Outside/In tour will celebrate the 45th anniversary of the release of Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon, one of the best-selling albums of all time, which will be played in its entirety during the show.
“We’re going to play lots of other things, too, but that’s kind of the centrepiece of our tour,” said Szczepanowski.
Powell River will be just the second stop for the group.
“It’ll still be pretty fresh and exciting and fun, so it's going to be a really excellent show; we’re quite excited to get out there,” he added.
Szczepanowski said those who have not seen PIGS perform live are in for a unique experience.
“It’s going to be a big old rock show, so people better be prepared for that,” he added. “It’ll be loud and spectacular with lasers and a giant screen. People who haven’t seen us before are going to be pretty excited by our authenticity.”
Although they are a tribute band, the audience will not be sitting around listening to karaoke, said Szczepanowski.
“We like to light the lasers up and blow the doors off the place, that’s our thing. It should be really fun.”
