That Pink Floyd's 1973 Dark Side of the Moon is one of the iconic classics of rock is indisputable — darkly atmospheric and almost neurotic in its themes of greed, war, self-absorption, and class struggle. And then there was its aural quality, which often eclipsed the themes. "Ya gotta hear this through headphones!" was the review I heard most often from my stoner friends at the time. In that regard, the album made me realize that rock had become more a medium for engineers than musicians and set me on a punkish course to rediscover the roots of rock, which led, in a circuitous route, to reggae. The almost soothing beat of reggae belied its political underpinnings and seduced me immediately. I was the first kid on my block to wear a Bob Marley t-shirt, much to the bewilderment of the East Texas citizenry.
Filmed in September 2005, Easy Star All-Stars' Dub Side of the Moon Live is an unlikely but infinitely satisfying reinvention of the Pink Floyd original. Make no mistake about it — this is no novelty performance. What the All-Stars have done is taken baby boomer insecurities and transmuted them into a stand-alone performance that encompasses a world view of — well, war, greed, self-absorption, and class struggle. Moreover, they have brought Dark Side of the Moon into the 21st century.
Using the framing device of an animated "rasta-naut" awakening from stasis aboard the USS Syd Barrett (a fitting tribute to the founding force of Pink Floyd), Dub Side seamlessly transports the viewer into a world that is at once both familiar and unsettling in its rootsy origins. There are no intricate laseriums here — only strobes and a thematic full moon background projection.
It's all we need.
The band quickly launches into an exhilarating rendition of "Breathe (In the Air)" that cascades into Tamar-Kali's jazz-infused interpretation of "Time." Augmented by the flute of Jenny Hill and the toasting of Menny More, it is here that Dub Side takes on a multi-ethnic life of its own. And while her vocals are reminiscent of Claire Torry's in "The Great Gig in the Sky," Tamar-Kali's add a new dimension with her sudden throatiness at various breaks. "Money" becomes a new anthem in the hands of the All-Stars, thanks in part to the socio-political dub but moreso to Junior Jazz's guitar licks.
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