To appreciate the Pink Floyd Experience, you first have to get over the fact that it’s not Pink Floyd.

That, of course, is a fundamental thing.

But if you can come to terms with that, you can come to appreciate what it is — a darn good tribute band.

The six-member, San Diego-based group rocked the Lied Center Friday night. The crowd, many of whom seemed to appreciate Floyd as much as the members of the cover band do, treated the Experience with enough enthusiasm that you might have thought it was the real thing.

The band — one of several similar groups from around the world — recreated the Pink Floyd sound with surprising authenticity, especially on the instrumentals, during favorites such as “Dark Side of the Moon,” “Comfortably Numb,” “Money” and “Another Brick in the Wall.” Key in that recreation was the guitar prowess of Tom Quinn, with many of his solos virtually indistinguishable from those of original Floyd guitarist David Gilmour.

The vocals were slightly less than an exact copy of the original Pink Floyd, though they were certainly passable. During some songs, the vocals were difficult to hear — a shame given the obviously expensive system that showcased the other sounds from the band.

But a critique of the band’s sound isn’t enough — this is the Pink Floyd Experience, after all. The songs were accompanied by a complex, well-synced laser light show, and the digital sound effects blended with the songs well enough that it was difficult to tell where computer sounds ended and instruments began.

Even if you didn’t have an appreciation for Pink Floyd (who doesn’t, really?), you could have enjoyed this show. And that’s not just because laser lights are a lowest-common-denominator crowd-pleaser. Hearing Pink Floyd songs live is a reminder of just how epic they are, with their complex melodies and harmonies and deep lyrics. On many songs, the band did an excellent job using long, loud guitar solos to build up tension before the songs’ true groove beat and lyrics began, further adding to that epic nature.

Of course, if you can’t get past the fact that it’s not the original band, you can always buy a CD and listen to it at home. Somehow, though, it might be better to suspend reality just for awhile and enjoy the songs live. The Pink Floyd Experience certainly made that worthwhile Friday night.