I cannot believe how long it has been since I saw The Fab
Four live!
I attended a virtual concert by them during Covid with live
chat and requests that was ever so much fun, and much needed at that
time; but when I saw their announcement for Tarrytown Music Hall, I
simply had to attend!
It is
a full house here in Tarrytown, with multiple generations ready to rock
and I seem to be surrounded by Fab Four newbies. Not Beatles newbies,
Fab Four newbies. This is exciting, as I love reactions of first timers
at any concert. It is also quite difficult for me to keep my mouth
closed about what they will experience as I listen to their
conversations. I break down and tell the people behind me that they will
love it, and that YES, the group will take us right through to 1970. I
chide myself for not being able to control my eagerness to share, but
TOO LATE!
Beatle Trivia
starts on the back screen! The couple behind me looks to me for some of
the answers before they are revealed, and being me, and teaching, I
don't want them to fail the beginning of this show, so I oblige. All
good! They feel smarter and are laughing about their mistakes.
ED SULLIVAN!!! We're gonna be watching Ed Sullivan!
Jeff
DeHart, portraying Mr. Sullivan, or Mr Ed as the comedic jokes will
utilize later, replays the opening lines from February 9, 1964. "Four
lads from Liverpool" ... "Never in the history of our stage" ...
And
'She Loves You' is the opening song ... no, not 'All My Loving' as
historically happened. That is their second song. We listened to a
pre-recorded introductive explanation of tonight's show by Penn Jillette
before our cast came out and it verified that everything we will hear
tonight is live and played by the four artists onstage. As the show
begins, I can see that people are mulling over Penn's statement. They
are not sure just what this means and just what to expect. Will this be
any good? Is this a concert or a play? By the time 'I Want to Hold Your
Hand' is in full bloom, the audience is reaching into the performance.
First are the young girls. Oh my goodness, it is me and my friends ,
reacting more than 20 years ago. (I like that phrase ... I think I will
live it. From now on, everything in my music history is more than 20
years ago ... and NO OLDER) The girls are screaming! And jumping up! And
flirting! YEP! I can recognize flirting clearly here.
A Hard Day's Night
I Should Have Known Better
Eight Days a Week
As
we are taught to clap in time to 'Eight Days a Week,' we sing the song
almost to completion and Ardy Sarraf (bass player/Paul) jokes, "OK,
that's right! Good night!" But of course, they perform the song whilst
we clap (correctly) and they then move into 'Can't Buy Me Love.' By now,
the audience have all found their elements. Think back to just who YOU
were or would have been in the audience. The young, flirty screaming
girls continue. They last till the concert ends. The older females have
either jumped up to dance, pulling male partners (sometimes forcefully)
to join them OR they sit demurely, participating and yet maintaining
aloofness. Maybe the newest element are the kids. Some who thought they
did not know what a Beatle song was and are now singing and dancing to
the songs they did not know they knew; and others who came to hear the
songs they love and are glad their parents can't tell them to sit down
and be quiet. Because The Fab Four told everyone to get up, clap and
dance.
While there are
some visuals on the back screen, the cast changes clothing into the Shea
Stadium suits with MBE's attached. Ardy is first out and sits down with
his acoustic guitar to sing the words from that most famous and
important song:
"We're caught in a trap! I can't walk out! Because I love you too much, baby!"
Well, Elvis WAS a Beatle hero.
Following
the laughter, Ardy sings 'Yesterday.' Ron McNeil (rhythm guitar/John)
joins him on organ and the full cast reunites for 'Help.' OK, just like
the albums, we must have George and Ringo songs. Now it is Chris
Malone's turn (lead guitar/George) to sing and rockin' play on 'Roll
Over Beethoven.'
DUM DEE DADDA DAH DUM DEE DADDA DAH DAH - it's 'Day Tripper!'
'I Saw Her Standing There'
'Twist and Shout'
All
up, all in, all twisting! Well, ok ... at least all moving in some sort
of fashion. Even when the twist was popular, not everyone could do it
justice.
INTERMISSION ... while the group changes into moustaches and Pepper gear. And a drumhead change to "It was 20 Years Ago Today."
'Sgt.
Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' - those outfits always create a stir
from the audience as they have that WOW FACTOR. (even before there was a
"wow factor," they were it!) And NOW it is time for Ringo's (Ritchie
Lewis) song: 'With A Little Help From My Friends.' While Ron is again on
the organ, it is obvious he channels John Lennon. Playing keyboards with
his right hand and tambourine with his left, he does the Lennonesque
thing and pounds the tambourine across his chest, smiling at the
audience, of course.
'Penny Lane'
And
a new video from 1967 where Dick Clark asks 20 kids, "Who will last
longer now, and in history: The Monkees? or The Beatles?" All but the
last one said "The Beatles.: Just an interesting tidbit.
'Sgt.
Pepper Reprise' seemingly ends this segment but NO! 'A Day in the Life,'
with all the stops pulled! Two keyboards, two guitars, drums, psychedelic
swirls and twirls on the back screen and the best cohesion of a live
band performance you could ever see. I watched each of them, in
character, connecting with each other and the music in a continuous,
can't miss a beat, unity that slides into "Woke up ... Fell out of bed"
perfectly and ends again in psychedelic splendor amid that final chord.
BOOM!
'Got to Get You Into
My Life' - and somewhere along the way, the Lennon character has wandered
off to reemerge in jeans and mock army (John always meant it as
honoring) giving us a monologue that is a tribute to John Lennon and his
legacy.
'Imagine' - Of course, 'Imagine.' What else could come next here?
'Something' -
the other members return in 1970's garb and Chris sings George's most
popular and sensuous of songs while a pictorial tribute unfolds on the
back screen.
'Get Back'
'Revolution' - hot and fiery!
'Hey Jude' - the encore after we brought them back onstage.
The
progression of the songs throughout The Beatles years showed me how
they could be pulled together and yet torn apart in their creative
processes. We have seen the "fight scenes." We have lived our own "fight
scenes." It seemed to me that the songs actually pulled the cast
members together - with the audience - to express a love or passion that
could not be resisted. Either the cast members are very good actors, or
the songs are just so powerful on their own that it pulls us willingly
into them when we hear/see them performed. Or it is a sum of all these
parts.
So glad to be back on the road with The Beatles. 1966 was a loooooong time ago. (More than 20 years!)
Shelley J Sweet-Tufano
NE Correspondent
