BWW Reviews: RAIN Rocks the Fox Theatre

Started back in the 1970's, the group known as Rain gained it's initial fame by recording the song selections utilized in the Dick Clark TV movie, The Birth of the Beatles. Over the years they've become better known as a touring group bringing the music of the Four Lads from Liverpool to the stage for a theatrical event that takes it's cast and audience on a chronological trip through their music, and the culture of the time. It's a thoroughly enjoyable ride, with a group of highly talented musicians expertly recreating the famed "Beatles sound".

After a short video sets the mood for the early 1960's, complete with an actor portraying Ed Sullivan, the prefab four take the stage for a whirl through "Please Please Me", "From Me to You" and "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You". Rain gives this material an authentic feel, with the Hofner bass, Gretsch and Epiphone guitars pouring out that familiar and appealing sound through vintage looking Vox amps, and the vocals are spot on perfect.

Another bit of film covered a quick costume change, and the group was plowing through more gems from the Lennon-McCartney catalog, with the standout being a singalong version of "Yesterday" and the guitar-driven number "Day Tripper", as well as a rousing take on "Twist and Shout" that got the crowd up on its feet.

The best video follows, with a hilarious Prell commercial featuring a shampoo "hair helmet", and Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble shilling for a cigarette company. This leads directly into the adventurous music of Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour. All these numbers sparkle, with careful attention paid to each sonic detail. At this time, the Beatles were testing the limits of even the recording studio, They produced music that they could no longer replicate on stage, and it's this stuff that always intrigues fans like myself the most. Though note-perfect renditions of cuts from Sgt. Pepper were showcased, a stunning take on "Strawberry Fields Forever", complete with Mellotron flute sounds, was my personal favorite.

The second half of the show followed suit with tunes from The White Album, Let it Be and Abbey Road. But, this time they ran a more eclectic course, with a lovely stripped down "Blackbird", "Two of Us" and "Here Comes the Sun giving an "unplugged" feel to the material. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" became the highlight of the night, with the audience enthralled by the note for note recreation of Eric Clapton's scorching solo. After ending, fittingly, with "The End", the boys came back for more audience pleasing encores.

Steve Landes impresses as Lennon, capturing his unique nasally vocal tone with uncanny accuracy. His keyboard work is also accomplished, and his spirited lead guitar playing during "Get Back" displayed his enthusiasm for the role. Joey Curatolo is a perfect complement as McCartney, and he can play a mean bass. Curatolo's vocals are eerily similar to McCartney's, and he blends especially well with Landes.

Joe Bithorn is terrific as George Harrison, and what sets him apart from others I've seen tackle this role, is his stunning work on the fretboard. Comfortably switching between Gretsch, Fender Statocaster, Les Paul, and acoustic guitar, Bithorn deciphers every lick with precision. During "The End", he totally shreds the solo section, delivering the parts originally recorded separately by John, Paul and George, one on top of the other, but making them sound individualized.

Ralph Castelli is also very good as Ringo, laying down a solid backbeat while amiably tossing his head from side to side. He doesn't get many opportunities to bring his character to the fore, but he more than compensates for that omission by pounding the skins with abandon. Mark Beyer provides keyboard and percussion support that really adds to the overall sonic texture, and makes it possible for the band to cover some of the specials songs the Beatles never played out. His work is especially memorable on "All You Need is Love".

Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles is a well mounted show with cool lighting and amusing and thought-provoking videos (incorporating the actual members of the band into the historical footage is a clever touch). The mix is also solid, providing a nice blend of retro sounds with the modern "kick" you've come to expect from a concert.

I highly recommend a healthy dose of Rain at the Fabulous Fox Theatre (playing through November16, 2013). They're at the top of the class where tribute bands are concerned.

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