The Bootleg Beatles: Making believers out of skeptics

Photo from Ticketnet

MANILA, Philippines — John, Paul, George and Ringo. The four blokes from Liverpool are back. Well, sort of. They may have disbanded some 45 years ago, John and George may have long gone to their gig in the Great Stadium in the Sky, but their music and, in a peculiar way, their likeness, lives on. The Bootleg Beatles is arguably the closest thing to the real Fab Four.

Just like the real thing.

In a press conference at the Solaire Resort and Casino, the tribute band showed that  they not only look like the real Beatles, they can also replicate their sound. Scrutinizing media people became believers when the band dished out  an acoustic version of This Boy. Eerily, the Bootleg Beatles indeed sounded like the real thing. The vocals of John, Paul and George harmonized seamlessly while Ringo, just like the real one, stood in the background.

If this performance is a sign of things to come, die-hard Beatles fans eager for a Beatles experience will not be disappointed. Andre Barreau (George Harrison) said the band strives to be “as accurate as possible to the real Beatles particularly musically.”

For those who doubt these chaps, Ringo (Hugo Degenhardt) advised, “Come and see the show.” George added, “That kind of skepticism, that was more of an issue a long time ago when we first started the group. People were asking, ‘Why are you doing that? What is it for?’ People really understand the concept of it now.”

Steve White, who plays Paul McCartney, had to learn how to play the guitar with his left even though he is right-handed. He said, “It’s always a massive interest of ours to keep every little detail as close to the real thing as we can.”

“The Beatles’ music is so brilliant. You couldn’t have predicted 30, 40 years ago people would (still) love their music. It’s 50 or more years since the real Beatles started. We’re (riding) on the coattails of the real thing,” George admitted.

The group, formed in 1980 in England, has performed to sold-out concerts all over the world. The Bootleg Beatles were also here in 1983 and 1987. Adam Hastings plays John Lennon.

Meeting the real Paul and George

Incidentally, they met the real George Harrison at a party in 1996. “He was really lovely. We spoke to him for quite a long time and he was very charming about what we do. We met Paul McCartney at the Queen’s Jubillee Party in Buckingham Palace about ten years ago.  He was again really nice about everything. We’ve met George Martin (the Beatles’ producer) four or five times. Very partial, very nice about the band.”

The Manila incident: why the Beatles stopped touring

People have long debated why the Beatles altogether stopped touring from 1967 until they disbanded. George explained, “We didn’t offend the Marcoses at all when we came in 1983. It was the real ones who did that in 1966.”

The older Beatles fans may still remember seeing black and white photos and news reels of goons chasing and manhandling The Beatles and their entourage at the old Manila International Airport.

George recounted, “The Beatles stayed in bed and didn’t go to see (Imelda Marcos) on live TV. They were chased to the airport very, very fast. It was one of the incidents that convinced the Beatles to stop touring.” He playfully added, “It wasn’t us. Don’t blame us.”

The Bootleg Beatles will play fan favorites like She Loves You, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Yesterday, Something, Here There And Everywhere, Eleanor Rigby, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Across The Universe, The Long And Winding Road, Let It Be and many others.

The Bootleg Beatles in Concert will be held at the Plenary Hall of the PICC on January 17, the SMX Convention Center in Davao on January 18 and at the Grand Ballroom of the Solaire Resort and Casino on January 19.

Tickets are available at Ticketnet, SM Tickets, Ticketworld, PICC  and Viva Concerts.