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"Rain: The Beatles Experience' (2nd review)
Steve Cohen
If the Beatles got together today...
STEVE COHEN
The blending of theater, concert and nostalgia that’s called Rain: The Beatles Experience is more fun than I had imagined.
We don’t normally read about rock concerts in Broad Street Review, but this touring attraction at the Academy of Music is much more. True, the four American musicians imitate the Beatles and play their songs. But their two-and-a-half hour show transcends mere music.
In fact, as imitators the Rain boys deserve only a respectable grade of B. What elevates the evening is their spirit of fun and interaction with the audience– the latter being alien to the real Beatles experiences, at least from the time of their American debut onward. In their early years in Liverpool and Hamburg (1960-63) the Beatles cultivated rapport with their patrons; after that they were overwhelmed and even frightened by the crowds and wished the fans would make less noise. As we know, after 1966 they stopped making live appearances altogether for that reason. And at the end of 1969 they broke up.
McCartney as a charming emcee
Joey Curatolo, who channels Paul McCartney, has an engaging personality and plays shamelessly to the audience. He initiates conversations with people in the front rows and in one of the proscenium boxes. He asks the audience to clap along, even to sing along. In "Hey Jude," he asks that certain parts be sung by men only, by women only, by teenagers only. He’s a charming master of ceremonies. He also owns a sweet voice in the McCartney style.
The John Lennon of Steve Landes (a Philadelphia native) is too self-effacing and is given too little to do. He sings lead, of course, on the songs that Lennon composed, and he’s a great rhythm guitar player, but Landes doesn’t show much personality. Wigs, hats and costumes suffice to define his persona.
Ralph Castelli as Ringo Starr is a spectacular drummer and looks much like his inspiration. He comes downstage to lead "When I’m 64." The George Harrison of Joe Bithorn enjoys a big moment when he plays his "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." The rest of the time, like the real George, he’s the quietest of the four. All four members of Rain are excellent instrumentalists. The later-era symphonic backgrounds of George Martin are supplied by off-stage synthesizers or pre-recordings.
Would they hold up today?
My main objection to Rain’s re-creation of the Beatles’ sound is that it emphasizes a heavily amplified instrumental sound while relegating the vocals into a lesser role. The singing harmonies of the early Beatles were primary and emblematic. But what we have here is the louder sound that the public has become accustomed to since the Beatles disbanded.
The difference is much like that between the musical Hairspray and the leaner, less percussive sound of the early rock performers on whom that show is based. There’s a huge contrast between the imitative musical and what my generation danced to on Dick Clark’s "Bandstand."
Along with that change of balance comes a less relaxed presentation. The group of songs from the Ed Sullivan era, including "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You," is rushed. Later, during the psychedelic era, Rain sounded aggressive where the real Beatles sounded much more mellow. A poetic feeling is missing from "Eleanor Rigby," whose double string quartet is almost unheard. And the Indian meditative influence is understated in "Mother Nature’s Son."
More introspective, or more stoned?
But no one saw the Beatles perform these songs in person. This is what gives Rain its edge. This production shows us live renditions of two dozen songs that the Beatles never performed in public.
It’s great to see the Sergeant Pepper outfits and, later, the robes and long hair of the Indian period. The costumes and wigs are matched by evocative videos behind the band and on large screens at both sides of the stage.
Although the real Beatles may have been more introspective – or stoned– Rain is extroverted and determined to please the audience, which it certainly does. Once I got over my hang-ups, I had a good time too. It’s amazing to hear and see so many great songs in the framework of one show. It’s as if the Beatles got together after 1969 and did a theatrical retrospective of their career. The sound wouldn’t have been exactly the same as it was at the time of each song’s inception. Much like this Beatles Experience.
To read another review by Jim Rutter, click here.
STEVE COHEN
The blending of theater, concert and nostalgia that’s called Rain: The Beatles Experience is more fun than I had imagined.
We don’t normally read about rock concerts in Broad Street Review, but this touring attraction at the Academy of Music is much more. True, the four American musicians imitate the Beatles and play their songs. But their two-and-a-half hour show transcends mere music.
In fact, as imitators the Rain boys deserve only a respectable grade of B. What elevates the evening is their spirit of fun and interaction with the audience– the latter being alien to the real Beatles experiences, at least from the time of their American debut onward. In their early years in Liverpool and Hamburg (1960-63) the Beatles cultivated rapport with their patrons; after that they were overwhelmed and even frightened by the crowds and wished the fans would make less noise. As we know, after 1966 they stopped making live appearances altogether for that reason. And at the end of 1969 they broke up.
McCartney as a charming emcee
Joey Curatolo, who channels Paul McCartney, has an engaging personality and plays shamelessly to the audience. He initiates conversations with people in the front rows and in one of the proscenium boxes. He asks the audience to clap along, even to sing along. In "Hey Jude," he asks that certain parts be sung by men only, by women only, by teenagers only. He’s a charming master of ceremonies. He also owns a sweet voice in the McCartney style.
The John Lennon of Steve Landes (a Philadelphia native) is too self-effacing and is given too little to do. He sings lead, of course, on the songs that Lennon composed, and he’s a great rhythm guitar player, but Landes doesn’t show much personality. Wigs, hats and costumes suffice to define his persona.
Ralph Castelli as Ringo Starr is a spectacular drummer and looks much like his inspiration. He comes downstage to lead "When I’m 64." The George Harrison of Joe Bithorn enjoys a big moment when he plays his "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." The rest of the time, like the real George, he’s the quietest of the four. All four members of Rain are excellent instrumentalists. The later-era symphonic backgrounds of George Martin are supplied by off-stage synthesizers or pre-recordings.
Would they hold up today?
My main objection to Rain’s re-creation of the Beatles’ sound is that it emphasizes a heavily amplified instrumental sound while relegating the vocals into a lesser role. The singing harmonies of the early Beatles were primary and emblematic. But what we have here is the louder sound that the public has become accustomed to since the Beatles disbanded.
The difference is much like that between the musical Hairspray and the leaner, less percussive sound of the early rock performers on whom that show is based. There’s a huge contrast between the imitative musical and what my generation danced to on Dick Clark’s "Bandstand."
Along with that change of balance comes a less relaxed presentation. The group of songs from the Ed Sullivan era, including "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You," is rushed. Later, during the psychedelic era, Rain sounded aggressive where the real Beatles sounded much more mellow. A poetic feeling is missing from "Eleanor Rigby," whose double string quartet is almost unheard. And the Indian meditative influence is understated in "Mother Nature’s Son."
More introspective, or more stoned?
But no one saw the Beatles perform these songs in person. This is what gives Rain its edge. This production shows us live renditions of two dozen songs that the Beatles never performed in public.
It’s great to see the Sergeant Pepper outfits and, later, the robes and long hair of the Indian period. The costumes and wigs are matched by evocative videos behind the band and on large screens at both sides of the stage.
Although the real Beatles may have been more introspective – or stoned– Rain is extroverted and determined to please the audience, which it certainly does. Once I got over my hang-ups, I had a good time too. It’s amazing to hear and see so many great songs in the framework of one show. It’s as if the Beatles got together after 1969 and did a theatrical retrospective of their career. The sound wouldn’t have been exactly the same as it was at the time of each song’s inception. Much like this Beatles Experience.
To read another review by Jim Rutter, click here.
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