The Fab Four: The Ultimate Tribute
February 7, 2020
Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Symphony Hall
Review and Photos by Robert Kern
The Fab Four Get Back to Atlanta
Atlantans were treated to full-tilt Beatlemania Friday night as the Fab Four returned to the Symphony Hall Stage 56 years to the day that the Beatles touched down in New York City for the first time, February 7th, 1964.
The show followed the same format as the Fab Four’s 2019 visit, but those in attendance seemed not to care as Ed Sullivan (played by George Trullinger) introduced the boys to “his” stage. The crowd greeted the band with loud cheers and a few screams that harkened back to those heady days when the mop-tops ruled the musical world.
When it comes to Beatles tribute acts, the Fab Four is the “toppermost of the poppermost”, to paraphrase the late John Lennon. This immensely talented group of guys make it so easy to become immersed in the music and set aside for a few moments that you’re seeing a tribute band and not the real thing. The boys on stage were spot on in their accents and mannerisms.
A solid crowd with only scattered empty seats in symphony hall, those who made the show laughed, sang and occasionally danced to a hit-filled setlist that clocked in at just under 2 hours. While there were no truly deep cuts in the set, it was a treat for this reviewer to hear “If I Fell”, a song that wasn’t performed live often by the original “Fabs”.
The show’s format included three separate costume changes that initially carried the audience back to that seminal, first appearance on the “Ed Sullivan Show”, dressed in the matching black suits. The joyous strains of the first wave of Beatlemania were on full display with songs like “She Loves You”, “A Hard Day’s Night”, “I Saw Her Standing There” and “Can’t Buy Me Love”, the latter being a raucous sing-a-long that had the entire crowd on its feet.
For the first costume change the band slipped offstage briefly, returning in full Sgt. Pepper regalia and took the audience back to the psychedelic summer of love. Kicking off this section of the show with “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band / With A Little Help From My Friends”, the band did a very tasty version of “Penny Lane” and wrapped up the mini-psychedelic set with “Sgt. Pepper’s Reprise / A Day in the Life” and “Got to Get You Into My Life”.
In the only break from the show’s format, Adam Hastings (as John Lennon) came out solo to perform a poignant version of “Imagine” facilitating the final costume change. The rest of the band returned dressed in outfits from the “White Album” period (Ardy Sarraf as Paul McCartney, Gavin Pring as George Harrison and Joe Bologna as Ringo Starr) in the second half of the song to provide additional backing instruments to that classic tune.
Winding down the show, the Fab Four rocked through classic songs “Something”, “Revolution”, and “Let It Be”. No Beatles tribute would be complete without the obligatory sing-along on “Hey Jude”, which concluded this night’s performance.
Fans of the Beatles, 60’s music, classic rock or just great live music should definitely check out the Fab Four. This band definitely “passes the audition”.
