JOHN Lennon’s sister Julia Baird is warning music fans to ‘get ready to dance’ when The Mersey Beatles hit the stage in Salisbury and Aldershot in November.
After sold out shows in the USA, Asia and Europe, the world renowned Liverpool-born tribute band are now retracing The Beatles’ footsteps on their ‘Get Back UK Tour’ which visits the same towns, cities and original venues the Fab Four rocked in the 1960s.
To celebrate both The Beatles’ music and the British towns that helped shape their world-changing Rock 'n' Roll sound, The Mersey Beatles will play a not-to-be-missed show at Aldershot Princes Hall on Tuesday November 13 and Salisbury City Hall on Saturday November 24 as part of their 17-date UK tour.
The Beatles played both towns in the early 60s with differing reactions. The Fab Four performed to just 19 people when they played Aldershot’s Palais Ballroom in 1961 before they hit Salisbury in 1963 and played to 1,600 screaming fans at City Hall as Beatlemania swept the country.
The Mersey Beatles’ brilliant two-hour show will not only see the band play the very same songs John, Paul, George and Ringo did when they played Aldershot and Salisbury but they will chart the Fab Four’s full career through songs from across all their albums.
And music fans are already being warned to put on their dancing shoes!
Julia Baird, who first saw older brother John Lennon and his band perform for her in her kitchen at home in the 1950s and is a director of Liverpool’s world famous Cavern Club, said: “It’s going to be a brilliant show. The Mersey Beatles are a fantastic band who nail the sound of The Beatles. I’ve known them for the best part of 20 years and they recreate The Beatles atmosphere wonderfully.
“The audience will have a great time and I’m sure the good people of Salisbury and Aldershot will not be constrained by their seats on the night as The Mersey Beatles have that brilliant ability to get people up on their feet dancing. John would have loved that!”
Formed in Liverpool in 1999, The Mersey Beatles – Mark Bloor (John), Steven Howard (Paul), Craig McGown (George) and Brian Ambrose (Ringo) – were the resident Beatles’ tribute band at The Cavern for more than a decade and have now toured the world many times over.
They brilliantly exude the inner and outer spirit of the real thing from the costumes, the instruments and, of course, that unmistakable and legendary Liverpool-born sound.
Mark said: “We pride ourselves on bringing a true Beatles experience, covering all the eras from the days of The Cavern Club, through Beatlemania to Sgt Pepper and the band’s final gig on the rooftop of the Apple offices. We cannot wait to Get Back to where it all began for the greatest band of all time.”
Fewer than 80 of the 200-plus British venues The Beatles played between 1957 and 1966 remain today as so many of the historic dance halls, theatres and cinemas that shook to the original ‘Merseybeat’ have been demolished.
Steven said: “It’s going to be brilliant to follow in the Fab Four’s footsteps and recreate those special shows at these wonderful and historic venues that thankfully are still with us.”
Craig added: “We’re sure the audiences will enjoy these shows as much as we will playing them as we’re looking to recreate something very special – an authentic-sounding Beatles’ gig in a truly authentic setting."
Brian said: “To take the show all over the UK, and throw in special moments unique to each venue, is going to be great – we can’t wait.”
The world’s love affair with The Beatles and their music shows no signs of diminishing.
Julia, who speaks at music conventions all over the world and released her book ‘Imagine This: Growing Up with My Brother John Lennon’ in 2007, added: “The Beatles popularity continues unabated and for me the reason is the songs. There is something within them for everyone, beautiful melodies, wonderful lyrics and they continue to resonate with generation after generation – these songs are truly engrained into our psyche.”
The Mersey Beatles play Princes Hall, Aldershot, on Tuesday November 13. Tickets are on sale from the venue box office princeshall.com (Tel: 01252 329155) or via ticketmaster.co.uk
The Mersey Beatles play Salisbury City Hall on Saturday November 24. Tickets are on sale from the venue box office cityhallsalisbury.co.uk (Tel: 01722 434434) or via ticketmaster.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here