Sonoma/Marin exports and purveyors of the Pink Floyd sound, Pete Floyd, have been playing all around these parts lately and have proven themselves a veritable headliner. Fronted by vocalist/guitarist Pete Delaney and the ambidextrous Pete Hale, this is one tribute that delivers on all fronts.
Although only active for a couple of years, it’s their electronic press kit that caught the attention of countless curious in-house talent buyers. At present, the band is rounded out by vocalist Teal Collins (Mother Truckers), veteran Terrapin Crossroads contributor Paige Clem, keyboardist Bob McBain, bassist Toby Tyler, saxophonist Alex Garcia, and drummer Sean England.
For those tired of the countless Pink Floyd tributes who have no soul and play the same set list every night, the band is somewhat of a revelation in the genre. Expect different song choices and selections from nearly every important Pink Floyd era.
We caught up with bandleader Pete Delaney as the band prepared for a handful of live shows in and around the Bay Area and Sonoma County.
Bohemian: How is the tribute scene these days?
Delaney: It’s been proliferating. Locally, we have such an amazing group of talented musicians and we all support each other. Many of our close friends and former band mates play the same venues and we all get along very well. A lot of us have been playing live music for 30 plus years doing both original and cover songs. I can’t describe the tremendous energy that fills the room when hundreds of people come together seeing their favorite songs performed and singing along.
Bohemian: At this stage, are you having regular band practices or are you all pretty much playing the same set each night?
Delaney: We have regular sectionals and rehearse before every weekend run of shows. We feel like we owe it to the fans, venues and, especially Pink Floyd, to do their music justice. It is challenging to present their sound properly as we have eight musicians onstage and a variety of instruments featured at every show. We also mix up the set list and are constantly adding and taking away tunes. Our drummer Sean England is the master of creating these and finely tunes the song list to match the venue and vibe.
Bohemian: Pink Floyd died the minute we lost keyboardist Richard Wright. He was such a force. What is your take?
Delaney: All of the band’s members are incredible, but Richard Wright was the soul of the band. David Gilmour said Wright had “an elusive quality, let’s call it soul, that created a sound that glued the whole Pink Floyd thing together. You notice it when it’s gone.” I imagine ‘’Meddle,’ ‘Dark Side Of The Moon.’ or ‘Wish You Were Here’ wouldn’t be as iconic as they are without him. Once more, the song “Echoes” is a highlight of our set. I always feel Wright’s magic when we play it.
Bohemian: What is your favorite Pink Floyd album?
Delaney: Ha! The never ending conundrum of a favorite album. My favorite is everything from ‘Meddle’ to ‘The Wall.’ I know there are a lot of folks that love the old Syd Barrett (pre- David Gilmour) albums and the post Roger Waters works, but this is my Pink Floyd wheelhouse. ‘Meddle’ encompasses the old Pink Floyd (goofy, odd, psychedelic) and the breakthrough albums that came after (dark and dreamlike). I think my least favorite was ‘The Final Cut.’ It seems like that album signaled the end of that era and was an afterthought.
Bohemian: Your band features some great players and singers. How long has this exact configuration been in existence? Do you ever play shows with a smaller group?
Delaney: We are very blessed to have the folks we have. They are all amazing musicians and have long careers writing, recording and performing. The exact configuration has been in place since November of 2021, but we never play without all the members. Our show is finely tuned and it requires all the pieces to make this music work. This isn’t a tribute band with one or two main members that pull together other players and configurations. We have so much fun together and play so well with each other that, like Richard Wright, it wouldn’t be proper to perform as Pete Floyd without all the pieces.
Doors open at 6pm and the show kicks off at 7pm, at the Rio Nido Roadhouse at 14540 Canyon 2 Road in Rio Nido. All ages are welcome. Advance tickets are $20 and can be found at rionidoroadhouse.com.
(North Bay Bohemian)