IU Auditorium relives music of Beatles

Cynthia Mahigian-Moorhead was 15 years old in 1964, and and just like her, most of the crowd was made up of young, swooning girls.

“You could make out the songs only because you knew them so well,” she said. “It’s like that when you know it by heart, when you’re standing in the middle of screaming people. I think the music was secondary to the experience.”

Mahigian-Moorhead, manager of print and web services at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, saw The Beatles perform in Indianapolis in 1964.

“I had a mad crush on John,” she said. “I was too excited to see him in person, but it was like a dream come true.”

“Rain: A Tribute To the Beatles” will play at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the IU Auditorium  as part of it’s national tour.

Doug Booher, director of the IU Auditorium, said the concert is open to all ages for IU’s
Homecoming weekend, and it will add to the festive atmosphere in Bloomington.
Mahigian-Moorhead said she went to the concert with her friend, younger brother and mother.

Though she said she was embarrassed by her mother screaming “George!” repeatedly, she added that seeing The Beatles perform a 12-song set at the Coliseum was enough to satisfy her. She added that there were more than 12,000 fans at the show.

Booher said entertainment host and former CEO of Dick Clark Productions, Dick Clark, recruited members for Rain from the “Beatlemania” Broadway show.

“It’s going to be a huge concert,” Booher said. “They’re taking people all the way from the Ed Sullivan days of their music to Abbey Road. What people will see is a replica of The Beatles concerts.”

Glenn Gass, IU professor of music, said Beatles tribute bands, as well as other imitators for artists such as Elvis and Led Zeppelin, have been around for a while. Gass specializes in the history of rock ‘n’ roll and teaches a class specifically on Beatles music.

“I think you have to be really, really famous to have that kind of following of tribute bands,” Gass said. “Your style has to be so well known that people can connect to it through an imitator or tribute band.”

Gass said when seeing a tribute band, it’s best to “suspend belief” for an hour or two, in order to get the full experience.  

“Or else all you’re doing is concentrating on how it isn’t the band you know and how they sound or don’t sing as well or sound quite the same,” he said.

He said most people enjoy tribute bands. For older fans it’s nostalgia, and for younger fans it’s a chance to experience the past. He added the only people that dislike the concerts are those who have a moral objection to tribute bands.

He added that while there are a handful of Beatles tribute bands, the ones that are good, such as Rain, have to take it seriously.
 
“Even just learning the music is quite an achievement,” he said. “For them to do anything from the second half of The Beatles career, they’re doing things The Beatles never did on stage.”

He said many factors go into creating a tribute band that accurately imitates the original Beatles group. These details include watching videos of the original artists, really “getting into their heads.”

He said taking note of the way they move their heads, the way they stand when they sing, and the correct clothing is a big factor.

“The most important thing is the music,” Gass said. “After 40 or almost 50 years, it’s clear their music is so followed and likeable.  The melodies are so strong and memorable. They have such a wide appeal. There’s something truly universal about their music.”

Mahigian-Moorhead said one specific Beatles song brings back memories.
“Whenever ‘She Loves You’ comes on, I start smiling,” Mahigian-Moorhead said. “It’s full of joy. It’s vividly being 15, being in love with The Beatles. Life was good.”