The Machine vs. Aussie Floyd

[Eru]

About two months ago I got a chance to see an Australian Pink Floyd Concert. It was in a medium-sized theatre, and although my friends and I had back-row seats, it was right in the middle and we got to see everything. I had heard that Aussie Floyd was the cover band to see if you want a true Floyd experience (without actually seeing Pink of course), however I have also seen another band, The Machine, four times, and got into a heated debate with my friends as to who was better.

I was wondering whether or not anyone has seen both acts, and if you have any opinions as to which in the better surrogate band?

For my two cents, I prefer The Machine. Maybe you haven't heard of them, they are slightly less well known than Aussie, but they play venues that are just as good, including a prolonged tour in Germany, France, and England. Most of the venues I have seen them in are club-sized places or small theatres. Although the lights are slightly less extravagant than Aussie (due to the small buildings) I think the atmosphere at Machine shows is much more intamate, what I imagine the very first Floyd shows were like. I also happen to think that they stay much more true to the music than Aussie, who tends to embellish a bit (why?? Floyd is already perfect) and that their vocalist can do Waters and Gilmour much better than the Australian.

Anyway, just wondering if anyone had any thoughts. You can check out both bands at:

The Machine (Note the preview songs they have up really don't give credit to their live sound)

Australian Pink Floyd

[waywardson]

As said before- imitation is the sincerest form of flattery- Aussie Floyd or the Machine - they are not Pink.

But in the need for a real concert sound and show and in the absence of the same from the original, it is nice that a few bands have picked up and practiced to perform songs we all know and love. No two recordings of Floyds performances sound the same ie Comfortably Numb, by the original band so it is not expected that another band should sound the same either - I mean the same as what? Music is a live creation, it is not the same from performance to performance - that is part of the beauty of music.

The Aussie Floyd version of Comfortably Numb off of their site is fantastic - maybe my favorite version actually even though it is not Floyd. It is a better performance than the Machines in my opinion, the guitar has Gilmours bluesy cranked up feel, not just the notes, they actually have a chorus and the ending gets out of hand in an excellent free form almost jazzy way- it is very live.

Go ahead - spank me - it all rocks and at my age I have to take whatever I can get in a live performance

[PinkMoney]

I don't know about aussie floyd, but I have seen the machine 4 times most being 2-night shows so 8 times I guess in total. I must say that everytime I see them I am more blown away. the last time I saw them the played a complete night of music from meddle, saucerful, AHM, and some from OBC and more. it was absolutly incredible. was it the acid? possibly, but all in all I was amazed.

[Sinistas]

Damnit, The Machine are playing RI the same night as my band's next show. Argh.

[Eru]

Ah, bad luck Sinistas. If your up for a little drive though this Friday (the 17th) they play in Danbury, CT. Should be a good time.

From what I've heard, Aussie Floyd usually plays the entirety of Dark Side, followed by a random mix of other Floyd stuff after an intemrission. When I saw them I think we heard the stuff you would expect (the hits from The Wall, Wish You Were Here, Animals), and a couple songs from The Final Cut and A Momentary Lapse of Reason.

But as PinkMoney said, when you see the Machine they do a lot of awesome songs live that you wouldn't expect to hear. Personally I've heard them do (in entirety) The Wall, Wish You Were Here, Animals, Meddle, and Piper At the Gates of Dawn, along with other random songs. In fact at an all-request show, they gauranteed any song that got requested they could play, no matter how obscure or trippy, as long as it was done by Floyd or any of the solo artists.

[Sulaco]

Saw The Machine last night in Nashville.

Several parts were make-the-hair-on-the-back-of-your-neck-stand-up good.

FOUR guys pulled off an INCREDIBLE note-for-note version of Dogs. It sounded like a stage of 8 people.

My friend and I have seen many many concerts (from college/bar bands all the way up to platinum artists) between the two of us. And we both agreed, it was easily top 3 for both of us. No exaggeration.

[Sulaco]

Now that I've had more time to get online I'd like to reiterate the importance of The Machine. These guys are totally dedicated. I was very impressed with the level of detail they reached using only a stage of 4 musicians.

Shine On - EVERY SINLE PART. The Entire song. Parts 1 through 9. All of it. Even with an added bonus to the jazzy bit (part 8, I think). They extended it and had some really good jazz for a couple minutes.

Their rendition of Young Lust was some of the best improvisation I've seen in my life. They even led into it with What Shall We Do Now? straight off the The Wall Live. Has that even been done before?

Fearless - so so amazingly well. Had their own intro. It was the one song the whole crowd kept yelling for throughout the show.

Astronomy Domine. Lucifer Sam, Mother, Dogs, Comfortably Numb, Welcome to the Machine, Have a Cigar, Wish You Were Here, Breathe, Time, Hey You, One of These Days.

Another note should be added: One of These Days was the best cover I've ever heard. Recorded, live, professional or amateur. Whatever. This was so amazing I couldn't breath or blink throughout the entire performance.

Keep in mind I come from one of the most musical areas in the world.

I go to Middle Tennessee State University. Before you let that cloud your judgement, it's the largest university in the state. It's top 3 for recording industry, top 3 for public relations, top 10 for journalism and mass media, top 3 for aerospace admin/pilot/maintenance, and top 20 for nursing. Those rankings are nationwide. I might be off a tiny bit on some of them but that's damn close. The college town itself has literally hundreds of college bands. They all come here from all over the world for the recording industry school and they want to start a band when they get here. Secondly, we're 20 minutes from Nashville. "The Country Music Capital of the World." Blah. The city itself is trying so hard to distance itself from that image. Hardly anything "country" goes on there.

I digress. My point is: there's alot going on here for music. And The Machine really upped the ante with their performance. Those guys were some extremely talented musicians.