Review: The Bootleg Beatles, Sunderland Empire

Mar 19 2008 by Neil Collins, The Journal

UNDETERRED by the huge shoes they had to fill, The Bootlegs delivered a storming two-hour set spanning the career of The Fab Four.

Emerging under the lights, the band give a quick greeting and launch straight into 1963 classic I Want to Hold Your Hand, much to the crowd’s delight.

Obviously a mere tribute band cannot recreate the Beatlemania. No screaming girls, for a start. Instead, polite applause follows each song.

It is not until the guitar riff of Daytripper that the gig really gets going. She Loves You and Help immediately follow and ensure the audience are kept on the edge of their seats.

These high tempo tunes are interspersed with a solo acoustic spot from “John”. He taunts the audience with the first verse of Wonderwall before sarcastically labelling Oasis a “bloody tribute band”. The song then melds seamlessly into an excellent version of You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away.

Not to be outdone, “Paul” later offers an equally poignant, note-perfect rendition of Blackbird.

The interval follows and the band reappears dressed in Sgt Pepper costumes. “John” then sings A Day In The Life and Strawberry Fields Forever and his voice sounds so like the real thing that you start to wonder if he’s miming to the records.

Even “Ringo” gets to sing on Yellow Submarine, but his vocal performance is nowhere near as impressive.

He does manage to replicate the Scouse sense of humour, though, as do the rest of the band. Many an ironic joke is made about being stuck in an era yet to encounter emails or DVDs.

The finale, All You Need Is Love, deservedly receives a prolonged standing ovation. “John” returns alone for the encore in a white suit and round spectacles. Sitting at the piano, it can mean only one thing: Imagine.

Not a word is spoken during a breathtaking version of the song – 28 years after they formed, the Bootlegs are still great entertainers.