TEXARKANA, Texas - The classic art rock of Pink Floyd and a fantastic light show inside a historic theater, it's all coming to Texarkana soon.
The "Pink Floyd Laser Spectacular" arrives at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21, to bring the brilliance of "Dark Side of the Moon," "The Wall" and more of Pink Floyd's best music to life for a visual concert experience. Originally scheduled a few months ago, the show is back on.
Steve Monistere, president of Paramount Entertainment and the show producer, says as far as the experience is concerned, it's like nothing people have ever seen before.
"What we do with lasers, lighting, concert sound, video is interpret the music of Pink Floyd in the way that we see it, and sometimes it's literal to the song, as the original story of the song was intended. Sometimes it's abstract in the interpretation," Monistere said. "Every song does tell a story."
Unlike a regular concert, this show has more audience participation. "The audience makes up a big part of the atmosphere and the feeling of what is going on inside the room," Monistere said. "Imagine like 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' meets 'The Wall.'"
The audience, after all, will love the music of Pink Floyd. They don't just like it, they love it and know the music. The first half of the show, which focuses on "Dark Side of the Moon," uses 3D glasses with the audience.
"The second half is more of the rock and roll part of the show. They get these prism glasses," Monistere. "It's just a lot of fun. It's fun for the whole family actually." That second half includes more of the "best of" with Pink Floyd, including material from "The Wall."
On stage there's a giant projection screen with trussing, lighting and lasers as we normally see at a concert. But the lights are not confined to the stage. Imagine lasers shooting above your head to fill up the theater, he said. And in Pink Floyd, there's something special to pair with the light show.
"It's the right music because their music is visual. You could sit in a dark room and put on Floyd and listen, and in your mind's eye you see what's going on," Monistere said. We may interpret this music differently, but we imagine something visual.
"The music is very expansive, it breathes. You've got to time to absorb every single second of it because the music breathes. And, of course, the song. These guys are unbelievable songwriters," Monistere said, ranking them with the great composers.
Pink Floyd fans come from many generations, too, and they are passionate about the band.
"You're not going to find a Pink Floyd fan that says, 'Oh, I like their music. It's OK,'" Monistere said. Instead, they'll have a passionate explanation as to whey they love them.
He first produced the show in 1986, and it subtly changes from year to year. Technology enables them to do more and more with the show. However, the basic format of the show is the same.
"We do improve every year," Monistere said.
Because of COVID-19, social distancing and mask requirements will be in place for the show, but the experience of the show won't be affected by this, he said.
"It won't affect the experience if you're there," Monistere. They have five shows planned for November, the first ones since March. All of the theaters where they perform will have guidelines for the show, but the show itself remains the same.
(Tickets: $45, $35, and $33. Seating is limited because of social distance seating requirements. Call 903-792-4992 or visit the Perot Theatre Box Office to purchase tickets. More info: TRAHC.org.)