Faux Fab Four

We played a couple bogus-Beatles pops concerts in CR a few weekends ago with these guys. I like the Beatles but I'm no expert. I talked to some people who are big fans and their assessment was that these guys are exactly like the original band; the same vocal inflections (they are all Americans faking the Liverpool accent); “Ringo” had the same drum fills as the real Ringo; They looked a lot like the fab four and wore “historically accurate” costumes throughout the show. I even think they interacted with the audience consistently (Harrison saluting, Lennon waving, etc.)

It was the second time in a year that I got to play with these guys (once last July with the QCSO) and I think all were the best pops shows I've ever played. The audience, obviously being taken on a nostalgic roller coaster ride, was ecstatic at each sold-out show. I think this was the first time I've ever seen a symphony orchestra audience wave their lit cellphones back and forth during a concert. (It was during “Hey Jude”. Well, okay. The conductor had to egg them on by getting his out and waving it at them first. But he had a symphony-concert-cellphone taboo to overcome!)

I'm certain this was the first time I ever did the twist on stage during a concert when the entire orchestra cut loose during one of the encores. Well, almost the entire orchestra. One horn player and the trumpets and trombones were being wallflowers. But everyone else was twisting and shouting with their cellos, clarinets, violins and each other. The audience loved it. ("Ha-Ha! Lookit the stuffy orchestra acting all silly!") We should have tried it again during the last movement of Tchaik 5 the next weekend. And props to our principal trumpet for the season, AC, who nailed the piss out of the "Penny Lane" solo every freakin' time.

One unfortunate side affect: I wasn't able to get “Let It Be” out of my head for days... and they didn't even sing that one!