Wish You Were Here

Anticipation grips the crowd as the house lights dim and a shroud of fog drifts across a darkened stage.  The intro music swells as short, sharp shocks of light barely reveal a hint of what's to come. Suddenly, the sounds of drums, bass, guitar, and organ explode with a flash of brilliant white light, followed by a rainbow of intense colors, as the band kicks into the opening salvo of "In The Flesh"...

A live tribute to Pink Floyd from the Syd Barrett years to the Division Bell, WISH YOU WERE HERE combines Sight and Sound for the consummate Pink Floyd experience, a mystical journey through the enduring legacy of one of rock's most innovative groups. WISH YOU WERE HERE performs the popular crowd favorites that all rock fans recognize, interspersed with the show-stoppers that appease even the most ardent Pink Floyd fanatics.

Not just "merely a cover band," WISH YOU WERE HERE delivers a theatrical presentation that captures the mood, emotions, and the intensity of the Pink Floyd concert experience. The show utilizes specially created sound effects, a professional 9-piece musical ensemble featuring 6 vocalists, and a choreographed light show complete with rolling fog and special effect lighting.

Based in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame city - Cleveland, Ohio - WISH YOU WERE HERE regularly performs to sold-out and SRO crowds in their hometown and throughout Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, New York, and Kentucky. Shows often include "entire album" performances, such as "Dark Side of the Moon", "Wish You Were Here", or "Animals", and the band has also done "unplugged" and "quadraphonic sound" shows. WISH YOU WERE HERE also performs the Floyd masterpiece "The Wall" occasionally, which includes the building (and tearing down) of a giant wall that spans the width of the stage, set pieces, and costumed characters. The Sight and Sound of Pink Floyd, indeed !

The roots of WISH YOU WERE HERE go back to 1987, when bassist/vocalist Eroc Sosinski joined forces with former guitarist/vocalist JIm Tigue in the Cleveland-based classic rock band HARVEST and soon began performing a "Pink Floyd Revue." The band, which evolved into TIE-DYE HARVEST in 1991, toured Ohio and surrounding states full-time until the mid-1990's and recorded 3 original releases along the way. "In 1995 we decided to tribute Floyd exclusively and created WISH YOU WERE HERE," says Sosinski, "incorporating the successful elements of the Revue with key personnel additions and a more theatrical focus."

Keyboardist Bob Gerhard, a TIE-DYE HARVEST member since 1990, brought his considerable knowledge of Floyd and vintage keyboard sounds to the project, along with original drummer Vince Broncaccio, formerly of the Midwest prog-rock band Fayrewether. Lead guitarist/ vocalist Mark Brennan and percussionist Tim Ginley, both veterans of Cleveland bands Polyphony and the Brennan/Cosma Band, were the first outside additions to the fold, lending their considerable talents to energize and update what had previously been a 4-piece combo. In 1997 sax player Bob Barno was literally plucked from a smoky blues bar to perform with the band, and Tim "T.J." Hanculak took over the drumming position soon after. In 2001, guitarist/vocalist Scott Langston (Ozz Knozz, The Dynosaurs, My Old School) became the newest addition to WISH YOU WERE HERE, replacing guitarist Jim Tigue.

An essential component of the Pink Floyd sound since 1973's "Dark Side of the Moon" has been the beautiful and powerful voices of their female vocalists. WISH YOU WERE HERE is blessed to have 3 talented singers available: Debi Lewin, Marla Zahorsky,and Jennifer Lee, who inspire and awe the crowds at every show. Their experience, talent, and beauty shine thru in both featured solos and background vocals - the band usually performs with 2, occasionally one, and sometimes all 3 singers. ("No self-respecting Floyd Tribute should be without 'em," says Sosinski.)

WISH YOU WERE HERE also employs a professional sound and light crew to ensure that the Sight and Sound of Pink Floyd is seen and heard - sound engineer Kurt Tischer, lighting director Paul Miller, and sound tech Joe Kleon are all vital to the success of the show as well.

In May of 2002, the band was chosen by Clear Chanel Entertainment to headline the FAKEFEST 2002 TOUR, which played to fans at outdoor sheds in 6 major markets across the Midwest, including Kansas City, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh. WISH YOU WERE HERE continue to regularly sell-out the 1000-capacity Odeon Concert Club in Cleveland every 3 months (since 1996), and have played to SRO crowds in Columbus OH (Promowest Pavilion & The Newport), Kalamazoo MI (State Theatre- 1400 capacity), Louisville KY, and throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, & New York at colleges, festivals and events. (See the GIGS page for a complete gig history of WISH YOU WERE HERE.) The band is currently campaigning to expand its reach into markets such as Cincinnati, Detroit, Buffalo, Indianapolis, and the surrounding regions - for more information please go to the contact/references page of this site, or check out the gigs page for upcoming show info. Future plans include more performances of "The Wall" and our special "un-plugged" show, and the continued high-quality, breathtaking performances of a show that has become known as The Sight and Sound of Pink Floyd - WISH YOU WERE HERE.

-M.J. Pardee, with thanks to Matt Weiland