El Monstero – a Tribute To Pink Floyd in Concert
Many tribute bands are dedicated to the music and visuals of Pink Floyd, but few are as ambitious as El Monstero – a Tribute to Pink Floyd. Based in St. Louis, the troupe pairs an arena-caliber light and video show with meticulous attention to detail: They once borrowed the actual inflatable pig owned by Pink Floyd, and have also been known to hire a helicopter to fly over the crowd to provide the proper sound effects for the music. Their onstage presence certainly earns them the tag "The Definitive U.S. Pink Floyd Tribute Experience," as the band's arresting musicianship captures the evocative emotional arcs of the David Gilmour and Roger Waters era of Pink Floyd.
Near the end of the year, the group books an annual run of shows at popular indoor St. Louis venue the Pageant, a 2,300-capacity space that's adjacent to the Delmar Loop. They also regularly do out-of-town gigs in Springfield and Kansas City, and they've collaborated live with the St. Louis Philharmonic Orchestra on bigger concerts that add majestic flourishes to Pink Floyd's music. In recent years, El Monstero has also branched out for summer shows at the St. Louis–area outdoor venue the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre.
El Monstero – a Tribute To Pink Floyd Background
It's tough to beat the pedigree of the musicians in El Monstero. The group was founded by members of the St. Louis rock band Stir, who decided to do a covers show around Thanksgiving 1999 that drew 900 people. From there, El Monstero continued to play gigs around the holidays, even as their personnel evolved: Stir bassist Kevin Gagnepain stayed aboard and was joined by members of nationally signed bands the Urge (drummer John Pessoni, keyboardist Bill Reiter) and Kingofthehill (vocalist/guitarist Jimmy Griffin) — all of whom had continued to hone their craft in other St. Louis bands — as well as a group of talented local instrumentalists, including vocalist/guitarist Mark Thomas Quinn, and backing singers. Together, El Monstero is a testament to the power of Pink Floyd, and to the power of community.
