You are viewing this article in the AnnArbor.com archives. For the latest breaking news and updates in Ann Arbor and the surrounding area, see MLive.com/ann-arbor
Posted on Sun, Jun 20, 2010 : 5:15 a.m.

Local talent drives terrific Beatles tribute "Come Together" at Ann Arbor Summer Festival

By Roger LeLievre

When host Martin Bandyke promised the audience a show that would “blow the roof off the house,” he wasn’t far off the mark.

“Come Together: Beatles 50th Anniversary Celebration” — an Ann Arbor Summer Festival Mainstage show Saturday night at Power Center, with music provided by Ann Arbor and Detroit area musicians — was filled with many "yeah, yeah, yeah" moments.

The night’s repertoire avoided some of the obvious hits (much to the chagrin of the woman in front of me), touched on a few not-so-well-known tunes and reinterpreted many old favorites.

High points included the Hot Club of Detroit’s improv-driven, jazz-swing version of “Can’t Buy Me Love,” Ann Arbor indie-folk ace Chris Bathgate’s beautifully sung “Across the Universe,” Motown blues-belter Thornetta Davis’ rendition of “Yesterday” and a knock-your-socks off performance of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” by students from the Detroit-area School of Rock. I didn’t catch their names over the applause, but the pint-sized young dynamo who could barely see over his drum kit and who later held his own trading vocals with Davis in an all-hands-on-deck finale, could have an amazing career ahead of him.

The show started with Detroit’s The Brothers Groove living up to their name with funky versions of “Come Together” and “Lady Madonna.” They also served as the backing band for Davis, who turned “We Can Work it Out” into a clap-along blues stomper. The Hot Club of Detroit Trio’s instrumental “A Hard Day’s Night,” performed on two acoustic guitars and stand-up bass, really gave a fresh feel to a Beatles standard.

(Click photos for caption information)

The show proved once again that you can spin a good Beatles song into almost any genre — folk, rock, blues, jazz, funk — and it still sounds great. Although these tunes technically qualify as oldies, somehow they didn't’t feel that way, thanks to the genius of the songwriters and the personal magic each of the performers worked on the selections.

Additionally, Frank Pahl’s Little Bang Theory’s “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)” — with ukulele, bells and other instruments — was appropriately trippy; the Ann Arbor teen band Sole Transit offered a New Orleans-style version of “She Said She Said,”; and Ann Arbor’s Lucciana Costa, accompanying herself on piano, performed a lovely “In My Life.” Dick Siegel and the Brandos were also memorable in a from-the-heart version of “Strawberry Fields Forever” that ended in call-and-response vocals between Siegel and the audience. Bandyke, the Ann Arbor radio personality who assembled the program, proved a knowledgeable ringmaster, offering tidbits of Beatles history as the bands seamlessly switched behind him.

The concert ended with everyone coming on stage for a ragged sing-along of “Hey Jude” with Davis on lead vocal and even Bandyke getting in on the action with a tambourine.

After the show, I found myself thinking about all the great Beatles’ songs that weren’t included (“She Loves You,” “Get Back,” “Let It Be,” “The Long and Winding Road” to name a few), and then I realized that it would have taken much longer than two hours, or just one concert, to get them all in.

Perhaps that’s for another year and another Summer Festival to explore (I’d love to hear Tally Hall do “Yellow Submarine”). Meanwhile, hats off to all involved for a production that used some of the area’s best musical talent to great advantage and still managed to leave Power Center’s roof in one piece.

Comments

cmf_a2

Mon, Jun 21, 2010 : 5:44 p.m.

I have always enjoyed the music of the Beatles. "Come Together, the Beatles" only enhanced my appreciation of their music. I was offered the tickets a couple days before the show and I was impressed with the musicians and arrangements. The Ann Arbor Summer Festival continues to bring great talent to the forum.

lumdum15

Sun, Jun 20, 2010 : 11:42 a.m.

Kudos to Martin Bandyke for pulling together Come Together, the Beatles. The bands were talented with great arrangements of the dear tunes. However, it was Bandykes' running commentary that held the show together and gave us hippies the biographical/historical details to foster our fond reminiscences.

Jason Plowman

Sun, Jun 20, 2010 : 10:27 a.m.

Having enjoyed last nights show as well, I really must say what a wonderful job Martin Bandyke and the Summer Festival had done with creating an exciting and entertaining evening for all! Kudos to the reviewer and photographer for really capturing in words and pictures what truly was a phenomenal show!