On Saturday, Oct. 5, Pink Droyd will close out the Sweetwater Performance Pavilion 2024 season with choice selections from Pink Floyd’s 1994 album The Division Bell plus classics from the hall of fame band’s extensive catalog. 

This year marks the 30-year anniversary of The Division Bell, and Fort Wayne’s Pink Droyd is bringing this album to life with a talented band of musicians and singers. 

I had the pleasure to chat with one of Pink Droyd’s guitarists and founding member Kevin Quandt about the upcoming show. 

“I’m really proud of the end result of what we’ve accomplished,” he said.

Tackling New Floyd Frontiers 

Fans of Pink Floyd know the band took their stage and studio work very seriously. 

Translating The Division Bell into a live tribute band show has offered a new challenge to Droyd, but that’s the reason they do it. Quandt said the challenges in production and performance make their work fun, allowing the band to get creative with solutions and explore new avenues of sound and stage design. 

“We don’t play with tracks, everything we do is live,” he said.

Droyd have spent their career doing justice to the original studio tracks or choosing to model from specific live versions. One thing’s for sure, when you attend a Pink Droyd show, you’ll hear faithful covers that are emotively played by musicians with a passion for the music.  

Ringing The Division Bell

When pivotal member Roger Waters left Pink Floyd to pursue a solo career, the world wondered if the rest of the band would measure up to the classics like Dark Side of The Moon and The Wall. 

With A Momentary Lapse of Reason in 1987, they proved the heart of Pink Floyd was alive and well. With The Division Bell, they blew it out of the water. 

Thirty years later, Pink Droyd are poised to pay tribute to this profound classic rock album. They promise to offer their unique execution of David Gilmour’s legendary Stratocaster tone, Richard Wright’s entrancing atmospheres, and Nick Mason’s superb percussion. The album itself features lyrics penned in part by Polly Samson, wife of Gilmour. 

Pink Droyd have chosen pieces from the album that Floyd played live. Quandt said they’re “doing five selections from the album and we do them as a comprehensive piece.” 

The Division Bell even takes Pink Droyd back to their roots, as Quandt said “What Do You Want From Me” was one of the first songs they played together. 

After 18 years of jamming Pink Floyd covers, Quandt and other members who started the band find it an interesting look back at how far they’ve come and how they can approach the songs in a new way. 

Even after all this time, the band still enjoy what they do: Bringing phenomenal music to the people of the region. How could it get any better than that?

“There are still more songs that use instrumentation and technique that we haven’t taken on, let alone made sure we can do live,” Quandt said. “So, The Division Bell brings in all these different layers and different treatments that we’re really excited to do.”

Droyd’s Floyd Appeals to All Ages 

The show is family-friendly as always, and the music of Pink Floyd has the power to inspire listeners young and old. 

“The songs are surprisingly engaging for those who don’t know the songs,” Quandt said.

So whether you’re a Pink Floyd loyalist or unfamiliar with their catalog, you’ll find something to love about this show.

Pink Floyd cover a wide range of styles from classic rock, disco beats, jazz infusions, ‘60s pop, and a flare all unique to the band themselves. 

I had to agree with Quandt when he said, “I think it’s some of the greatest music ever written.” 

Playing Out Pavilion Season

If you’ve had the pleasure of seeing a show at Sweetwater Performance Pavilion, you know how well this outdoor venue suits classic rock shows. 

Droyd themselves promise an evening with the sights and sounds of Pink Floyd — that includes a stunning light show, searing guitar solos, captivating vocals, and otherworldly atmospheres. When Pink Droyd and the Pavilion join forces, the evening is always one to remember. 

Quandt extols the virtues of the space. 

“The production level at the Pavilion is really stellar,” he said. “Not only do they have great equipment, but they know how to use it. It’s strategically placed, it’s planned out. Working with their staff is second to none.”

After Pink Droyd blows your mind with their Division Bell treatments Oct. 5, just  remember that next year is the 50-year anniversary of another of Pink Floyd’s classic albums, Wish You Were Here.