Augustana Observer

Augustana Observer

Augustana Observer

Preview: Pink Floyd tribute band to bring passion to older music

Photo courtesy of Paul Willaert. Band members pose back when they used to be known as Echos of the Floyd. According to Paul Willaert, the band name changed to In the Flesh because they thought it was “too cliché.”
Photo courtesy of Paul Willaert.
Band members pose back when they used to be known as Echos of the Floyd. According to Paul Willaert, the band name changed to In the Flesh because they thought it was “too cliché.”

Deriving their name from the repeating song during the film “Pink Floyd-The Wall,” the Pink Floyd tribute band In the Flesh will be playing at the Rock Island Brewing Company (RIBCO) for the fourth time.
Strictly playing songs by Pink Floyd, the band will perform on Friday starting at 9:00 p.m. RIBCO, located at 1815 Second Ave. in Rock Island, is charging a $10 cover fee.
Paul Willaert, who’s a guitarist and vocalist for the band, describes In the Flesh’s dynamic.
“When this music was written, it was really passionate,” said Willaert. “It was really intense, and we try to keep that level of intensity current and make it exciting to those who are (new to Pink Floyd) and those who grew up with this stuff.”
RIBCO booking agent Jason Parris chose to bring In the Flesh back because of the Quad Cities’ interest in Pink Floyd.
“If you’re a fan of Pink Floyd, it’s like watching (the film) ‘The Wall’ live,” said Parris. “They play every Pink Floyd hit you can image, and they play some obscure stuff for the diehard Pink Floyd fans.”
According to Willaert, the reason In the Flesh was formed was from the lack of there being good tributes out there.
“Pink Floyd is one of the great classic rock bands, and you don’t see a lot of Pink Floyd bands that really do them justice,” said Willaert. “All of the Pink Floyd Tribute bands just sing kind of dull.”
In the Flesh formed back in 2010 for this reason. According to Willaert, most of the members of the band already played in a Caribbean rock band called Tropic Explosion. Willaert was in a Pink Floyd tribute band in the ‘90s and wanted to start one up again.
“They’re just killer players,” said Willaert, about his fellow band members. “I loved doing Pink Floyd back then, and I thought it would be great doing it with these people.”
According to the band’s Facebook page, other members of the band include: Mac Willaert on the keyboard and vocals, drummer Jeffrey Money, bassist and vocalist Jeffrey Michael Bella, Airan Wright, who plays the saxophone and the guitar, percussionist Meg Thomas and vocalist Pete Papageorge.
“We approach the music and play the show like the music was written this year,” said Willaert. “We take a modern, very hard edge to Pink Floyd.”
He is looking forward to playing at RIBCO because it is one of the band’s favorite venues.

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Preview: Pink Floyd tribute band to bring passion to older music