New York’s best known Pink Floyd tribute The Machine entertained a sold-out cruise on Saturday night, jamming through Floyd classics on the three hour boat ride around Manhattan.
The Machine’s annual Rocks Off Cruise show aboard the flagship Temptress vessel is a highlight of the summer-long concert cruise season. The large boat, boasting three outdoor decks on two levels and plenty of space inside and out, was filled with Pink Floyd fans of all ages, drinking, smoking, and enjoying the beautiful June weather and cool river breezes.
The four man band opened the show with the bass-driven Have A Cigar as the ship pulled out into the Hudson, a lone ticketholder who arrived minutes too late good naturedly waving to her friends aboard from the dock. Fans crowded right up against the band, enjoying much closer access to the musicians than is typically possible in staged venues. The band themselves clearly enjoyed the intimate nature of the on-board performance, smiling and interacting with the crowd even as they flawlessly reproduced Pink Floyd’s best known hits.
Guitarist Joe Pascarell and bassist Ryan Ball crooned in harmony on the emotional What Do You Want From Me, and the entire boat sang along on the chorus to fan-favorite Another Brick in the Wall. Many passengers drifted to the outdoor decks to enjoy unique views of the financial district and Jersey City as the band played the long but intense Shine On You Crazy Diamond, only to outdo themselves when, after a brief intermission, they rocked through the epic, 23 minute long Echoes, the song’s underwater imagery a perfect soundtrack as the ship gently rocked in the waters between Ellis Island and the southern tip of Manhattan.
As nightfall fully set in, the band’s psychedelic lighting effects hit full swing, bathing the interior of the Temptress in a rainbow of colored lights and strobes highlighting clouds of mist and fog. The musicians gamely swung through most of Pink Floyd’s classic albums, playing opening songs Breathe and Time from Dark Side of the Moon, and even reaching back for Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun from the Saucerful of Secrets records, another song fitting as the ship cruised back up the Hudson River, bathed in the lights from skyscrapers on both sides of the water. The group particularly shone on Young Lust, improvising into a jam which saw Pascarell and Ball swap instruments, and drummer Todd Cohen and keyboardist Scott Chasolen switch places as well.
After a boat-rocking rendition of Wish You Were Here, the band wrapped up the night with the final three tracks from Dark Side of the Moon, finishing to massive applause from the satisfied crowd aboard the ship as it gently pulled into the docks.
The Machine has been playing the music of Pink Floyd for over 20 years now, and with the advent of Roger Waters’ upcoming performances of The Wall in October, there is more interest than ever in some of the best-selling music of all time. The Machine’s only next scheduled date in the NYC area isn’t until August, at the Brooklyn Bowl, but there is no lack of concert cruises until then, including tributes to Tool, Sublime, and many more.
For more information check out the Rocks Off Cruises website, and follow the New York Hard Rock Examiner on Twitter for up-to-the-minute information on concerts, presales, and breaking news.
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