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Back to the ‘60s, one more time
"Rain': Beatles tribute at Academy of Music
Steve Cohen
The Beatles were constantly changing and evolving. They assumed different appearances and musical styles, attracting disparate audiences as time passed.
Rain is a hybrid production that capitalizes on that variety. When I first saw this tribute to the Beatles in 2008 I was bothered by its inconsistencies. (For my review, click here.) Now I see that being many things to different people is what it's all about.
For newbies: a taste of what the Beatles were like.
For musicologists: a fascinating glimpse of how the Beatles might have looked and sounded had they given live performances of songs that they recorded but never performed in public.
For older folks: an outlet to feel young again and carry on the way they did in the '60s.
For the performers: steady employment. Why shouldn't these guys keep working, just like the Rolling Stones?
Don't mock the boomers
Rain is all fantasy, because the Beatles would never have displayed their different styles and costumes in one concert. By the time they grew beards and donned Indian robes they were beyond returning to tight Edwardian jackets and "I Wanna Hold Your Hand."
From this tolerant perspective, it's easier to smile when I see old people wave their arms aloft and flash the peace sign. I don't laugh at them, even though the excessive behavior of some provides that temptation.
Joey Curatolo looks more youthful than ever as he embodies all the cuteness of the young Paul McCartney. Ralph Castelli lacks Ringo Starr's face but he surely owns all the mannerisms, and he's a terrific drummer.
Joe Bithorn seems as good a guitarist as George Harrison when he takes his solos. Only Steve Landes disappointed me, because he channels only a hint of John Lennon's personality.
Legal problems?
All four are formidable musicians, and they match every inflection of the Beatles on their instruments and in their singing voices. Keyboard player Mark Beyer provides piano riffs and presses the buttons to play back the sounds of strings and brass that were added by George Martin for the Beatles in the studios. But the best part of this show is the enraptured audience swaying and singing along to the final encore of "Hey Jude."
Curiously, the troupe avoids using the Beatles' names. They say: "My friend over there will sing the next one" or "Our drummer wrote this song." Perhaps there'd be a legal problem if they pretended to actually be the four boys from Liverpool. Instead, they just say they're capturing the Beatles experience.
Their interactive video and film projections have been expanded since 2008, but the music and the repartee seem the same. Even the encores are identical. If you've got an effective groove going, why change it?
Rain is a hybrid production that capitalizes on that variety. When I first saw this tribute to the Beatles in 2008 I was bothered by its inconsistencies. (For my review, click here.) Now I see that being many things to different people is what it's all about.
For newbies: a taste of what the Beatles were like.
For musicologists: a fascinating glimpse of how the Beatles might have looked and sounded had they given live performances of songs that they recorded but never performed in public.
For older folks: an outlet to feel young again and carry on the way they did in the '60s.
For the performers: steady employment. Why shouldn't these guys keep working, just like the Rolling Stones?
Don't mock the boomers
Rain is all fantasy, because the Beatles would never have displayed their different styles and costumes in one concert. By the time they grew beards and donned Indian robes they were beyond returning to tight Edwardian jackets and "I Wanna Hold Your Hand."
From this tolerant perspective, it's easier to smile when I see old people wave their arms aloft and flash the peace sign. I don't laugh at them, even though the excessive behavior of some provides that temptation.
Joey Curatolo looks more youthful than ever as he embodies all the cuteness of the young Paul McCartney. Ralph Castelli lacks Ringo Starr's face but he surely owns all the mannerisms, and he's a terrific drummer.
Joe Bithorn seems as good a guitarist as George Harrison when he takes his solos. Only Steve Landes disappointed me, because he channels only a hint of John Lennon's personality.
Legal problems?
All four are formidable musicians, and they match every inflection of the Beatles on their instruments and in their singing voices. Keyboard player Mark Beyer provides piano riffs and presses the buttons to play back the sounds of strings and brass that were added by George Martin for the Beatles in the studios. But the best part of this show is the enraptured audience swaying and singing along to the final encore of "Hey Jude."
Curiously, the troupe avoids using the Beatles' names. They say: "My friend over there will sing the next one" or "Our drummer wrote this song." Perhaps there'd be a legal problem if they pretended to actually be the four boys from Liverpool. Instead, they just say they're capturing the Beatles experience.
Their interactive video and film projections have been expanded since 2008, but the music and the repartee seem the same. Even the encores are identical. If you've got an effective groove going, why change it?
What, When, Where
Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles. Through February 5, 2012 at Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Sts. www.kimmelcenter.org.
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