Though Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney continue to make new music and tour as solo artists, “Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles” attempts to instead bring back the excitement from the height — and fall — of Beatlemania. Rain performed at IU Auditorium on Tuesday night.
“I know it’s been said before, but it is the closest thing to seeing the Beatles, like the real Beatles,” said Bloomington resident Ryan Thayer, who saw Rain the last time it visited IU Auditorium in 2009.
The show started with a psychedelic collage of Beatles memories — the British flag, the Abbey Road street sign, peace signs, the Ed Sullivan Theater and more — and a brief announcement.
“We ask for you cooperation by not smoking ... anything.”
The ultimate “throwback” began with an energetic performance of “She Loves You” in the Beatles’ traditional set up — Paul, John and George in front with Ringo on a raised platform behind them.
This Beatle-specific set-up was pointed out in a pre-show talk by Glenn Gass, a Jacobs School of Music professor and the developer of IU classes devoted solely to the Beatles and Bob Dylan. The talk was standing room only in a room inside Woodburn Hall.
Gass shared many striking moments in Beatles history and pointed out the incredible complexity in the Beatles’ songs that is often overlooked. He had the audience harmonizing along as they learned minute details within the scores. More than anything, he showed those in Woodburn Room 121 the love the Beatles had for each other using short clips and anecdotes.
“Teletubbies and the Beatles — they loved each other very much,” Gass said to a chuckling audience.
Thayer said he had taken Gass’ Music of the Beatles class as an IU student.
“To know all of the background information and all the stuff about the Beatles ... and then see the show, it’s just that much more mindblowing,” he said.
Following “She Loves You,” Rain led the crowd straight into “A Hard Day’s Night,” as an animated video of the four rock stars being chased by a crowd of screaming girls played in the background.
This historic portrayal of each song continued as a scene of New York’s Shea Stadium lit up the background during “Help!” It was a tribute to the Beatles’ 1965 performance at the arena, the first major stadium performance in history.
The members of Rain paid uncanny attention to the small details, from their outfits to their voices and inflections. However, one of the most captivating aspects of the performance was the use of lights and multimedia to transport the audience into the vibrant, hallucinogenic world of the Beatles in the 1960s.
Abstract visuals accompanied each song during the “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” portion, in which the four performers sported the brightly colored attire found on the cover of the record of the same name.
The visuals were mesmerizing illustrations of the songs themselves.
Kaleidoscopic lights reflected over the ceiling and walls of IU Auditorium during “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and several songs after. “Lucy” had the crowd singing along with Rain.
Rain also had everyone on their feet during songs such as “Twist and Shout” and “Revolution.” At one point, the lead singer requested every audience member 20 years or younger to stand up. He told the older members of the crowd not to fret, that as long as they continued to dance and sing, they too would remain young at heart.
There were serious and introspective moments in the show as well. “Yesterday” and “As My Guitar Gently Weeps” were just two of the songs that had the audience in silent awe.
IU student Alli Daniel accompanied Thayer to the performance.
“Like top three best experiences of my life,” ?Daniel said.
