Pink Talking Fish Bring Deep Cuts and Special Guest to Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles, CA

Saturday night at the Teragram Ballroom in Los Angeles, CA, East coast mash-up band, Pink Talking Fish came strong with the deep cuts from the bands they represent (Pink Floyd, Talking Heads, Phish). Don't call this a cover or tribute band because they're something more than that, weaving in and out of all three bands music during a show to create a proggy musical tapestry that you can't help but give mad respect to.

All you have to do is look at the first set and see that the LA show was unique. No "greatest hits", no "fan favorites", just a whole lot of deep cut delight. "Flesh>Alumni>Jimmy Page>Psycho Killer>Jimmy Page>Alumni>Astro Domine>Nothing But Flowers" without a stop, seamlessly blending the three bands together beautifully. For the un-indoctrinated, that would be Pink Floyd-Phish-Phish-Talking Heads-Phish-Phish-Pink Floyd-Talking Heads. The set ending with "Root Down" and "Fight For Your Right to Party" by the Beastie Boys, done incredibly well, I might add and certainly riled up the near capacity crowd for second set.

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02/01/2020- PTF, Teragram Ballroom, Los Angeles, CA

Set 1

• In the Flesh>

• Alumni Blues>

• Letter to Jimmy Page>

• Psycho Killer>

• Letter to Jimmy Page>

• Alumni Blues>

• Astro Domine>

• Nothing But Flowers

• Reba>

• Root Down

• Fight For Your Right To Party

Once everyone had time to wrap their heads around what they just witnessed during the first set, PTF came out and delivered something a bit more familiar for the ancillary fans of the body of music. Phish's "Split Open and Melt" to kick it off certainly woke up anyone that was not yet on board. The familiar Pink Floyd classic "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" coming out of Talking Heads' "Found A Job" kept that going.

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Special guest of the evening, Josh Eckhaus, from LA's own Phish tribute, Great Divide, sat in on the next tune, "Llama".

One of my favorite Talking Heads songs to hear is Naive Melody. I love it when they do it, Phish does it, anyone. It's just a great song so when PTF busted out those first few synth notes that are so familiar, I busted out my video setting. Judging from the people all singing along, I'm not the only one with this opinion.

https://youtu.be/cPl9hj5U2M8

This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) 2/1/2020 Teragram Ballroom, LA, CA

They closed out the set with Pink Floyd's "Run Like Hell" into Phish's "2001", a counterpoint to the first set Beastie Boys closer. But, as they say in the infomercials...there's more. The crowd wouldn't let them leave without one more and the band literally walked off the stage, turned around and came right back for a nice rendition of George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". A nice way to end the show.

Set 2

• Split Open and Melt

• Found a Job>

• Shine on You Crazy Diamond

• Llama

• This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)

• Run Like Hell>

• 2001

E: While My Guitar Gently Weeps

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the 5th member of PTF, their Lighting Designer and all around bad ass, Vin Pugliese. To say that Vin crushed the visuals on Saturday night would be a gross understatement. Good job Vin! Please keep your eyes (and ears) peeled for an upcoming interview with Vin taking a look behind the curtain at what make the LD from PTF tick.

Los Angeles based Alligators, opened up the night. They play tribute to Grateful Dead keyboardist, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan and his catalogue of music.

Special thanks to Bill McCoy of Shakedown News for this review!

PINK TALKING FISH returns to the Teragram Ballroom - Feb 1st!

There are so many things to say about this band. Where to start?? Well, the obvious, they are a fusion band that plays Phish, Talking Heads, and Pink Floyd. At least that’s how they started, what they’ve evolved into is a super charged version of all three bands, with insane transitions, and surprise covers of all sorts of genres. 

If you’re from the east coast PTF has been an institution of the Jam Scene for many years. Hosting countless after shows of Phish concerts all around the east coast, most recently in NYC during Phish’s annual NYE run at MSG. While they don’t play the west coast as frequently, recently the group has made an effort to spread their unique jam style to the Pacific Coast. They’re also scheduled to play in April at Skull and Roses in Ventura, along some of the best Dead inspired bands in the world.

Back to this Saturday Feb 1st at Teragram. A recent lineup change last year has vaulted this band into another stratosphere, especially their Phish songs. The band replaced guitarist Dave Brunyak, with Cal Kehoe. Cal, has an impressive connection to Phish. He has collaborated and played with Tom Marshall (Trey’s writing partner) in a band called “The Amfibian All Stars.” Cal is a wizard, and his addition has made the Phish songs standout. He’s also been selected to play the Official VIP Pre show of various Phish concerts as a solo artist, where he loops multiple sounds to create amazing covers (catch it if you get a chance). He channels Trey’s technique while adding his on style.  I caught this new PTF lineup last March at the Teragram, and I was melted away. He’s added such a dynamic to the band, and the Phish tunes just explode.

Eric Gould holds it down on Bass and lead vocals, while Richard James plays keyboards and also shares lead vocal duties. Zack Burwick is on drums, and you can tell the three of these guys have played 100’s of shows together. Ripping jams, crazy transitions, interweaving songs you didn’t even know could be woven together. I guess they’re a “cover” band by definition, but they make the songs their own. Check them out LA, you tell me…does Pink Floyd’s ‘On The Run’ fit perfectly into the middle of Phish’s YEM?

Does a segue of Run Like Hell (Floyd)>Making Flippy Floppy(Heads)>Piper(Phish)>Run Like Hell sound like fun???

Or how about their idea of a Mike’s Groove… Mike’s Song(Phish)>Have A Cigar(Floyd)>Once In A Lifetime(Heads)>Weekapaug Groove(Phish)

This Saturday at Teragram. 9PM. Don’t miss it!

Opening Act: The Alligators. To my knowledge The Alligators are the only local Grateful Dead cover band that focuses on Pigpen era Dead music, and it’s as amazing as it sounds. Do you enjoy blues music? Do you like ripping harmonica? Do you enjoy whiskey? Then this is the band for you. Saw them after Dead and Co. at the Hollywood Bowl last year. Their energy is off the charts. Their frontman Pete “Pen” Carona is a whirlwind, giving an over the top performance, that has to be seen to describe. Words truly don’t do it justice. Enjoy!