If imitation is the best form of flattery then Ottawa’s new Nostalgia Music Festival is the ultimate compliment to the artists that jumped, jived, rasta’ed and rocked our days of old. Whether you want to boogie down disco-style or get your classic rock on, these three days are sure to be a party for all who remember a time when these tunes were topping the charts and those just discovering music that defined other generations.
“Some come out to relive their youth and to bring back memories of a bygone time. Others bring their children so that they may experience the thrill they had when they listened to the music that meant so much to them when they were growing up,” says Andre Filippetti, founding member of Floyd Factor, Canada’s premiere tribute to, you guessed it, Pink Floyd.
“If you think about it, today’s tribute artists are portraying the classical music of our time!”
Filippetti, a proud “lifer Pink Floyd nut”, says he put together the group for fans like him to experience rock’s most transcendent band. Outside of a reunion for Live 8 in 2005, the original prog-rockers haven’t expressed any interest in getting back together. With tributes like Floyd Factor being the closest most will come to the real deal, it’s important for the band to recreate the experience down to the smallest of details.
“I put a lot stock in the details, playing the notes just like you hear them on the records. We have all spent a lot of time studying the records and try to capture every nuance possible, and respecting what instruments, gear and technology they had available to them at the time they recorded their records,” he says.
“It’s a lot like acting where you are playing a part and immersing yourself in it, becoming the individual you are portraying. Not necessarily in your appearance, but rather in how you emulate the detail and feel of the music.”
Floyd Factor will be headlining Nostalgia on Saturday night and Filippetti says fans can expect some of the visuals that were a large part of the Floyd experience as well as the choice cuts that have become staples of classic rock. Playing those songs and capturing the live vibe of a band he loves so much is especially rewarding when he sees younger people in the crowd and knows he may be introducing this music to a new generation.
“It’s kind of like being a minister and preaching the gospel of Pink Floyd to the masses,” he says, clearly ready to rock the Flats and leave fans “Comfortably Numb”.
Nostalgia is the brainchild of Algonquin business administration / marketing grad Daniel Cardinal. Back in the late ‘80s, early ‘90s he was helping expand malls like Bayshore. For the last 12 years he’s owned and managed the Outaouais Women’s Show but his love of music had him wanting to bring a mega-jam to the Capital. With tribute acts to Prince, Abba, Madonna, Cher, Michael Jackson, Rush, The Rolling Stones, and Tom Petty, one could say he succeed.
People like Les Smith, who’ll be tickling the ivories as Elton John Sunday night, know that being a good tribute act is more than pounding out hits or tossing on a costume.
“A good tribute represents the artist on many levels,” says Smith who also performs as Garth Brooks in another tribute act. “In the case of Elton John it is important to remember that you are impersonating a legend and you should be able to achieve the standard it takes to perform as the real person would.”
To capture Elton’s flamboyance and flair, Smith researched everything he could find on the artist’s personal life, stage presence and music theories. This meant going to multiple shows, watching videos and studying the way he sang and spoke. Of course, if you’re slipping into the platform shoes of The Rocket Man, you gotta’ have the glitzy attire to match!
“I have a selection of wardrobe that dates mainly to the ‘70s and ‘80s era,” shares Smith. He knows, however, that he could never come close to Elton’s collected apparel. “All combined there must be hundreds and he has the money to buy it.”
With John retiring after this tour, Smith’s show will continue to keep the live experience going with tributes like his becoming the only way to see certain act’s stage shows in the flesh. This is exactly what fuels Johnny Zatylny each time he walks on stage as Queen frontman Freddie Mercury. Called on of the top Mercury impersonators, he feels most rewarded when he sees the joy in an audience that gets to relive the magic of Queen for a 2-hour set.
Queen Flash (on stage at Nostalgia Saturday at 3:15), brings out all the rock and pomp of the original band but Zatylny knows that there is only one Freddie. While he does bear a striking resemblance, he is not trying to be Mercury. He says he is only trying to bring his spirit back to the stage.
“Performing Freddie…I didn't research so much,” says Zatylny. “I use a few of his trademark poses but use a lot of my own personal moves to make it real for me.”
To the organizers of Nostalgia, the three-days had to include quality tribute bands like these to magically recreate the music of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s. It all starts tonight. Looking at the line-up, it’s clear that whether you’re a Buffalo Solider or a Dancing Queen, this festival has your weekend party covered.