Considered as the band that kicked off the whole tribute act genre, The Bootleg Beatles have been around since 1980. With a number of different members leaving and joining, the last original being Andre Barreau (Harrison) who left in 2014. 34 years playing Harrison. That’s longer than the Beatles were technically together.
The stage set up is quite minimal, but effective. Before the show starts (and continued throughout) filmography of the era is used to give you a sense of what’s going on at the time. History through clips of bands of the time such as The Rolling Stones. Adverts for Cadbury’s Fruit and Nut. The Vietnam War. If I was around at the time, I can imagine it would have really taken me back. I wasn’t though, The Bootleg Beatles have been around longer than me.
Ringo (Gordon Elsmore) on a raised stage, with McCartney(Steve White) on the left, Lennon (Adam Hastings) on the right, and Harrison slightly behind and in the middle. They came on to the stage with cheers and screams from the audience as if they were the actual Beatles and got straight into the show with songs like “Love Me Do”, and “I Want to Hold Your Hand”. They had it down to a T. The foot stomping, the head bopping, and the sound. As the young Beatles, they really got across the sense of happy loveable chaps. All smiles and cheese. I have to commend them on their liverpuddlian accent, too. It was that ‘60s Liverpool Beatles twang.
The show progressed through to the latter days of their time together; Sgt Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour, and Lennon in is his white suit get up, long hair, and rounded spectacles. 4 different costume changes, with the aforementioned video clips separating each. There was support from an 8 piece orchestra on a lot of their songs, with the visuals and lighting giving an awesome atmosphere. The crowd were up and dancing. The guys encouraged us to sing along to all of their songs, which we all did with gusto, belting out our favourites. My favourites being “Come Together” and “Hey Jude”…I’ll not ruin the encores for you.
All in all it was brilliant fun. The guys have done an awesome job of paying tribute to one of the best, and most influential, bands to date. They held the crowd with their music and their wit (some very tongue in cheek jokes). The crowd was a mixture of old and young and very young (a 4th birthday was being celebrated!), and I think this pays tribute to not only the Beatles, but to the tribute band; Bootleg Beatles, themselves in their own right.
Review by John Banks
