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    For me, Flashback: The Classic Rock Experience was a show chocked-full of classic rock hits and misses. My personal experience was almost like coming down off of a good acid trip with polar highs and lows throughout the show. The show touted a less than stellar turn-out, but I expected as much seeing as the experience could not be totally summed up in any promotional materials. All in all, the debut of concert promoter Rick Bowen’s pet project should act as both a learning experience and an extreme dress rehearsal for the dates that follow. Needless to say, Flashback could become extremely successful touring show with a few small improvements, or it could go ahead and make its way down to the Vegas strip and set up shop at the Hard Rock Casino. Let me break down the three elements upon which this show has based its foundation: the stage show, the vocalists and the Mystic Orchestra.

     The extensive stage show was one of Flashback’s major selling points. When the concert began, we were positioned in the balcony stage left. The stage set-up was mock-up of Pink Floyd’s 1994 tour with circle screens displaying various graphics and fringed with vivid, flashing lights. However, two large “bed sheets” (as we called them) hung on each side of the stage near the ceiling and served no purpose than to block the view of those sitting around me. If you sat in the balcony, the only way to have a totally unobstructed view was from the very center in front of the stage. A zeppelin displaying a video screen hung stationary over the floor crowd flashing stage images upon it. With the screen being so small, it would have been more useful closer to the ground. There were also two random tributes to the Twin Towers disaster and Mohammed Ali, but they seemed to be irrelevant to the overall theme of a show that was supposed to concentrate on classic rock and the bands that symbolize this concept.  We thought all hope was lost until we moved into a floor seat. The difference between the two positions in the arena was amazing and eye-opening (literally and figuratively). By sitting in a floor seat, we were totally immersed in the media. The blinding colors and lights leaped out accented by colorful lasers wisped with smoke. The effect of the three circular screens was felt in its entirety and gave an impressive feel to the stage. This was how the Flashback stage show should be experienced by everyone. This was the show that I pictured in my mind while listening to all the hype in the preceding weeks.

     The Mystic Orchestra was the highlight of the show. This musical group had the potential to commit complete rock and roll blasphemy, but they brought new light to many classic songs. Their arrangement of “Purple Haze” was excellent with its raging electrified violin, and they achieved near perfection when covering Pink Floyd’s “Shine On, You Crazy Diamond” with every instrument sounding dead-on. You could tell that this group was having a good time on stage with members of their horn section working overtime as fanciful flower children when they weren’t playing. The Mystic Orchestra was definitely the star of the show. Music director Frank Gilcken should be proud of this group.

     As far as the vocalists are concerned, I have mixed feelings.  I am quite familiar with Shaun Williamson and his group King Karma, and I have been impressed with his vocals in the past. Shaun only had one enemy during this show, and it was trying to hit the low notes while maintaining volume, especially during “Light My Fire.” However, he did redeem himself with impressive renditions of “Purple Haze” and especially the Pink Floyd songs they had been selected. As long as he steers clear of the Doors in the future, he should shine in future performances. Three Dog Night’s Chuck Negron still had it, and I was pleasantly surprised that they broke out “Eli’s Coming.” Obviously, the two shining stars of the vocal section were Katrina Chester and Elizabeth Egan. It was as if Janis herself had come down for the night, especially during “More Over.” Elizabeth Egan is a brave woman to be covering Pink Floyd’s “The Great Gig in the Sky,” and she called forth soul straight from the “Dark Side of the Moon.”

      All in all, I have to give props to the Flashback family. It’s not easy doing something like this, and it makes the show an easy target for criticism from people like me with it treading into the holy ground of rock and roll. However, I could see this show growing into something great with this initial tour. I don’t think that Rick Bowen needs to bail on his dream completely. I think he needs to learn from this experience and watch this show evolve and morph. A word to the wise: if someone really wants the full experience, then I encourage them to get floor tickets. Otherw