I am not old enough to remember the Beatles. In fact, John Lennon sadly died the year I was born, but I was raised in a house where Beatle mania was still very much in existence and as such, I know all the words to all the songs, and I admit to being very wary of other people doing second rate cover versions of their songs. I also loathe tribute acts, so it’s fair to say I approached this evening with great caution. It's also fair to say my expectations were completely blown out the water and I had the time of my life.
Let it Be, celebrating 50 years of The Beatles, looked good from the moment we stepped into the auditorium. Four retro TV screens relay historic clips of events of the time - and the husband sat and watched the '66 world cup final as if he really hasn’t seen it hundreds of times before. Then suddenly we are transported back to the smoky Cavern Club in Liverpool, and four guys with floppy haircuts take to the stage.
That was the first thing to surprise me. The costumes and wigs were so authentic and realistic - and clearly welded on given the amount of head shaking Ringo was doing. Tribute performers always have the problem of not having the same facial features as the star they’re trying to portray - which can hardly be overcome - but clever and accurate mannerisms from this ensemble make you forget all about that. Their vocals are also spot on, as well as the music. I was blown away instantly by the extremely high quality of their work. I know they've been in the west-end, but that seemingly counts for nothing these days, given some of the stuff I've been subjected to.
A very impressive live video appears on the TV screens as they perform, and it is shown as if it is of the time - so we started in black and white and moved to colour later on. From the Cavern we move to the Royal Variety show, and I proudly rattled my jewellery when a cheeky John asked us to. But the best bit, without doubt for me, was when they recreated the infamous Shea Stadium concert of 1966. They urged the audience to their feet, and talked over a background of hysterical screaming reminiscent of the actual gig where the band couldn’t hear themselves. This is where Let it Be came into their own with an incredible performance of "Twist and Shout", and video projection which made you feel as if you were watching an authentic 60's filming of an open air concert. I was disappointed when the audience sat down again after. I felt as if this group was worthy of standing throughout, but then I was one of the youngest there, so that might have something to do with it.
Sergeant Pepper came next, and really showed the group’s strong vocal abilities as they all took a turn at performing and I realised I can still remember how to play "When I’m 64" on the recorder. That's what we learned at primary school in the 80's, folks. "A Day in the Life" was outstanding, both musically and vocally and showcasing John's vocal talents well.
After the interval we were well into the peace and love era, and I feel as if I must give special mention to George’s shoes. They were just fabulous. A series of video montages gave us reminders of the time in which the band were now working, and I found myself slightly concerned that my mother would show up on one of them, cavorting in a field with flowers in her hair. "Strawberry Fields" and "Penny Lane" were standouts for me, along with...too many to mention, probably. The Beatles didn't do weak songs. (Yes, One Direction, I'm looking at you.) There might be some you like more than others, or eras you preferred, but each and every number stands out for a different reason. By the time we were into the Abbey Road / White album era, complete with white suited hippy John and bare footed Paul, the sound had changed along with the performer's hair. We were treated to a wonderful set of truly beautiful songs, in fact, "Blackbird" - one of my personal favourites - had me wiping away a tear or two. Special mention here to Emanuele Angeletti as Paul, who performed Let it Be with as much passion as if it was the first time instead of probably the seven hundredth at least.
An encore gave us "Back in the USSR", and the audience were firmly on their feet for the final rousing rendition of "Hey Jude". I am pretty sure it's law to finish on that one. I simply can't praise this show enough. I would never have chosen to go and see it. I would have looked and seen it was a tribute act, rolled my eyes and moved on. I won't do that again.
The group is easily as good as chart topping musicians today, and infinitely more preferable to the manufactured pop my children subject me to. Not an auto tune in sight, and they are all what I deem to be 'proper' musicians. I wish them every success with the rest of the tour, and the standing ovation they received last night was richly deserved.
Becky Fuller
