Largo Cultural Center show celebrates 30th anniversary of Pink Floyd's 'The Wall'

Some Pink Floyd devotees arrived with old friends. Others brought their kids to share in an evening of classic rock 'n' roll.

The 30th anniversary of Pink Floyd's The Wall turned the Largo Cultural Center into a shrine of multicolored lights Friday night.

Forces from both sides of Tampa Bay came together to present the show, which was billed as a fundraiser for WMNF-FM, a nonprofit radio station in Tampa.

For more than three hours, Don Short, the center's technical director, oversaw a stadium-style light show. Two dozen musicians came together to perform Pink Floyd music before 400 fans in a soldout show at Tonne Playhouse.

The featured band of the night, the Vodkanauts, performed the 81-minute album in its entirety.

"Our goal was to get as close to the original rock opera as possible,'' said Mark Warren, guitarist for the band.

Singing the parts made famous by David Gilmore and Roger Waters were Jonathan Harrison, lead singer of the Vodkanauts, and Brian Merrill, a guest singer who was invited by the band.

"Actually, it was awesome performing Pink Floyd, but I really thought it would be an honor to be on stage with Jonathan Harrison," Merrill said. "He's one of my favorite singers.''

Patrick Sullivan of St. Petersburg came to the show with his father, Dan Sullivan.

"My dad always has talked about seeing Pink Floyd in 1994 in the old Tampa Stadium, and I figured we'd come and enjoy old tunes that he's always playing,'' the 15-year-old said.

Although he enjoyed the depiction of the 30-year-old concept album, the younger Sullivan walked away with a new discovery.

"The Vodkanauts are awesome,'' he said. "I play bass guitar, and now I want to see their regular show.''