I cannot emphasise enough the importance of what we call tribute bands. Many music venues exist solely because of the popularity of the genre and I know of at least one in our fair city of Bristol which depends on tribute acts to provide the resources to enable it to showcase – how shall I phrase this? – original talent. As well as actual tribute acts, there are numerous other bands who are to all intents and purposes tribute bands, including as they do a single original member, like for example 1970 popsters Slade, Showaddywaddy and The Sweet. I was ambivalent about tribute bands until I saw T Rextasy and its star Danielz, whose dazzlingly accurate and affectionate recreation of Marc Bolan sets him apart from anyone else I have seen. But last night, I saw the ultimate tribute band at the Bristol Beacon: The Bootleg Beatles.
Whether you like The Beatles or not, no one can deny their effect on music. Without them, most of the music we listen to would simply not exist. They were, they remain, game-changers. I am of the view that The Beatles are underrated. Last night’s show, I felt, vindicated my view.
The band play the Beacon every year and it’s always a sell out. Everyone I spoke to who had seen them explained that as a Beatles fan/obsessive, I simply had to go. Eventually, it happened and I was, and remain, stunned.
The show is quite simple. The band dress as The Beatles dressed at different stages during their career. As they make their costume changes, a big screen shows news and music highlights of the years in question. This show covered their later albums and, to my delight, there were numerous deep cuts. John, Paul, George and Ringo are accomplished musicians. accompanied as they are by a multi-talented musician, whose name I missed, and brass and string sections. Not only do they sing and play just like the Fab Four, they employ all the mannerisms and chat in between songs. There were times when you could almost believe you were watching and listening to the real thing.
Incredibly, most of the songs featured – all 37 of them (here’s the setlist) – were never played by The Beatles in live performances. Yet here they were, in near perfect form.
These are not simple songs to sing and play, either, none more complex than A Day In The Life from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, but this band carried it off with aplomb. I don’t mind admitting that there were times when I had a tear in my eye, notably during In My Life, She’s Leaving Home and, most of all, the incredible Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End. This felt not so much as nostalgia, but more – and I loathe this expression – the soundtrack of my life, certainly of my childhood.
37 songs and no Yesterday, Day Tripper, Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields Forever, Help, A Hard Day’s Night, She Loves You and so many more. The only nod to the early Beatles was a note perfect Twist and Shout, the second encore to a stellar Hey Jude. In other words, the greatness of The Beatles is shown by the songs they didn’t play.
Frankly, if tribute bands had to compete with the Bootleg Beatles, they may as well give up and go home. But this isn’t just some band cranking out a few hits: this is a stage show of the highest possibly quality. The main performers are not just brilliant singers and musicians: they are brilliant actors, too.
I would not hesitate going to see them sometime in the future. And if you like The Beatles, so should you.
