Fri. Sept. 7 

You know how certain minor details stick in your head for years? Here's one of mine from the punk rock era: Johnny Rotten being photographed in a Pink Floyd t-shirt that had "I HATE" scrawled before Pink Floyd. I got it that Pink Floyd was not remotely punk, and ascended to that rock star peak that punks were trying to tear down, but I loved Pink Floyd - frankly, for its atmospheric textures, its brooding darkness and its continuing look into the nature of madness and isolation. Themes not outside the punk realm at all. Years later, like last year actually, I asked Johnny Rotten (John Lydon, helming the revamped PiL) about it. And he said, no, he didn't hate Pink Floyd then or now, rather liked them, in fact. It was just a t-shirt and an impulse. Now, of course, I or anyone doesn't need Rotten's approval on anything, but I somehow felt relieved. Not everything the Floyd has done is genius and there's the whole Syd Barrett issue which we needn't address here, but for a body of serious-minded art-rock, can any other band hit the mark for so long? Roger Waters keeps it going and scored big with his re-imagined "The Wall" last year. David Gilmour may or may not have a Pink Floyd working at the moment. Probably he's playing Floyd songs under his own name. So, what're you gonna do? Check out The Machine, which bills itself as "America’s top Pink Floyd show." I saw them at the Channel many years ago, and liked what I heard. My caveat was, well, it was a cover band. A tribute band, yes, but a cover band. I - and my guess this goes for you too - have been much more accepting of this tribute thing over time, accepting the idea that many of the original bands are dead or dormant and the material is what matters. Look at it like a touring production of a Broadway play. I'm not saying the tribute equals the real thing, but I think I've come to terms with where it stands.
The Machine's goal is to "extend the legacy of Pink Floyd" while making a pretty good living doing so. They've played all over North America, Europe and Asia and have also appeared at renowned music festivals such as Bonnaroo, Riverbend, Gathering of the Vibes, Buffalo's Artpark, and Germany’s Rock of Ages.
    The New York based band focuses on making every show an authentic Floydian experience. Known for performing a diverse mix of The Floyd’s extensive 16-album repertoire (complete with faithful renditions of popular hits as well as obscure gems). The Machine has the dramatic lighting and video and - says their press people - they explore collective improvisation paralleling and even rivaling that of an early 1970’s Pink Floyd mentality. If so - and I haven't seen them in a long while - this would mean they tackle "Ummagumma," "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" and "Atom Heart Mother"-like stuff, the pre "Dark Side" era. Moving alogn, their use of expanded theatrical elements and elaborate stage displays continues in the spirit of the later Floyd lineups of the 1980’s. The band is also known for recreating entire albums as a part of their show, accepting requests from fans, and for taking an A to Z approach in which one song is played for every letter of the alphabet. Don't know what the plan is Friday Sept. 7 at the Lowell Music Series' Boarding House Park, but that's where the band and its gear set up shop. Show starts at 8, tix are $35 day of and $29.50 advance.

40 French St., Lowell, www.lowellsummermusic.org    www.themachinelive.com