THE NORDIC FLOYD SHOW – Grieghallen, Bergen

What better way to spend the early part of a Saturday evening than witnessing the immensely talented The Nordic Floyd Show pay tribute to their heroes, Pink Floyd? It has actually become a tradition of sorts to attend one of the act’s performances in Bergen, Oslo, or some other Norwegian city in January or February each year, which means that this is one of those events that I always look forward to. Last night’s gig was probably the best and most memorable one yet, which is saying something.

Grieghallen boasts fantastic acoustics, and it is the perfect venue for something like The Nordic Floyd Show to play as the crisp, pristine sound that one associates with Pink Floyd’s bestselling albums really comes to the fore here as do the number of layers, textures, and subtle nuances that are inherent in their timeless compositions. When the lights went down at 6:30 PM and the eight-piece group walked on stage while an impressive video and sound collage set the mood, we simply knew that we were in for a proper musical treat. The event was essentially divided into two parts; the first half was a celebration of the iconic The Dark side of the Moon, which is turning fifty years old in 2023, and the latter half consisted of classic cuts and fan favorites as well as a couple of surprises. It needs to be said that The Nordic Floyd Show is an immersive experience where the music, the visuals, and the lyrics and subject matter of the songs all come together; every aspect is connected, and I must say that the video projections went hand in hand with the tunes rather splendidly. Experiencing The Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety was quite thrilling, and the band oozed confidence, determination, and a huge sense of joy when playing the material. It seems somewhat daft to single out highlights when the overall quality of the performance was so staggering, but ‘The Great Gig in the Sky’ featuring Sharon Gaynor on lead vocals and also the deeply atmospheric ‘Eclipse’ really stood out to these ears. The two most arresting moments from my perspective came in the second part of the concert in the shape of ‘The Post War Dream’ from the underrated The Final Cut (1983) and ‘Pigs (Three Different Ones)’ from Animals (1977). While the former was emotive and tinged with melancholy, the latter was rousing and punchy as hell. Given that the aforementioned The Final Cut is a bit of a dark horse in the Pink Floyd discography, it was a fantastic surprise to hear them perform a tune from that LP, especially as it is celebrating its 40^th anniversary this year. Robust and captivating versions of ‘Shine on You Crazy Diamond’, ‘Comfortably Numb’, ‘Another Brick in the Wall’, and ‘Run Like Hell’ (featuring the Bergen Buekorps on percussion) were pure ear candy to those in attendance. Having ‘Wish You Were Here’ as the final encore served as a fitting finale to a splendid and enjoyable evening that consisted of one hour and forty-five minutes of pure class, musical bliss, and some brilliant interplay between the musicians on stage. Next time I would love to hear them do one or two tracks from the Syd Barrett era – that would be heaps of fun. What a superb band The Nordic Floyd Show is!

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