Junta Circus Comes to Town

When Pink Talking Fish took the stage on Saturday night, the crowd at the Capitol Theatre was already primed for a night of raucous entertainment. From the stilt-walker and balloon twister in the lobby to the acrobats and clowns on stage, it was clear that it would be far from standard concert fare. Joined by Ringmaster Greg Ormont of Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, the band played a three and half hour set that included a nod to Bowie, multiple aerial performances and a constant stream of dynamic vignettes.

As their name suggests, Pink Talking Fish is a hybrid tribute band that includes the music of Pink Floyd, Talking Heads and Phish in their sets. They are pioneers in the burgeoning hybrid tribute scene and have become known for designing concept shows and incorporating members of other bands into their act. By continuously adding elements to their performances, Pink Talking Fish has developed an expansive range that makes each show a unique affair.

In their most ambitious performance to date, Pink Talking Fish returned to the Capitol for their third concept show, this time to play Phish’s first album Junta. Having previously paid homage to Talking Heads’ Stop Making Sense and The Wall by Pink Floyd, Phish was the logical next step, but this time they decided to up the ante. Under the coordination of bassist Eric Gould, a troupe of performers from the Big Apple Circus joined the band and helped to elevate their performance to new heights, literally.

For Pink Floyd’s Great Gig in the Sky, the band was joined by vocalist Maryn Azoff and a pair of aerial contortionists, who wound their way to the rafters, swaying and gliding in tune with the operatic song. In a more grounded section of the show, a trio of dancers shimmed around the stage as Ringmaster Greg Ormont fronted a funky rendition of David Bowie’s Fame. The encore featured all the evening’s guests flooding the stage for a final act set to the iconic Burning Down The House, with a sprinkling of riffs from Phish’s Tweezer Reprise. Pink Talking Fish has set the stage for a new kind of tribute show, the only question is, what album comes next?

William Bermingham works in the Communications Department at ArtsWestchester. He is a graduate of Purchase College where he studied Arts Management.