When: 7:30 tonight
Where: John R. Emens Auditorium
Price: For students: Free in advance, $11 at the door
For subscribers: $25-$39
For youth: $16-$26
For adults: $34-$48
It started with singing along to vinyl and ended with performing in front of live crowds.
Steve Landes is a second generation Beatles fan. He grew up hearing the music his parents loved — songs such as “She Loves You” and “Ticket To Ride.” The vinyl records inspired him to become a musician. Now, Landes portrays the legendary John Lennon in “Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles.”
Tonight for a performance at John R. Emens Auditorium, the group will perform a wide range of the Beatles’ discography during the concert experience, including the hits “Hard Day’s Night,” “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” “Let It Be” and “Come Together.”
“Our show takes you through the Beatles’ career in two-and-a-half hours,” Landes said. “The focus is the music. We don’t physically tell the story or dialogue per say. We use the Beatles’ music to tell their story. We recreate these iconic moments in their career, such as the Shea Stadium concert and ‘The Ed Sullivan Show,’ and use them to show what the Beatles were all about and how they came to write, perform and share their music.”
Musicians who have performed with the group have mastered every song, gesture and nuance of the actual Beatles.
Landes received a phone call about joining after the John Lennon persona at the time died. He met with the group and hit it off with them personally and musically. He has been with them since 1998.
“When I heard about ‘Rain,’ I knew that they were the top Beatles band out there,” he said. “If you could get into ‘Rain,’ you’ve hit the top of the top or the big time as far as Beatles tribute bands go.”
During his time in the band, Landes has had the opportunity to meet people who were associated in some way with the Beatles, including Yoko Ono, promoter Sid Bernstein and the official fan club secretary, Freda Kelly.
“The one thing that I have taken away from all of the people I have met who knew the Beatles is that John Lennon was a down to earth guy and was very honest,” Landes said. “That means a lot to me.”
With each passing year, Landes grows a deeper passion for the iconic group and the message of peace and love the band shared in music. He said audience members will walk away from this show feeling good and positive.
“I think the show can give people a renewed respect for how the Beatles made their music,” he said. “I think it can give you a different aspect of what it took for John and the Beatles to put this music together. Hopefully, seeing what we do makes you appreciate The Beatles that much better.”
Nicole Winters, a junior exercise science major, said she is very excited about the show as she is a Beatles fan and thinks this is the best way to celebrate her birthday.
“I’m most excited to see how ‘Rain’ compares to the real Beatles,” she said. “Obviously, I never got the chance to see the Beatles, so I think it will be interesting to see such a popular portrayal of them. I look forward to spending quality time with my roommate on my birthday listening to arguably the best music of all time.”
Tonight, “Rain: A Tribute to The Beatles” will be at Emens for a one-night only performance. The show begins at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are free for students in advance or $11 at the door. For more information, contact the box office.
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