Starlite Theatre – April 1, 2008 – The Liverpool Legends gave us all a night full of surprises! The excitement was in the air from the moment we arrived at the theatre – about 2 hours early. Everyone was on pins and needles wondering what the night held for us! Exciting really doesn’t begin to say it!
Once inside the Starlite, one can’t help but look up to admire the immense lobby with all the glass windows. And there, hanging near the rafters, are several large Liverpool Legends banners to welcome you. Hanging on the walls, too, are black and white framed photos of the real Beatles – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Compare each of the members of the original band with each member of the Liverpool Legends and you will be amazed at the resemblances. Towards the front is a new souvenir shop with Beatles t-shirts, magnets, etc. – all situated around a 1960’s Volkswagen bus – painted in the love and peace, flower power motif from that era.
Step into the café to see booths now coordinated with the Union Flag colors for backdrops. More black and white photos of The Beatles – which I’m told will be for sale – are hanging on the walls. Be sure and take a walk-through and get yourself a dip of ice cream or a soda to enjoy before or during the show!
Showtime! 8pm couldn’t get here fast enough! Louise Harrison (George’s sister) introduces the band while a fantastic old (but new to the show) video is shown, taking everyone back to the days when Beatlemania was in its infancy. She lets everyone in on a little known fact about her brother, George, coming to America, too (you’ll have to see the show to find out what it is). The video of The Beatles certainly reminds everyone of just how young these guys were forty-five years ago, too! And so were we! How time flies!
The Liverpool Legends – the best of the best – Kevin Mantagne, Davey Justice, Marty Scott and Greg George – all handpicked by Louise – are introduced and the curtain finally opens! The nostalgic and well-known opening guitar chords are heard from “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.” The lights come up as the band plays one of the most recognizable hits from the 60’s with Kevin taking the lead, performing as John – immediately reminding us of the real Lennon – right down to his famous onstage stance. The backdrop is a striking replica of the stage used on the Ed Sullivan Show for the very first performance by The Beatles in America, on February 9, 1964. Somehow, the guys in their black suits with the bright white arrows made me feel like I was actually watching the original Fab Four on a black and white TV screen again!
Other selections follow that include “All My Loving,” “She Loves You,” and “Till There Was You.” Marty, performing as George, let’s us in on “Do You Want To Know A Secret,” and Kevin blows the bluesy harmonica on “Love Me Do.” Marty’s guitar talent is remarkable and he steals the scene every time he steps out to play a commanding “George” solo on any one of his vintage guitars. Kevin’s antics are always entertaining and you may find yourself missing a few if you don’t keep your eyes on him the entire show – which is hard to do! “A Hard Day’s Night” and “Eight Days A Week” has almost everyone screaming, singing, or clapping along.
Before long, this era is concluded when Davey takes center stage to perform one of the most recorded Beatles songs, “Yesterday,” and shares the more mellow vocal sound of Paul McCartney with everyone in the audience. One look at Davey, who portrays Sir Paul in his earlier days, and you can’t help but be thrilled by each and every song he performs – Davey’s smile and laughter are infectious, too!! And ladies – we all know Paul from the early years as “the cute one,” right? He still is!!
The second set takes us to the last performance of The Beatles in America in 1965 – another video is used to introduce the band. Several interviews show the “mania” that ensued and even how the police were instructed to handle it!! Some females are quite “overwhelmed” by the group and the events taking place in the onscreen audience are pretty hilarious! Once again, it’s Showtime as The Liverpool Legends come running in from the airport to play for over 55,000 people at New York City’s Shea Stadium! (Not really - ha.) Their opening number is “Can’t Buy Me Love.”
“Yellow Submarine” follows – a favorite in this set – with Greg, starring as Ringo, who asks us all to sing along as he takes us on an undersea trip. A new submarine floats over the band, and a new “Voyage To The Bottom of the Sea” video plays on a large screen behind. There are real bubbles floating down from the ceiling, for all the kids (young and old) to chase after and pop. They are soapy, too! (Advice to all photo takers during this song – cover your lens if you don’t want them to be cleaned!!) I must say here, also, that besides his amazing resemblance to the real Richard Starkey, aka Ringo, Greg is a delight to watch and hear, not only as he sings several selections during the show, but also as he makes the drums and cymbals echo the very same rhythmic cadences provided by the eldest Beatle.
Marty kicks everything into high gear with Carl Perkins’ “Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby,” while people take to the aisles to do a little dancing. Next, the whole band carries us to an even higher level of excitement with “I Saw Her Standing There” and “Twist and Shout.” If you’ve been a little subdued until now (ha) or just sitting in disbelief (like I was the first time seeing this band), this is when you can jump up and twist, shout or scream, too, and join in the fun!! As Kevin will tell everyone in a British accent, “Come on, everyone, it’s a very interactive concert!!”
