This past Sunday, we had the chance to experience something truly unique, marking the 30 years of activity and contribution of the Penteli Visitors Center: the total lunar eclipse set to the sounds of Pink Floyd, performed by the tribute band of legendary guitarist Christoforos Krokidis, at the Penteli Visitors Center of the National Observatory of Athens! The spectacular total lunar eclipse, fully visible in Greece, combined with the psychedelic/progressive rock music of Pink Floyd, completely mesmerized us. For this amazing event, we must thank the Penteli Visitors Center for the idea and organization, and of course, Christoforos Krokidis and his band for the perfect musical accompaniment.
by Georgios Kalligeris
photos by Iro Kalligeri (@irokalligeriphotography)
The whole event began early, as we would first enjoy the total lunar eclipse and then the concert would begin. Indeed, around seven in the evening we arrived at the mountain hill of Penteli, where the Visitors Center is located, in order to admire this astronomical phenomenon at our leisure. We settled in the courtyard of the Visitors Center, which was filled with people (the show was sold-out), and against the backdrop of the dome of the historic Newall telescope, built in 1869, we watched the moon and the darkened shade of its near side as the Sun, Earth and Moon aligned in a perfect straight line! Next to the telescopes of the Hellenic Amateur Astronomy Association, we observed the beautiful Attic sky and the Moon in these special moments. Truth be told, it was quite cold up there, even though it was early September — but nothing could spoil the beauty of the night! By then, everyone was eagerly waiting for the live band to take their place in front of the Dome and transport us into the mystical world of Pink Floyd.
Christoforos Krokidis, longtime guitarist for Vasilis Papakonstantinou, a remarkable musician and one of the most iconic figures in Greek rock, appeared at the Penteli Visitors Center along with his band — which also included another renowned Greek guitarist, Akis Tourkogiorgis! In addition to Christoforos Krokidis and Akis Tourkogiorgis, the stage also featured one more guitar, bass, and drums. Without delay, and with the lunar eclipse still visible, Christoforos Krokidis and his band dived straight into the deep waters of Pink Floyd’s music! They skillfully transported us into Floyd’s incredible soundscapes, giving flesh and bone to their monumental compositions, and we found ourselves swept away by albums such as “The Dark Side of the Moon”, “Wish You Were Here” and “The Wall”. Some of the most moving moments were “Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2”, “Comfortably Numb”, “High Hopes” and of course “The Great Gig in the Sky”, with a mesmerizing vocal performance by Tania Kikidi. The eclipse had passed, but the band kept playing the notes of Pink Floyd’s legendary songs! The only drawbacks were a few pre-recorded parts (such as the keyboards) and some minor vocal issues from the guitarists. But overall, everything was stunning — especially the musicians’ performance, their unmatched passion, the sound production, and the lighting. Moments like these don’t come around every day, and they leave an imprint on the heart and mind for a long time!
Around midnight, the evening came to an end. We were overwhelmed by everything we had seen and heard — those were hours where science met the art of music! It wasn’t just a tribute party to Pink Floyd, but a launch of rock music into the stars!
