Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles

[Kail]

Article about the touring company of Rain. These are the same guys Connie and I saw last night. I can't imagine being right handed, and teaching myself to play the bass left handed. Ignore the picture attached to the article, he played bass left handed, but his acoustic guitar right handed. Vocally he was a pretty good Paul, but the guy standing in for John Lennon was astounding. Not just a cover band, but a multi media spectacle. A GREAT time was had.



http://nems360.com/view/full_story/...lumn&sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4d6e48b54a23a2b3,0

 

[RJDiogenes]

Sounds like Beatlemania, which I saw a few times some years ago. They were fantastic.

 

[kitkat]

Interesting. I get touchy about people doing Beatles songs (because I feel people don't do them justice) but I'm not unwilling to give things an honest effort. Sounds like these guys are clearly paying homage, which I'm all for.

 

[Kail]

There are actually about 12 guys that make up the various touring companies. Many are veterans of Beatlemania. I saw Beatlemania back in the early 80's as well, and the shows are very similar. However, many tapes were used for Beatlemania, were as Rain is all played live. Rain adds a synth player who performs all the orchestration. I'm a life long Beatles fan, and musician, and I only noted a very few places where things were not pitch perfect. What a great way to make a living!

 

[scotpens]

Rain? Beatlemania?

Hell, these guys sounded more like the Beatles than the Beatles did.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n03a7cLf0M&nofeather=True[/yt]

 

[Capn Flukie]

I've seen Rain on my local PBS station multiple times, I really enjoyed the re-creation of the band and the music. The guy who plays 'John' is fantastic, he even chews gum while singing. "Ringo's" drum solo during The End in front of a live audience instead of in studio is awesome.

 

[RJDiogenes]

I hope they have the dancing hippie chicks.

 

[Kail]

Love the Knickerbockers tune. It reminds me of "That thing you Do" by The Wonders.

 

[scottydog]

As a life-long Beatles fanatic, I'd love to see Rain. It's rare for any decent show or band to visit Richmond. But I'll take a look at their schedule on their website.

 

[scotpens]

I hope they have the dancing hippie chicks.

The pretty go-go girls in the YouTube clip are the Gazzarri Dancers, who were featured on the Los Angeles-based TV show Hollywood a Go Go (1964-1965). That was a couple of years before the hippie era, actually.

 

[RJDiogenes]

You're right. I should have said Go-Go Girls. Still adorable, though, by any name.

 

[Franklin]

As a life-long Beatles fanatic, I'd love to see Rain. It's rare for any decent show or band to visit Richmond. But I'll take a look at their schedule on their website.

They're in Roanoke, March 9. Not a bad drive. They're at Wolftrap (up here in Vienna, NVA) for two shows in mid-June. I'll have to convince the wife to go, then.

You're right. I should have said Go-Go Girls. Still adorable, though, by any name.

I was only eight and wasn't sure what being "turned on" was, but I'm sure looking back on it that girls dancing in white boots and mini-skirts turned me on.

These tributes are so good because there's something wistful about them. They represent a "what might have been" thing that separates them from the Elvis impersonators.

So much of the Beatles music they play was never played live, before. McCartney started working a fair amount of later Beatles music into his live act, but still, this is as close to the Beatles themselves playing it than we'll ever get.

Instead of "good" seats, I'd actually like to have lawn seats at Wolftrap in June, just so it's easier to look toward the stage and imagine that really is the Fab Four there playing.

 

[SPOCKED]

The Beatles are bigger than Allah.

 

[TheBrew]

I caught them live in Reno many years ago for Hot August Nights and they were great! A really fun time. I might go check them out at Wolftrap.

 

[RJDiogenes]

You're right. I should have said Go-Go Girls. Still adorable, though, by any name.

I was only eight and wasn't sure what being "turned on" was, but I'm sure looking back on it that girls dancing in white boots and mini-skirts turned me on.

I can dig it. I was about that age, too, but my fascination with Go-Go Dancers, Supergirl, Uhura and other examples of femininity was already in full swing. I think my hormones were prematurely activated somehow.

These tributes are so good because there's something wistful about them. They represent a "what might have been" thing that separates them from the Elvis impersonators.

I always wondered what would happen if one of these tribute bands decided to continue on the work of the original-- in other words, start producing what their next albums would have been if they'd stayed together. There's a story or movie in there somewhere....

 

[Kail]

I'm glad our seats were not right up front, as you say, it helps add to the illusion if you are not to close. It was great to hear all those songs live. I keep thinking about the show, and how wonderful it was.

From what I've read, they do some special shows. One is the concert that might have been had the Beatles got together for a concert in the 80's, some Beatles and solo greatest hits. One of the "George" performers does a night with George show, which is all Harrison stuff.