Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets, Live at the Sony Centre, April 16 2019

2019.4.16

Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets- 4.16.19 - Sony Centre, Toronto.

Mason assembled his band named for Floyd’s second album for an intriguing project- touring the world, playing the music of Pink Floyd like 10 other bands… but with a couple of unique angles; this Floyd music band at least has one of the three surviving members of the group, and they are playing exclusively pre-Dark Side of the Moon.

Bands like Fleetwood Mac and Kool and the Gang became huge after radically changing (softening) their sound, and Pink Floyd arguably fall into this category. Once Dark Side of The Moon hit, they virtually stopped changing their set list formula; new album first, recent material second, end of show.

Of Floyd’s fans, a minority single out the earliest albums as their most exciting, but those who do, really enjoy 67-72 Floyd. Nick Mason and his band delivered. Kicking off with “Intersteller Overdrive” they cranked up “Astronomie Domine” at full intensity before pausing.

By the third song, “Lucifer Sam,” it was clear to any doubters Spandau Ballet alumnus Gary Kemp was going to pull off convincing Syd Barrett vocals. There was a good mix of instrumentals like “Obscured By Clouds,” “Atom Heart Mother” (which was combined with “If” from the same album) as well as the finale and band’s namesake, “Saucerful of Secrets.”

The band included one of the only Richard Wright compositions Floyd recorded, “Remember a Day” and naturally played the drum-heavy  “One Of These Days (I’m Going to Cut You Into Little Pieces).”

Relative obscurities such as “Bike” and “Vegetable Man” were thoughtfully included for the serious fans, and the encore was the 1971 b-side “Point Me at the Sky.”

Anyone hoping to hear “Money” or “Comfortably Numb” ought to have been won over by Mason’s band. It stands to reason this less-explored era of Pink Floyd appeals to Mason. The band’s music and shows were more experimental and collaborative during those early years. After “Dark Side,” Pink Floyd increasingly became Roger Waters’ band- that he hated.   

This was a celebration of what some fans think of as Pink Floyd’s best period. The audience recognized that, and reveled in hearing many of these songs live on stage for the first time.