Back in April of 2019 former Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason appeared at The Beacon Theatre in NYC with a saucerful of pre-Dark Side of the Moon songs from the Pink Floyd catalogue. That show (and the rest of that tour) proved the longevity of Syd Barret’s time with the band and resonated so well that Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets returned to the road, recently stopping at The Capitol Theatre in Port Chester on Monday, Sept. 26.
The show was originally set for January 2022 but was postponed due to pandemic uncertainties at the time; it was certainly worth the wait. But an even longer gap of time was present. Pink Floyd had played at The Cap on April 22, 1970, the last time Mason was at the venue. At the time, Pink Floyd was not having the best luck with touring the United States as their stop in New Orleans less than a month later resulted in the remainder of their US tour being cancelled. It wasn’t until the 1973 release of Dark Side of the Moon when Pink Floyd was discovered by a majority of their fans, and it was this premise that prompted the idea for bringing the band’s earlier works to a wider audience.
The introductory bass guitar notes of “One of These Days” excited the audience and established a pillow of winds that carried that feeling through the whole show. The quality of the sound far surpassed what would come from a cover band and was an authentic breath of new life to the early Pink Floyd songs. After all, Nick Mason has been the only continuous Pink Floyd member since he co-founded the band; bassist Guy Pratt is the son-in-law of late PF keyboardist Richard Wright and toured with David Gilmour’s backing band; keyboardist Dom Beken had collaborated with Richard Wright; guitarist Lee Harris suggested the idea for the project to Pratt; and guitarist Gary Kemp had great enthusiasm about joining the band.
The Capitol Theatre’s intimate space and its excellent acoustics topped off the decadent slice of progressive rock history brought back to life. As opposed to arena shows where one might feel disconnected from the band, every note played engaged the crowd. From every spot in the room it was easy to tell and feel the happiness and energy of the band members, especially with Pratt and Kemp playing off each other with their presence and Mason frequently displaying a humble smile from behind the kit.
Particular treats from the show included “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun,” “Echoes,” and “Astronomy Domine.” The entire setlist was enjoyable, although many more early Pink Floyd songs would also fit the bill (if time allowed). Ending the evening as a nod to Syd Barrett’s character was the quirky song “Bike.”
If you missed Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets at The Cap (or want to see it again), the tour will be stopping at The Beacon Theatre on Wednesday Oct. 12, rescheduled from January 2022.
Setlist:
Set 1: One of These Days, Arnold Layne, Fearless, Obscured by Clouds, When You’re In, Candy and a Currant Bun, Vegetable Man, If, Atom Heart Mother, If (Reprise), Remember a Day, Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun
Set 2: Astronomy Domine, The Nile Song, Burning Bridges, Childhood’s End, Lucifer Sam, Echoes
Encore: See Emily Play, A Saucerful of Secrets, Bike
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