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The Daily Cardinal Est. 1892
Friday, March 29, 2024
Beatles band

Last Friday Overture Center audience members got to “Imagine” what it might have been like to see the legendary Beatles live.

Beatles tribute band makes is "Rain" at The Overture Center

As with many students of rock music, the Beatles are one of my top musical influences. So I was ecstatic when I learned that a Broadway-caliber tribute show was going to be playing in town. I was even more excited when I read that it’s a chronological concert, with a number of “scenes” that represent each of the Beatles’ major musical periods.

While it was, first and foremost, a concert, the scenery pieces really fortified the “time machine” idea; there were police barricades during the Shea Stadium scene, and the “Sgt. Pepper” era was underscored by a recreation of the flower power atmosphere of the “All You Need is Love” music video.

One of my favorite parts was when the other three left the stage, and “Paul” played “Yesterday” on solo guitar, with a spotlight on him. The solitude evoked a powerful emotion that resonated through the entire audience.

But even more impressive than their musical talents was the extent to which each of them completely entered into their respective characters. As the years passed, you could almost feel the tension growing between “John” and “Paul.” That was a big part of the Beatles’ later existence, and it was really cool to see that develop. Even cooler than that was witnessing the hostility resolve when they got to the “Let it Be” set. It made the finale really moving.

One interesting note from the performance was that “Paul” appeared to be struggling to play bass left-handed. As a bass player myself, I know how hard it can be (I tried it once, the results were hilarious), but it came off as somewhat forced. It seemed to me he was experiencing that feeling you get when you try to write with your off hand. However, even though it looked a bit awkward, it still sounded fine and demonstrates the devotion of the performers to remain true to the personas they were portraying.

“Ringo” was from Madison, and thus he received a very vocal reaction from the audience at the end. That might be the most applause Ringo (or his likeness) has ever gotten.

I’ve seen a lot of Beatles tribute bands in my day, but “Rain” was overwhelmingly the best. They really incorporated all of the elements that made the Beatles what they were, going beyond the world-famous music to embody the personality and camaraderie as well. These aspects came together nicely to create a truly Beatles experience.

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