Hollinden to perform ‘Dark Side’ at Bluebird

IU assistant professor of music Andy Hollinden will bring Pink Floyd to the Bluebird at 10 p.m. Friday with a start-to-finish cover of “Dark Side of the Moon.”

Hollinden’s end-of-the-semester rock show has been a tradition since 2007. Today, he and his band will take on one of music’s most legendary albums, exactly as it is played on the original release: note-for-note.

“We’ve been practicing since February,” Hollinden said. “Perfecting ‘Dark Side’ has been a huge challenge. I view this music as a serious work and will treat it as such — we won’t be taking liberties.”

The album’s unique guitar tones, piano sounds and synthesizer has meant a lot of preparation on the band’s behalf. The performance will also feature a special light show and a video art projection to enhance the feel of the Pink Floyd experience.

“We want this to be an extravagant production,” Hollinden said. “We’re aiming for sensory overload.”

The performance will feature a nine-person lineup, including guitarist Rich Morpurgo, vocalist and guitarist David England, bassist Matt Brookshire and drummer Jamey Reid.

Special guest Jenn Cristy will join the band to perform the vocal solo in “The Great Gig in the Sky.”

“‘The Great Gig in the Sky’ should be a requirement for any vocalist in any genre,” Cristy said. “It’s not a song that gets any easier, but I’m very excited about singing it live and am very humbled that (the band) believes I will do it justice.”

Cristy and her band will open the show with material from her recent album, “Hotel Confessions.”

“I’m excited just to be able to do my own material with my amazing guys and then do more sets with another group of incredible musicians,” Cristy said. “This is the first time I’ve had the privilege of working with Andy, and this has been a huge learning experience for me.”

Rounding out the “Dark Side” lineup will be Bobbie Lancaster and Janas Hoyt on backing vocals and Tom Clark on saxophone.

“As anyone who has taken my Rock Music in the ’70s and ’80s class can attest, I always ask to see a show of hands of the fans of artists we discuss,” Hollinden said.

“I’ve noticed that some groups go in and out of fashion, but Pink Floyd remains consistently popular. Unfortunately, young people will never get a chance to see Pink Floyd play this stuff live, so we’ll try to make the experience as close to the real deal as possible.”