the tribute 1964

yesterday we got as close to the beatles as we're ever going to get. we attended a tulip time music event, which is rare, since most music events i wouldn't even consider going to. but this was The Tribute 1964, a nationally known Beatles cover band.

friday my brother in law gave dawn some tickets that he'd gotten from his workplace and figured we'd like to go see the show. we had extra tickets and called up the babbitts. they got onboard for the show.

the show was at the civic center and it was hopping, mostly full. we sat towards the back on the second level. we had a great view when the boys came out.

i'll say this now, there was a certain something about watching these guys perform, dressed in the suits the Beatles wore while on the ed sullivan show with their mop tops that it made you almost feel as if you were there in 1964.

the guys were standing in the same positions on stage as the real beatles did, the paul guy even played left-handed bass. they had accents similar to the beatles. the one performing as john lenon sounded like him.

they had the crowed going. the crowd, conservative, of course, took some time to get into it, to warm their feet. soon, though, there was heading shaking, foot tapping and singing along with the boys. always polite applause at the end of each song.

they performed songs from the first album all the way up to revolver. i think the "day-tripper" may have been the song on the far end. but they did stuff like "i saw her standing there," "nowhere man," "i feel fine," "eight days a week" and "can't buy me love." they pretty much did everything that was expected. even ringo got to sing a few songs, inclding "act naturally." no george songs were played, so the guy playing george just jammed on all the songs.

from far way, they looked like the real deal, for the most part. we went down by the stage, though, and they didn't quite look so much like them. the guy playing george sorta did and the guy playing paul looked like an older paul, but the guy playing john didn't look like john up close.

still, it was a good show, entertaining and fun. not a rip off or anything. the crowd genuinely liked it and by the end of the 90 minute show, many of the peole had left their bleacher seats and were down on the floor by the tage, many of them swinging around, one older couple really getting down with it.

there were also generations of people there. i think that shows testimony to the longivity of the beatles. you had people in their 60s going all the way down to grade schoolers (many of whom were up front checking out the band). the beatles and their music is something that will never die.