Although their creative run was more than half a century ago, the lure and appeal of The Beatles remains ever-present, an immense catalogue of songs that have shaped the canon of popular music arguably more than any other individual or group.
That admiration and universal acceptance has seen an endless stream of musicians, promoters, impersonators and everyday fans put their own sheen and impersonation on the Fab Four – stretching the full gamut of polished professionals to rank amateurs.However, when you have a collection of renowned and celebrated musicians pick up the creative reins to create The White Album In Concert, the term 'tribute' sounds just a little derogatory.
This is the fourth staging of The White Album In Concert series, following successful sold-out tours in 2009, 2014 and 2018, the quartet Chris Cheney (The Living End), Phil Jamieson (Grinspoon), Tim Rogers (You Am I), and ARIA Award-winning solo artist Josh Pyke backed by a 17-piece rock orchestra – led by musical director Rex Goh – featuring guitars, strings, horns and two drummers.
While it's silly to suggest this incarnation of musicians can match the musicianship of John, Paul, George and Ringo, it'd also be absurd to declare the event a cheap imitation worthy of only your local scout hall. It'd be a travesty if some of the greatest pop songs written remained idle, resigned to the streaming platforms rather than encountering a stage filled with amps and speakers stacks.
Chris, Phil, Josh and Tim are active in expressing their not imitating John, Paul, George and Ringo. Rather, this is a celebration, not a tribute band. "We're bringing what we do in our own bands and our own careers to the show," Chris explained via press release. "This is not us pretending to be The Beatles."
"We're aware there are people who covet The Beatles' records and their legacy so dearly," Tim continues, "and we want to pay respect to that, but almost tickle it a little bit, or prick it a little bit, because we're not a tribute act and we have no desire to do that.
"So we want to reinterpret it but not be disrespectful. But then also thinking that rock & roll is about being disrespectful."
As a Beatles purist, plus a child of the '80s weened on his parents' record collection that heavily featured The Beatles (including 'The White Album') The White Album In Concert is a spectacular showcase, an event any diehard fan would enjoy as much as a novice wandering around with little to no insight to the influence of The Beatles.
Tonight's performance, staged at Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (21 September), runs sequentially though 'The Beatles' track for track (fun fact for Beatles newbies: the album's nickname came about due to the all-white album cover featuring the band's named embossed) beginning with surf-rock, doo-wop rock & roll eccentricity of 'Back In The U.S.S.R.' through to 'Good Night' – followed by a five-song encore.
The iconic tones of 'Goldfinger' regale the packed audience as band and orchestra members take up their positions onstage, before Chris Cheney explodes onstage with his cream-white Gretsch White Falcon guitar as 'Back In The U.S.S.R.' ignites the senses.
Phil provodes a velvety blues touch on 'Dear Prudence' before Chris is back for the big band, swing film score of 'Glass Onion'.
Haunting strings lead 'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' featuring Phil, Josh and Chris in what can only be described as a pirate waltz, then our first sighting of Mr Tim Rogers looking debonair in what appeared to be a rock & roll onesie of sorts (black jeans matched with a frilly black shirt unbuttoned to the midriff) and a straw hat that evokes images of Scarecrow from 'Wizard Of Oz'.
Tim then informs us that Josh, Phil, Chris and himself, plus the musicians onstage, plan to take us to some odd places tonight. "Are you ready to come with us? Let the journey commence," as they continue the set with the warped, mostly instrumental 'Wild Honey Pie'.
Flamenco guitar introduces 'The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill' as Tim remains onstage, this time evoking a whimsical pirate partaking in a little jovial playfulness; the track ending with an accentuated tubular sounding like a stumbling drunken sailor.
Immediately following was a simply stunning, beautiful rendition of 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps', Chris shredding up a storm with searing guitar licks owning the crowd who repaid in kind with rapturous applause (one of my favourite Beatles tracks, personally this was the highlight of a night saturated in such moments).
What was also becoming evident as the show progressed was the genuine love and affection the four main singers have for each other, riffing off each other, shooting playful barbs and generally partaking in banter usually reserved for best mates – it was an infectious energy the crowd picked up and the lads felt, the wisecracks only getting funnier as the night progressed.
It was in this spirit that Tim shared with us, as Chris trotted offstage after '...Guitar Gently Weeps', that his friend's (of 24 years) frenetic guitar play was actually a cry for help/ attention. The crowd lapped it up.
Without missing a beat, Tim then tells us they'll play a song about heroin as the opening strains of 'Happiness Is A Warm Gun' floated across the venue. Tim was a slinky sultry bluesman-soul priest throughout the song.
