Voyage back to 1988 with Echoes of Pink Floyd

Thirty-five years on from Pink Floyd's iconic "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" tour, Australian premier Pink Floyd tribute artists, Echoes of Pink Floyd, are bringing their latest show, "Signs of Life" to the West Gippsland Arts Centre stage.
"Signs of Life" pays homage to the 1988 Pink Floyd concert experience. Echoes of Pink Floyd front man and vocalist, Matt Goodluck, said focusing on this era of Pink Floyd was something the band hadn't done before.
"Signs of Life is dedicated to the 1988 tour Pink Floyd did for their album "A Momentary Lapse of Reason"," Matt said. "A live album of the tour performances was released soon after and was very popular at the time. We're paying tribute to that era which is something that we and a lot of other tribute bands haven't done before. It seems to be a little bit of a forgotten era in some respects, but we've certainly noticed that bringing this tour around the country, what an amazing response it's getting."
Matt said the band had been rehearsing for around four months in preparation for the tour, incorporating songs they hadn't done before into their set lists.
"It's always fun to put together a new show, it mixes things up a little bit," he said. "It keeps it really interesting, not only for our audience, but also for us."
"Signs of Life" takes audiences on a voyage back to 1988, with smash hits everyone will know and some deep cuts from "The Delicate Sound of Thunder" album that haven't been played in Australia for decades. Whether you're a diehard Pink Floyd fan, or only know the classic hits, Matt said the "Signs of Life" tour would have something for you.
"There's definitely something for everyone in this show," Matt said. "There's about half a dozen classic songs we wouldn't get out of the theatre alive if we didn't play, and it's always good fun to perform those and see the audience light up when they hear them. But it's also been special to see the diehard fans coming up to us after the show and share their memories of the 1988 tour."
Matt said the nature of Pink Floyd's music provided him the opportunity to develop his performance as a front man.
"Pink Floyd's music is really deep and meaningful, you can really invest yourself in it," he said. "For me as a front man, it gives me the chance to really flex those performer muscles and get almost a bit theatrical in a way."
Starting out playing in the front bars of South Australian pubs in 2009, Echoes of Pink Floyd now play to thousands of fans all over Australia. Matt said despite how busy the band are, he always enjoys people's emotional connection to the music of Pink Floyd.
"We're quite busy, and it's a wonderful thing because the music is just so emotional and it really touches people," Matt said. "It's a pleasure to perform and bring that joy to other people around the country.
Having played in Warragul and other regional locations before, Matt said he and the band enjoyed travelling to new parts of the country and performing for a regional audience.
"It's always lovely to come and see these beautiful little theatres dotted around the country that you otherwise would never get a chance to to see," Matt said.
"We love playing the big shows in the the major capital cities, but I think there's something special and intimate about regional shows. There are so many Pink Floyd fans around the country, especially in these regional towns. Regional audiences have a real genuine appreciation for the performers and you really feel that when you're on stage. It's lovely to get to explore a little bit of these these beautiful towns as well."
Echoes of Pink Floyd will perform their "Signs of Life" tour at the West Gippsland Arts Centre on Saturday November 4 at 8pm.
The show will run for two hours and 15 minutes including an intermission. Tickets are available to purchase at https://sales.wgac.com.au/event/379:2210/379:3626/.