By Ron VandenBoom
John, Paul, George, and Ringo may have left a lasting impression on rock and roll music, but Peter, Jeffrey, Jim, and Dan are the four mopped-topped lads that left a lasting impression on Havre Saturday night at the Great Northern Fair Foundation Barn Dance.
Peter, Jeffrey, Jim, and Dan, as members of the Beatles impersonation group BackBeat, kept the house a jumpin with their look-alike, sound-alike remembrance of the years when the four British musicians were taking the world by storm.
Its Been a Hard Days Night certainly didnt apply to BackBeat as they kept feet tapping and memories rocking during more than two hours of high energy entertainment that saw three costume changes and three distinct phases of the Beatle era.
The first phase was the early era of shirts and ties, screaming fans, and rock and roll love songs. It is a phase that George Harrison, or Dan Lopez, the leader of the group, said was his favorite.
I also like the early stuff from their Hamburg, Germany, days, the Silver Beatles stuff the slicked back hair and black leather, Lopez said. I also like the Monkees a lot. I like the Dave Clark Five, I like the Kinks, the early Stones, I like the groups that were influenced by the Beatles.
This was also a phase that impressed Jeffrey, who plays Ringo Starr in the group.
Hard Days Night and Twist and Shout stuff, Jeffrey chimes in, good old fashion rock and roll.
The second phase, or Sgt. Pepper phase, saw BackBeat change into the satin blue, green, and yellow outfits that typified the middle period of the Beatles.
The last phase, or Abby Road phase, saw the more casual dress of the last era of the Beatles. An era where long hair, Yoko Ono, and Let It Be announced an end to the dynamic quartet.
BackBeat accomplishes it all with an amazing degree of accuracy in both sound and costume feat that is made even more impressive by the tight quarters they use for makeup and costume changes.
It determines how good each person really is how quick they can do it, said John Lennon, or Peter as he is more commonly known, about the tight quarters.
Tight quarters have no impact on the way BackBeat feels about Havre and the warm reception it has received from fans who still remember its early appearance here.
Havre, for some reason, we just have a wonderful time here, said Lopez. The people here just really appreciate the entertainment. Some of our best shows have been here in Havre.
They all must agree, since they interrupted their vacation to make a special appearance in Havre.
We played two times before here and the people and the response was so good, so strong, that we dont mind, Lennon (Peter) said. Its just like being home.
And its not just the people, but the environment that impresses them.
I sat outside earlier watching the sun going down, said Ringo impersonator, Jeffrey. Its incredible in the truest sense of the word; this is Gods country here. Theres no question about it. I mean, when you hear that term, theres only one word that goes with it Havre.
