I’ve always been a fan of the Beatles, but those are some pretty big shoes for a tribute band to
fill. I had seen Rain when I was a kid but couldn’t remember a thing about
them. While waiting excitedly in the foyer I noticed that most of the audience
was a bit older, which made sense. No food or drinks allowed in the venue…bummer.
With one last swig of my soda I’m in the door.
There were two large screens on either side of the stage showing the same thing. Before the show started it was mainly Beatles trivia. Excited chatter hushes when the lights are lowered. And then clips from the Ed Sullivan Show are shown. Screaming girls’ faces. They had cleverly edited ‘Rain’ instead of ‘the Beatles’ into the clips. And, suddenly, the curtains open.
The first thing I notice is the set. It felt like we were blasted back to the sixties. The band was dressed in black suits on a definitely sixties set, complete with the black and white ‘applause’ sign that would light up after each song. It was UNREAL how much they sounded like the Beatles. I close my eyes and it feels like I’m actually there, at a concert of the band that changed music forever. The similarity of their voices is uncanny! I can feel some of the older patrons looking at me as I sing along to every song, not missing a word.
It took me back to the summer when I was young. I could almost feel the heat coming down on me as I ate my snow cone. This was back before I was ‘too cool’ to hold my parents’ hands or sit on their lap, when life outside of my small group of friends and family didn’t seem to exist or matter. But mostly, when care free living and innocence weren’t just looked back upon with nostalgia because that’s what I lived, every second of every day. I remember soft eyes and smiles from my parents as we listened, and I imagine that’s how I look now. And in this moment I’m grateful that this band gave me that moment.
Throughout the rest of the night the curtains open and close several times. The big screens entertain us while the band has wardrobe changes. The hair and beards grew longer as the outfits got stranger. But one thing stayed the same, the passion in the music.
During intermission (yes, there was an intermission) I’m tempted to grab a soda before the show starts back up. It wasn’t until now that I realize just how hoarse my voice is. But the pretty woman sitting next to me strikes up a conversation. I’m waiting for her to tell me I look out of place. She says she’s impressed that I know all of the words for being younger. (It’s coming.) And why was I alone? (I know she’ll say something…). She tells me she could tell I was an artist because I dressed ‘different’. (Does that count?) And she tells me to keep writing because that will last longer than any of my tattoos. (There it is!!) But, when the lights dim and the curtains open, I’m oddly encouraged.
I believe that Hey Jude was the perfect song to end with; the audience standing, screaming and begging for one more song. With the last chorus repeated several times the band brought out the crew from the Morrison Center, which, I always think is nice to show respect to the people that make these shows possible. I don’t know how many times we repeated “Na na na na Hey Jude!” but the emotion was almost overwhelming.
This was definitely a show I would go to again. And again. I recommend it to any Beatles lovers out there. 100%
~Preston
There were two large screens on either side of the stage showing the same thing. Before the show started it was mainly Beatles trivia. Excited chatter hushes when the lights are lowered. And then clips from the Ed Sullivan Show are shown. Screaming girls’ faces. They had cleverly edited ‘Rain’ instead of ‘the Beatles’ into the clips. And, suddenly, the curtains open.
The first thing I notice is the set. It felt like we were blasted back to the sixties. The band was dressed in black suits on a definitely sixties set, complete with the black and white ‘applause’ sign that would light up after each song. It was UNREAL how much they sounded like the Beatles. I close my eyes and it feels like I’m actually there, at a concert of the band that changed music forever. The similarity of their voices is uncanny! I can feel some of the older patrons looking at me as I sing along to every song, not missing a word.
It took me back to the summer when I was young. I could almost feel the heat coming down on me as I ate my snow cone. This was back before I was ‘too cool’ to hold my parents’ hands or sit on their lap, when life outside of my small group of friends and family didn’t seem to exist or matter. But mostly, when care free living and innocence weren’t just looked back upon with nostalgia because that’s what I lived, every second of every day. I remember soft eyes and smiles from my parents as we listened, and I imagine that’s how I look now. And in this moment I’m grateful that this band gave me that moment.
Throughout the rest of the night the curtains open and close several times. The big screens entertain us while the band has wardrobe changes. The hair and beards grew longer as the outfits got stranger. But one thing stayed the same, the passion in the music.
During intermission (yes, there was an intermission) I’m tempted to grab a soda before the show starts back up. It wasn’t until now that I realize just how hoarse my voice is. But the pretty woman sitting next to me strikes up a conversation. I’m waiting for her to tell me I look out of place. She says she’s impressed that I know all of the words for being younger. (It’s coming.) And why was I alone? (I know she’ll say something…). She tells me she could tell I was an artist because I dressed ‘different’. (Does that count?) And she tells me to keep writing because that will last longer than any of my tattoos. (There it is!!) But, when the lights dim and the curtains open, I’m oddly encouraged.
I believe that Hey Jude was the perfect song to end with; the audience standing, screaming and begging for one more song. With the last chorus repeated several times the band brought out the crew from the Morrison Center, which, I always think is nice to show respect to the people that make these shows possible. I don’t know how many times we repeated “Na na na na Hey Jude!” but the emotion was almost overwhelming.
This was definitely a show I would go to again. And again. I recommend it to any Beatles lovers out there. 100%
~Preston
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