Reviews of Like ....The
Beatles
(Comments from George - co-promoter)
I find it very interesting to see such diverse comments from the same gig,
and my own reading is somewhere in the middle. I felt that either the
band or the pa or both were giving out much less punchy vocals than would be
required to replicate the Beatles in the first half and in the interval I
got the sound man to raise the vocals in the mix, I also asked the band to
tighten up their harmonies and they explained some vocal hesitancy had crept
in as they were dealing with the deputising "George Harrison" their own
having gone down with swine flu on Wednesday.
I certainly felt that given the
band's trek through the icy wastes of Essex which you may well remember was
dealing with the brunt of the ice age, coupled with their enthusiasm to do
the gig to the extent of convincing the well regarded Geo Harrison from top
northern tribute Beatlemaia to come down from Newcastle to help out, added
to the unanimous feed back from Tropic people, meant that we should go for
it despite the "inclement" weather and put on the show.
I can well understand that with a
quarter of their normal band in replacement that it may well have seemed
that they were under rehearsed.
With regard to the alternative tributes mentioned many
of them are currently in a state of membership flux and others want only to
be seen as "theatre" acts. Like the Beatles have many positive endorsements
on their web site, but what is more telling for me as a co promoter is that
they have several return gigs from venues played, in particular Southend's
Club Riga which has a history of performance from some of the bigger acts on
the live circuit.
Just like the rest of us a band can
indeed have an off night but overall I am pleased that we at least kept
music live, whilst my other co promotion of the night at Sutton's Boom Boom
Cub (where co incidentally Imagine the Beatles was scheduled) was closed
down by the "Health and Safety" police who felt that the car park was too
slippery!
Fortunately Tropic people are made
of sterner stuff!!!
Reviews (good and bad) below
As a child of the sixties, I was very interested in
attending the "Like....The Beatles" gig. If I
am honest, having seen on their website how young they were, I was not
really expecting a great deal. Well, how cynically wrong I was! I go the
Liverpool Beatles Convention every year, and offer my opinion that these
lads from sunny Southend, plus their guest "George" from Newcastle would
certainly not be out of place gracing the stage of the legendary Cavern Club
on Merseyside.
Having obtained a card from the band, I will certainly be happy to pass on
their details to Cavern City Tours who organise the annual Beatles
conventions each August.
Congratulations to a great young band for a
formidable, authentic performance. TH
Friday, the 8th of January saw the new Decennium of
2010 get off to an absolute flyer as Tropic at Ruislip played host to
"Like-- the Beatles".
I grew up during the 1960's and the BEATLES were the soundtrack of my
teenage years. However, never having seen the originals play live, there was
a lot to look forward to and "Like--the BEATLES" didn't disappoint.
They charmed the audience with their easy going wit,
style and good humour and turned in a classy performance filled with energy,
skill and technical brilliance.
The lads, who hail from Southend are blessed with
two great singers playing the
"JOHN" and "PAUL" roles, and a late substitute (from
the North East of England) deputising as "GEORGE", fitted in seamlessly &
effortlessly for a first gig with the Band!
"PAUL'S" prodigious 'fiddle' Bass playing and "RINGO'S" solid drumming
anchored the rhythym section and was as tight as "RINGO'S" legendary
drum-skins. The sound balance was spot on.
The original BEATLES were arguably the greatest Band
of all time and choosing a set-list from such an awesome back catalogue is
never easy - but "Like-- the BEATLES" achieved that with great aplomb.
The set divided neatly into two halves and opened,
with the lads, authentically suited and booted in the Early "loveable
Mop-Top" era, Cardin style suits, starting off with "I WANNA HOLD YOUR HAND"
and taking us on a nostalgic trip thro' the early years with "PLEASE, PLEASE
ME", "I SAW HER STANDING THERE" & "I WANNA BE YOUR MAN" And still the Hits
kept coming! An old cover of "LONG TALL SALLY" from a long forgotten E.P.
"HARD DAY'S NIGHT" and "HELP" from the film years and onwards to "NORWEGIAN
WOOD" from 'Rubber Soul'. All faultlessly delivered.
After a 20 minute break to catch your breath - the
second half got under way with material from 1967 and beyond, from the
Psychedelic era commencing with "LUCY IN THE SKY with DIAMONDS" and "I AM
The WALRUS". This time the boys were in ABBEY ROAD album-cover guise with
"JOHN" in white suit and NHS specs, "GEORGE" in blue denims and "PAUL" in
black suit and white open neck shirt, (I couldn't see if he was barefoot -
probably NOT, it was quite cold!) and "RINGO" in sober dark business suit.
The singing, vocal harmonies and guitar work was
excellent throughout as they ran through an absolute torrent of latter day
hits. "DAY TRIPPER", "HELTER SKELTER" and "REVOLUTION" both from the
sprawling WHITE Album, and then on to the' ABBEY ROAD/LET IT BE' Days with
Hit singles "LADY MADONNA" and "HEY JUDE" ('PAUL' great on piano). There was
even "BALLAD OF JOHN and YOKO" and "IMAGINE" from the LENNON solo days.
The end sequence came with "COME TOGETHER", "GET
BACK" and "LET IT BE" amongst other ABBEY ROAD classics. "GEORGE" and "RINGO"
had their solo spots with the tongue-in-cheek, "HERE COMES THE SUN" and
"YELLOW SUBMARINE".
A couple of rousing encores were topped off with a
rip-roaring "TWIST and SHOUT" to close a BRILLIANT night of thoroughly
entertaining music. FAB GEAR indeed.
To the large crowd of hardy souls who braved the Snow, Ice and Sub-Zero
temperatures - this was a special show, you deserved it! I hope "Like -- the
BEATLES" return soon.
Another great night last night -
Like... the Beatles had us all up and dancing - my 76 year-old mum
and dad, my (just turned) 13 year-old daughter and my husband and me (not
mentioning our ages!). Thanks again! Sarah
We came along with great hopes having seen many Beatles bands and being
big fans. I have to be honest and say they were the worst of all we've
seen. My husband thought the vocals were not great at all and I agreed.
They seemed very under rehearsed too. We've seen the many other Beatles
tributes (named in the review they sent but
removed here) and they are all definitely far better. We
really were quite disappointed.
I felt I had to reply after reading the review already on your website.
Were they at a different gig?Sorry
just being honest. Louise.
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