FANS of classic bands which have lost members to the grim reaper over the years are left with one option - tribute acts.

Fortunately, fans of Pink Floyd are very well served in this regard by Brit Floyd, which is about as close as you can get to the original in the absence of a couple of miracles.

The staging is pure Pink Floyd - the circle of lights surrounding a back projection screen, the spotlights, the lasers, the works.
The band concentrated on the albums from the 'classic' era of Pink Floyd, with only one song from the Syd Barrett era - Astronomy Dominie from the Piper at the Gates of Dawn album.

This is the fortieth anniversary of Animals being released (I know, it's frightening isn't it), so Pigs on the Wing Part I and Dogs got pride of place in the show.

But the standout performance of the night was by backing singer Angela Cervantes, who did a note perfect, stunning rendition of Clare Torry's original version of The Great Gig in the Sky, a vocal meditation on death from the Dark Side of the Moon album.

It was a succession of classic tracks from the great albums, with all the alienation, disillusionment and explorations of insanity that makes a nice night in with Floyd.

And Brit Floyd used Shine On You Crazy Diamond parts 6-7 (which includes the line Wish You Were Here) as a tribute to Pink Floyd. It was a very nice touch.

The gig ended after three hours with the superb Comfortably Numb from The Wall, a wonderful number to wrap up the show.

I expected the audience to be made up of people like me, who appreciate music by bitter old men for bitter old men, but there were a surprising number of younger people in the audience.

Good music obviously has a universal appeal.