BECCA MARTIN-BROWN
bmartin@nwaonline.com
Before “The Ed Sullivan Show” on Feb. 9, 1964, before their first U.S. concert on Feb. 11, 1964, at the Coliseum in Washington, D.C., the Beatles were tuning up for their incredible international success at The Cavern Club at 10 Mathew St. in Liverpool, where they first played in 1961.
According to John Lennon, quoted on SocietyOfRock.com, “in those old Cavern days, half the thing was just ad lib, what you’d call comedy. We just used to mess about, jump into the audience, do anything.” But music entrepreneur and Beatles’ future manager Brian Epstein says he was “immediately struck by their music, their beat, and their sense of humour on stage — and, even afterwards, when I met them, I was struck again by their personal charm. And it was there that, really, it all started.”
Those early days of the Beatles will be brought to life as part of a new show this season at the newly renovated Andy Williams Moon River Theatre in Branson. The Liverpool Legends, Branson’s own Beatles tribute band, kick off their five-shows-per-week schedule at their new home at 7:30 p.m. May 15.
“Andy’s theater is the best and most state-of-the-art theater in town, and the Redmons are making it even better,” says Marty Scott, who portrays George Harrison and founded the band. “The family invested heavily in our production, so they are determined to make our show the biggest and most spectacular that Branson has ever seen. The very best part is, they are as excited as we are about our show, and we are taking it to a level never seen before.”
“We remember seeing the Beatles on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show,’ and Rubber Soul was the first album I ever bought,” says John Redmon, owner of the Andy Williams Moon River Theatre. “We are Beatles fanatics, and watching Liverpool Legends makes you feel like you’re onstage and in the studio with the Fab Four. Who would have thought that someday we would own a theater and have a partnership with the band? Life is good!”
“The Cavern is just something that always gets overlooked, but it was a huge part of Beatles history,” adds Scott. “It’s where they learned their craft and learned to play hundreds and hundreds of early rock cover songs by all their biggest influences, like Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, Little Richard, Elvis, Chuck Berry and so many others.”
The period-perfect production depicts John (Young Hines/Kevin Mantegna), Paul (Dave Tanner), Ringo (Greg George) and George at each phase of the band’s life, via early mop-top hits such as “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” “She Loves You” and “Twist and Shout”; Magical Mystery Tour-era classics like “Penny Lane”; psychedelic explorations from “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”; and final-chapter masterpieces from “Come Together” and “Get Back” to “Here Comes the Sun” and “Hey Jude.”
New elements in the show, which has been a part of the Branson music scape since 2005, will include not only a tribute to the Cavern Club days but “aspects of Peter Jackson’s stunning 2021 Disney-Plus documentary, ‘Get Back,’” Scott says.
“People will be blown away by the new 4K video screens that will encompass the entire giant stage at Andy’s theater,” says Scott. “There is nothing else like it in Branson.”
Like the Beatles, the Liverpool Legends started small. It all started when Chicago-area native Scott performed at a local Beatles convention. The guest of honor was fellow Illinois resident Louise Harrison, who had championed her brother’s band in America when they were still unknown here. George Harrison had recently passed away, and she was moved by Scott’s tribute performance. They bonded, and decided to create Liverpool Legends with Scott’s lifelong friend Kevin Mantegna as John.
“Each member of the group is so close to the originals that I often feel like I’m transported back in time with the lads,” says Harrison, now retired. “These are exactly the kind of fun-loving, quality musicians that my brother George would have loved to hang out with.”
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FAQ
Liverpool Legends
WHEN — Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. and Mondays and Tuesdays at 2 p.m. through the summer
WHERE — Andy Williams Moon River Theatre in Branson
COST — $20-$50
INFO — moonrivertheatre.com
