Magical mystery tour By Caroline Fontein
Beatles fans won't want to miss the chance to relive the days of Beatlemania at BeatleShow! The performers impress even the most discerning fans with their dead-on impressions of the famous quartet in their show at the V Theater in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.
Let your mind drift back to 1964 when the Beatles made their U.S. television debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show." This is just one of the many iconic moments in Beatle history that you are transported to during the show.
"We have a live show tonight, but what I'd like to know right now is do we have a live audience?" exclaims an Ed Sullivan impersonator who acts as both your host and tour guide for the different eras of Beatles music visited in the show. He is met with an uproarious response from the audience in anticipation of the upcoming act.
Next, the curtain rises, unveiling the clean cut, mop-topped quartet, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, singing "I Want to Hold Your Hand." People in the audience cheer and sing along to the well known tune.
The performers play all of the songs live on the same brand of instruments and amps used by the Beatles, without tapes, sequences or backing tracks. Their remarkable attention to detail with every song makes it seem as though you were listening to an actual recording from the real band.
As they perform "A Hard Day's Night," "Can't Buy Me Love" and more of the band's early hits, audience members dance in their seats to the familiar songs.
For "Eight Days a Week" they get the audience involved by asking everyone to join in and clap during the chorus. Go-go dancers appear on both sides of the stage to add some extra pizzaz to their already outstanding performance of "I Saw Her Standing There."
The curtain closes and Sullivan reappears dressed in an outfit more fitting of the changing times as the show shifts gears from the early to late '60s. He tells a few jokes and sets the tone for the next Beatles era .
From "Day in the Life" to "Let It Be," Fab Four Live performs all of the Beatles' legendary songs while at the same time also re-creating the real band members' change in appearance as their music evolved.
This time they reappear with longer hair, mustaches and wearing brightly colored military-style suites to perform "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band." Their flawless re-creation of the signature outfits and the well known psychedelic rock songs brings everyone back to when that album was first released in 1967.
Later in the show, Lennon, wearing an all-white suit, comes out and takes a seat at the white baby grand piano that has been rolled out on stage. Before singing his next song, he takes a moment to show his gratitude to the audience and explains his affinity for Beatles music, making it clear that although they sing their songs, his band never actually attempts to be the Beatles.
"Thank you for coming and celebrating the music and the message of the Beatles," says Lennon, now also acting as an impersonator paying tribute to one of his greatest idols. "I love this music, it makes all of us connected."
In a few more simple words he pays tribute to his character, Lennon, and acknowledges his everlasting presence in the world today.
"An act of violence may have taken this man, but nothing would ever silence his voice," says Lennon before breaking into "Give Peace a Chance" and "Imagine."
The band members reunite on stage for a few more memorable tunes before ending with "and in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."
Their electrifying performances remind everyone of the incredible power of song and how the Beatles not only created innovative music but started a cultural revolution.
"They're phenomenal guys," said Ralph McCormick, a guest in the audience from Charlotte, N.C. "It takes me back to the days when I used to listen to these guys. I can't put it into words, it was just phenomenal."
