Bathgate might not immediately spring to mind when it comes
to music venues but there are few places that I have enjoyed watching Them
Beatles perform at more than the Bathgate Regal Community Theatre. Having
visited the venue for the first time to see Them Beatles in October of last
year their return visit was a must for us from the second they announced the
date. A sell-out crowd was proof that we weren’t the only people eagerly
awaiting their return.
Before going any further I want to take just a little time
out to mention the venue itself. It first opened in 1938 as The Regal Picture
House and had seating for 1,100. Capacity is a little more modest now but it
serves an important role in the very heart of the local community. Still true
to its’ intended original purpose they will very shortly be marking their 75th
anniversary with a screening of the, appropriately enough, 1938 film ‘The
Adventures of Robin Hood’, starring Errol Flynn. We wish them well.
There are visual acknowledgements to the theatre’s cinema
past throughout the venue but it was one piece of art (see below) that really
caught our attention. Having managed to snap a picture of it when we arrived I’m
at a loss as to why I didn’t do so again when the band added their signatures
to it after the show.
I’m not sure what a Saturday night out in Bathgate is like
normally but if this gig is anything to go by then any description will surely
include the word ‘lively’. The concert actually provided us with a Them Beatles
first; namely the presence of a stag party. They were a tad lively. Lively as a
newt would be closer to the mark. Amusing if you aren’t sitting anywhere near
them. Where were we? Right in the middle of them. There was nothing nasty about
them and they were apologetic when Alison was jostled by them but we were
relieved (our shouts of Help! came from the heart ) to find a couple of
unclaimed seats at the interval and we duly moved. Typically the stag party
didn’t manage to reach the second half.
In truth their presence was nothing more than an amusing
interlude in what was a night of unexpected delights. The extent to which Them
Beatles can dip into the Beatles back catalogue with apparent ease never fails
at astound me.
Alison is sure that we have heard them perform ‘Anna’ before
but I’m not so certain. Either way it was one of the many highlights from the
opening set. Others would have to include a truly brilliant rendition of ‘Everybody’s
Trying to be My Baby’ from the, in my opinion, much underrated ‘Beatles for
Sale’ album and a storming first half ending ‘Long Tall Sally’.
The interval gave us the chance to not just change our seats
but retire to the bar where it’s always nice to chat to people. A pleasant ten
minutes or so was spent debating which of the Beatles films was the better; ‘A
Hard Day’s Night’ or ‘Help!’. I’m not entirely sure that I emerged the winner
of that particular debate. I was adamant, however, that Them Beatles were
significantly better than the Bootleg Beatles. My protagonist was reserving
judgement on that until after the second half. I didn’t get the chance to speak
to him after the show to ask for a considered judgement but he was rarely sat
down during the second half and reaction to ‘Helter Skelter’ alone suggested
that he was having a pretty good time.
As we all were. The second set began with the Pepper era.
Those that may have read my blog before will know that I believe that ‘A Day in
the Life’ is a work of genius. Once again Them Beatles did justice to it but
for once it wasn’t my own personal highlight of the night.
That came during a novel way to deal with a mid set costume
change. Three left the stage leaving just John on his own. After a brief and
impromptu ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ on the keyboard he treated us to a truly
moving ‘In My Life’. John then left to be replaced centre sage by George whose
delivery of ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ continues to improve which in itself
is no easy task.
‘Revolution’ had just about everyone out their seats, Ringo
had a few problems with an errant drumstick during a brilliant ‘Octopus Garden’
and the show ending ‘Hey Jude’, not my favourite Beatles song, had the whole
audience singing along.
We had a couple of unexpected encores before ‘Get Back’
brought an outstanding night to a close.
Before rounding things off it would be remiss of me not to
mention the fantastic sound quality. It was only after the show that I
discovered that the person doing the sound was doing so for the very first
time. He should be justifiably proud of the job that he did; it played a big
part in the success of the night.
The band’s work isn’t done when they come off stage; there’s
still photographs to be posed for in the foyer after the show and it was while
they were doing that I got talking to someone who had seen The Beatles perform.
I would imagine that there is no bigger compliment that Them Beatles can be
paid than to be compared favourably to those that they so lovingly emulate. The
gentleman I spoke to use the word ‘flawless’ when making that comparison.
We’re due to catch Them Beatles in action just once between
now and the start of International Beatles Week in August so with that in mind
this blog is going back into retirement for a couple of months. Thanks for
reading. Meantime for more information on Them Beatles check out their website
Tom Evans
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