Intermission came way too soon, again! A souvenir stand is to the left of the stage with all the Liverpool Legend CD’s and pictures, Liverpooh bears, light sticks, t-shirts, etc.
Louise takes questions and answers as many as possible before the opening of the third set, and it seems I always learn something new from her about the real Beatles or the four she picked to portray them.
The show resumes – onstage are the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in their mustaches and brightly colored uniforms. The Love/Peace sign hangs behind them as well as the big Blue Meanie from Pepperland, and psychedelic lighting eerily illuminates the stage. Besides “Sgt. Pepper,” the band offers up “A Little Help From My Friends,” “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds,” “When I’m Sixty-Four, “Penny Lane,” and “A Day In The Life.” More psychedelic, glowing images are shown on the screen behind – adding even more ambience to our brightly colored, neon trip back in time, as we revisit the album Rolling Stone Magazine named “The Greatest Album of all Time!”
On the keyboard is Bob Dobro, who brilliantly duplicates all the magnificent and innovative orchestral sounds the Beatles added to their rock and roll, psychedelic rock, and later years collection of classics. I especially love to hear the piano, flutes and piccolo trumpet during “Penny Lane,” and the quirky clarinet in “When I’m Sixty-Four.” My favorite, however, has to be the frenzied string and trumpet climactic crescendos during “A Day In The Life,” and the single, crashing E-major piano chord, after a hiccup of silence, as the song reaches its dramatic ending. I’ve read that 5 pairs of hands on 3 pianos were used to record that single chord in the original Beatle version, in which the reverberation lasts an entire minute. Be sure and let Bob hear some appreciation – this guy is talented.
The final set opens with yet another video – one that touches the heart of every George Harrison fan as everyone sees and hears a little bit more about Louise’s little brother. The song that follows, played and sung by Marty, is breathtaking and always brings a hush over the audience as they listen intently to his solo acoustical performance of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” To me, the song really resonates the sadness George must have felt during the Beatles’ troubled recording sessions eventually leading to their breakup.
Davey, Kevin, Greg and Bob rejoin Marty onstage for more of the breakup years as they launch into “Get Back” from the Let It Be Album, followed by the romantic and most popular George Harrison song, “Something” from the Abbey Road Album, and another White Album selection, “Back In The U.S.S.R.!”
“Birthday” is another opportunity to participate as anyone celebrating a birthday is invited onstage to play one of the various hand-held rhythm instruments. The rest of the audience is asked to stand, dance, and sing as the band performs the song to the hilt, along with everyone onstage. Kevin keeps us entertained again as he sings and frantically strums his guitar, and invites everyone to scream at one point in the song! You can’t help but be delighted witnessing the talent and excitement this guy brings to his character! Davey is once again making everyone smile and laugh as he plays his bass; Greg provides the pounding beat; and Marty plays the back and forth guitar riffs to put everyone into an intense magnitude of celebration!!
These FABulous, talented singer/musicians definitely shower nostalgia on those of us who grew up during the sixties and seventies. They’ll carry you away to whatever era they portray!
An encore performance of “Let It Be” winding its way into “Hey Jude” and the Liverpool Legends once again gave us the ULTIMATE BEATLES EXPERIENCE!
Yes, opening night was an amazing success!!! There were many previous fans in attendance and many, many new fans made that night!! The guys greeted everyone in the lobby, signing autographs and taking pictures, giving hugs and answering as many questions as possible. Louise was on-hand as well and smiling proudly!!
I was honored to receive the following statement from Louise Harrison a few days ago:
“Hullo to Branson Critic: Just a quick word to let you know how much I and Liverpool Legends appreciate your encouragement and support these past couple of years in Branson. As you know we are starting our third year here, this time at the Starlite Theatre.
We are particularly very grateful to the group of gentlemen who rallied around us to provide us with such a wonderful venue. Thanks for all the hard work you and your construction workers put in, to truly make this theatre a place we can be thrilled to call HOME. So far we have played here for several weeks and have added some production touches to our show, which we hope will allow our audiences to better enjoy our efforts. We seek to keep on improving, (just as my brother and his Beatle Buddies did, all those years ago.)
It is great to see so many smiling, friendly faces in the audience night after night, and we are especially happy to welcome many old friends time and time again.
To your Readers: If you have not yet experienced our show, please come soon, join our happy Global Family of Beatle People, relax, and have a lot of fun. We perform each night at 8pm, Tuesday thru Saturday, at the Starlite Theatre. Call 417-337-9333 for reservations. Love and Peace, Louise Harrison”
Thanks, Louise!! And as I tell everyone each time I see the show, I really don’t know how your lads can get any better – they just do!! I heard there would be more surprises as the season progresses, too!! Can’t wait! I know I’ll be back to see the show as soon as possible, and we hope everyone who reads about them on Branson Critic will come to see you all very soon, too!!! You can visit the guys online at www.liverpoollegends.com!
Sandi McKim
Editor
Pic Collage By Sandi McKim