Following a stint in North America, the Australian Pink Floyd Show (TAPFS) tribute band has returned to the UK for its #DarkSide50 Tour 2023 that’s celebrating 50 years since Pink Floyd’s original Dark Side Of The Moon tour, with support by audio production company 22live deploying Martin Audio’s latest Wavefront Precision line array technology joined by an exhibit of the original rig conceived by Martin Audio founder Dave Martin and Bill Kelsey for that 1973 tour.
The idea of recreating the audio approach came from Chris Hewitt (of CH Vintage), who floated the idea back in April. Hewitt is known for having salvaged and curated much of the equipment that toured concert halls and festivals in the 1960s and 70s, and selected items from his collection can frequently be seen on show at major trade conventions.
He had already created Pink Floyd’s Live at Pompeii rig for event’s 50th Anniversary in 2021 (which appeared at the 2022 PLASA Show in London), and this year he decided to take it further. Having discussed the idea of revisiting the Dark Side concept with Focusrite chairman Phil Dudderidge, it was a later conversation at this year’s PLASA Show where the decision was made.
It also needed approval from the band, which has long used Hewitt’s resource for authentic components for the band’s guitar cabs (in order to capture Dave Gilmour’s original tone). Australian Pink Floyd founders, Stephen McElroy (a.k.a., Steve Mac), Jason Sawford and Lee Smith were in favor of the idea, as were promoters SJM and the band’s management.
As a result, the 1973 rig will be on static display inside the venue foyers. It comprises Kelsey / Martin 2 x 15 bins, (two 15-inch drivers vertically stacked rear facing), which were the first production cabs Dave Martin ever made (after earlier attempting, but failing, to develop a 4 x 15).
Hewitt notes, “The Martin 2 x 15 Mk1 is the bin that launched the legendary Martin 1 x 15 W bin which became part of the modular system, along with the MH212 Philishave mid. It was realized that 2 x 15 Mk 1 cabs were heavy and didn’t always fit through venue doors, so Martin made a quick design decision to saw it in half horizontally.
“We are taking four of these original Kelsey / Martin bins, loaded with JBL K140s, and the midrange for Pink Floyd in 1973, which was covered by silver flares with a mixture of Vitavox S2, Electro-Voice 1829 horns and JBL 2402 bullets. We also have those along with Phase Linear 400 amplifiers.”
Also on show are original Sennheiser MD409N vocal microphones of the type used at Pompeii and on the DSOTM tour, and some of the original Pink Floyd flight cases in Hewitt’s possession, manufactured by the long-serving CP Cases.
It was hoped that when the doors open at each venue, the general public will be allowed in to view the foyer display only. The exhibit will also be available for an early sneak preview for holders of the special VIP packages, who arrive for sound check and “meet and greet” with the band.
Paul Timmins, co-founder of 22live, concludes, “It’s unique that while we are providing the new technology of Wavefront Precision, with all its advantages of scalability and optimization, in the auditoriums, out in the foyer we are connecting back to the original rig through which fans heard the soundtrack 50 years ago. It just shows how far the technology has come.”
