The Dark Side Experience - Tribute To Pink Floyd

The Darkside Experience is a meticulously crafted Pink Floyd tribute band based in Southwest Virginia, dedicated to faithfully recreating the sound, spirit, and immersive experience of one of rock’s most iconic acts. Formed in 2018, the group has quickly established itself as the region’s premier Pink Floyd tribute, known for stunning live shows that blend musical precision with visual atmosphere. The band performs throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, typically within a 6-hour radius of Roanoke, VA, at theaters, clubs, and festivals—including recent headlining sets at the Hard Rock Café in Bristol, the Grandin Theatre, 5 Points Music Sanctuary, and the Millwald Theatre in Wytheville.

Covering the full arc of Floyd’s catalog, their repertoire includes complete performances of The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and Animals, as well as deep cuts from The Wall, Meddle, More, and early Syd Barrett-era material. Each show is performed with deep respect for the source material, combining authentic sound design, layered vocal textures, and immersive light elements to bring Pink Floyd’s timeless music to life.

The band draws from a lineup of seasoned professionals with over three decades of performance experience across genres—rock, jazz, theater, studio work, and beyond. Jonathan Barker, the band’s founder and lead vocalist/keyboardist, is a veteran of Electric Woodshed and current member of The Jive Exchange, known for his intricate recreation of Rick Wright’s sonic architecture. Guitarist Dan Dunlap brings decades of blues and theater experience and a keen ear for capturing the nuance and emotion of David Gilmour’s guitar work.

Willis Greenstreet, a multi-instrumentalist revered in the Roanoke scene, covers both guitar and saxophone duties, contributing versatile musicality to classic Floyd tracks. Jake Dempsey, a widely respected bassist and sound engineer, anchors the band with precision and depth, drawing from his work with Dead Reckoning, Lengthwise, and earlier Floyd tributes. Drummer Brett Reynolds, with roots in legendary rock acts including The Chesterfield Kings and collaborations with Mick Taylor, recreates Nick Mason’s progressive rock technique with meticulous authenticity.

The vocal depth of the band is enriched by Julie Gruver, whose soaring soprano draws from her classical training and musical theater background, and Melissa Mesko, a dynamic vocalist with a rich resume spanning Nashville, Mississippi, and the Mid-Atlantic. Together, they recreate the ethereal vocal layers that define much of Pink Floyd’s studio sound.

Whether delivering full-album recreations or curated setlists for theater audiences, The Darkside Experience offers an immersive, high-fidelity tribute to Pink Floyd—rooted in reverence, driven by musicianship, and executed with professional precision.