The juke-joint tones of 'Martha My Dear' landed next, the band adding a Thomas Tank feel to the beat, with Josh showcasing his vocal pipes (he was a vocal standout throughout the evening) to create a soul-pop version. It was also the first crowd clap along!
A dirge-sounding Phil owned 'I'm So Tired', his at times gruff voice channelling Tom Waits before Josh returned for another highlight of the evening, 'Blackbird'. The only song from the entire evening performed completely solo, Josh's voice was rich and strong, reaching all the way to the far recesses of the cavernous Convention Centre.
Tim returned for 'Piggies' wearing a pig hat no less, the band's interpretation playing up the bard-classical music feels – there was even a moment I could hear the theme to 'All Creatures Great And Small'.
Tim then jests that a minor is the most suspicious of chords as a jaunty 'Rocky Raccoon' starts up, Josh taking over lead vocals mid song. 'Don't Pass Me By' followed with a colonial showtime feel sung by Phil, who was piggybacked offstage by an increasingly spirited Tim.
Chris was back, asking if it was too early for him to proposition us. A bluesy, randy, slinky rendition of 'Why Don't We Do It In The Road' followed, the audience lapping it up as the many adult beverages being consumed had many in the crowd contemplating chair dancing!
Beach Boy flavours were strong when the '50-60s doo-wop, R&B tones of 'I Will' serenaded us, Phil the perfect conduit for the romantic ballad. Josh was then back to add his own achingly beautiful take on 'Julia', thus concluding the first portion of the show.
After a 20-minute recess, the second half of the set explores to life with 'Birthday', Chris belting out the ultimate rock & roll version, amping up the dancey vibes, even jumping atop the piano at one point.
'Yer Blues' featured a muscular-sounding Phil giving off raunchy feels, with his gruff-bluesy vocals; mid song, Phil jumped offstage and into the crowd, running the full-length of the seated patrons on the venue's ground floor, allowing the band to shine including a blistering guitar solo from musical director Rex Goh.
Josh owned the stage again for 'Mother Nature's Son' before Tim is all swashbuckling swagger on 'Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey'.
'Sexy Sadie' featured Phil in full crooner mode, the band in their element as a jazz-rock beast firing on all cylinders, before Chris is a commanding force on 'Helter Skelter', the band bristling with a vibrant energy as Chris indulges in another 'call for attention', shredding like a man possessed, at one point throwing his guitar some ten feet in the air mid solo! Though Josh claimed he was in fact playing the riffs backstage as Chris mimed them onstage! The banter was mint, folks!
'Long Long, Long' slows the hectic pace (while most of the songs are only two, three minutes in length, the performance tonight was akin to speed skating. . . a flurry of intense action throughout). Josh again showcased his powerful pipes for a gorgeous cover.
Tim provided a throaty charm and riotous boogie on 'Revolution 1' before Phil indulged in a camp showtune version of 'Honey Pie' that was followed by 'Savoy Truffle' featuring sizzling guitars and a big band wall of noise fronted by Chris' vocals, then an alternative rootsy 'Cry Baby Cry' is blasted out by Josh.
By the time the cult-like tones of "Number Nine!" resonate across the hall as part of 'Revolution 9', all perception of sanity has been replaced by an ethereal sense of time travel, that somehow mystic forces have conspired to remove you from reality and somehow place you in the middle of Abbey Road Studios circa 1968. . . oh to have been able to roll a magic-carpet ride and smoke my way to nirvana!
The string section really shined on 'Revolution 9', before the main band and orchestra exploded in a cascading wash of different tones creating a cinematic soundscape that transported us into a theatre-like world as the band and orchestra took turns to add to the maelstrom of wonderful noise.
The set concluded with Rogers, in his best 'Play School' impersonation, singing a dreamy version of 'Good Bye' keeping the crowd transfixed in this wonderland of nostalgia, Josh, Phil and Chris joining Tim for the rousing harmonica finale.
A five-song encore followed, beginning with the ultimate campfire sing-along, Tim, Phil, Josh and Chris each sat on stools in the centre of stage, with two acoustic guitars, a tambourine and their impeccable voices for 'Two Of Us' and 'Across The Universe'.
They then usher back the pianist introduced as Robert Wolf (but judging by the chorus of "we're making up more nicknames," not sure if that is his correct name) back onstage for 'The Ballad Of John And Yoko'.
The full band-orchestra then return for the energised finish, a two-song brace: 'I Am The Walrus' and 'Revolution' that had many dancing in the aisles, with a few even daring to make use of the spacious ground floor for a boogie.
What an awesome evening; an event any Beatles fan needs to witness at least once.
