[CONCERT RECAP] Beatlemania Returns To The Philippines In A Time Capsule With The Bootleg Beatles!

To the many longtime fans from the early swinging sixties through 2022, the band continues to gain new fans from successive generations. Many young Filipino fans who were not born during Beatlemania have always wished they could attend a live Beatle performance.

The Bootleg Beatles, who bear an uncanny resemblance to the original Beatles from 1964, debuted on October 31, 2022 at the PICC Plenary Hall, Pasay City, Metro Manila. The Bootleg Beatles, comprised of Steve White (Paul McCartney), Tyson Kelly (John Lennon), Stephen Hill (George Harrison), and Gordon Elsmore (Ringo Starr), have comparable characteristics and personalities to the original members.

1964 BEATLEMANIA WAS BORN

The concert began as a time capsule, transporting the audience back to 1964 with a montage of movies and scenes from a time when Beatlemania ruled the globe. The Fab Four began the concert with their first number-one single, “Please Please Me,” with the Filipino audience singing joyfully. Steve White (Paul McCartney) subsequently thanked the Filipino crowd by saying “Salamat Po” (Thank you). In 1964, the band released two more popular hit singles, “From Me to You” and “All My Loving”. The crowd was worked into such a frenzy that Steve White (Paul McCartney) told the Filipino crowd, “You crazy teenagers!” Many old souls felt like they were sixteen again.”

Steve White (Paul McCartney) then requested that someone else sing and introduced Gordon Elsmore (Ringo Starr), to perform “I Want to Be Your Man.” The majority of older men immediately stood and began singing along. They continued with other Beatles classics, including “She Loves You”, but seeing the band perform “I Want to Hold Your Hand” in their iconic suits was surreal. According to most Beatles fans, “I Want to Hold Your Hand” is the first song to top the UK and US charts. It was also performed on The Ed Sullivan Show, which popularized the song and established them as cultural icons.

The group soon performed “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Help,” and “Another Girl.” After a string of pop hits, the band decided to perform “There Are Places I Remember,” which they described as “a slightly slower song”. It was a perfect song for singing along and relaxing with the band.

The band then encourage the audience to dance by telling them, “If you can, we would like to see you dance if you can”. The crowd began applauding and dancing immediately upon hearing “Day Tripper.” With the song “Twist And Shout,” however, Steve White (Paul McCartney) declared, “It’s real rock ‘n’ roll.” The entire venue erupted from their designated seats. Many older Filipino fans felt like teenagers once more.

1969: ABBEY ROAD

In 1969, the LED screen displayed a montage of significant 1960s events that altered the course of history. The band then returned with a new appearance. They sported various hairstyles and attire reminiscent of a photograph of the group crossing a zebra crossing on August 8, 1969, outside EMI Studios on Abbey Road. With “Come Together,” the band immediately set the tone with their mature sound and appearance.

The band then asked the crowd, “Did you miss us? Well, you know it’s been a few years hasn’t it?”

The group continued to perform songs from their album, including “I Got A Feeling,” “Don’t Let Me Down,” “One Over 909,” and “Get Back.” The band continued to interact with the crowd, even asking, “Are you still with us, Manila?” as Stephen Hill (George Harrison) took control of the audience with “While My Guitar Weeps.”

The band persisted in encouraging the audience to sing. Steve White (Paul McCartney) stated, ” Manila, “We asked you to sing ,and you were dead good. What do you say if we do that again?” and began playing Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da immediately. This song was an enormous hit on the American television series “Life Goes On.”

The band performed hit after hit before surprising the audience by asking, “Do we have any birthdays in the house?” and proceeded to perform “Birthday” for the audience’s birthday celebrants. Then, Tyson Kelly (John Lennon) responded, “This is for the Scorpios.”

Stephen Hill (George Harrison) then captivated the audience with his rendition of “Here Comes the Sun.” The band then performed “The Ballad of John and Yoko”. A song John Lennon wrote for his wife, Yoko Ono. “Manila, thank you so much for coming out tonight. You have been absolutely the best crowd we had all year and we love it here. Thank you so much. “ said Steve White (Paul McCartney) to the crowd.

For the last song, Steve White (Paul McCartney) said , “Now it’s come to time of the night, where we only got time for one more song” causing the audience to groan. He then jokingly said to the crowd, “We’re getting too old to perform on stage. Imagine doing this when you’re eighty years old”.

Steve White (Paul McCartney) stated, “We had an excellent time and that’s down to each and everyone one of you for coming here tonight. You made our night really special and we’re very grateful. We hope that we made your night special too. Salamat, Manila!”

He then addressed the Filipino audience who were thrilled to hear the Fab Four speak Filipino.

“Hangang sa muli na kita. ingat kayo lahat, mahal namin kayo (Until I see you again. take care everyone, we love you). Ladies and Gentlemen, till we meet again, we love you all so very much and we hope to see you again in the future. Take care of one another. Goodnight. God Bless”.

The Bootleg Beatles then played “Hey Jude” with the Filipino audience singing every word. It was a night that countless Filipino Beatles fans would never forget.

ENCORE

The fans were not yet satisfied and demanded an encore, and the Bootleg Beatles returned to the Filipino crowd’s delight. The band performed “Yellow Submarine,” “Rock ‘n’ Roll Music,” and “Long Tail Sally” by Little Richard with great enthusiasm. The response of the crowd demonstrates that Beatlemania has never died. It was reborn again by the Bootleg Beatles.

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