SARASOTA, FL – In honor of “Rocktober,” on October 20, teachers and students of all ages at local music school Music Compound will present a live musical tribute to one of the most revered albums of all time on the 50th anniversary of its release: Pink Floyd’s “The Dark Side of the Moon.”
First released in 1973 by Capitol Records, “The Dark Side of the Moon” is a 45-minute conceptual suite covering both sides of the original vinyl album, with all the songs flowing together to make a single, epic piece of music. Frequently appearing in lists of “the greatest albums ever made,” it is the third bestselling studio album of all time, having sold 45 million copies worldwide, and going 15x Platinum in the U.S. alone. As of May 2023, the album has spent 981 weeks on the Billboard 200 charts since its release.
To celebrate 50 years of this landmark work, Taylor Galford and Iain Harris, two instructors at Music Compound, are working together to stage a performance of the entire album by the students and staff.
“’The Dark Side of the Moon’ is by far the most ambitious production Music Compound has ever attempted,” said Harris. “By presenting the entire 45-minute work from start to finish, with an ensemble consisting of 33 musicians – 11 instructors and 22 students – we are creating a once-in-a-lifetime collaborative experience that our students will never forget.”
The event will also feature a food truck and specialty swag available for purchase.
“Following the success of our annual Beatles tribute concert in June, Iain and I were inspired to push Music Compound, our students and staff to recreate an entire classic album from start to finish,” said Galford. “There is so much talent, dedication and enthusiasm in our student body, and this project is going to take their performance skills to a whole new level.”
The concert takes place on Friday, October 20, 8-9:30 p.m. at Music Compound SRQ (1751 Cattlemen Rd., Sarasota). It is free and open to the public but advance tickets must be reserved at musiccompound.com/darkside.
