On the Town: Fab Four brings the Beatles to life at Starlight Bowl
It may have taken a long and winding road to get up to Burbank’s Starlight Bowl, but once there, Saturday evening concert-goers twisted, shouted and reveled in the music of the Beatles performed by their sight-and-sound doppelgangers, the Fab Four.
Following a crowd-pleasing set by the Answer, a classic rock cover band fronted by lead singer Van Mosley, the audience was as ready to rock the night away as if the real Liverpudlian legends were about to take the stage.
For the record:
8:05 p.m. July 17, 2017An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that John Lennon was played by Ron McNeil. Lennon was played by Gilbert Bonilla. The story also stated Ringo was played by Erik Fidel. However, Brad Brunsdon played Ringo.
Meanwhile, backstage, the four members of the Fab Four — a California-based tribute band that since being founded in 1997 has gone to extreme lengths to replicate every nuance of the Beatles — were suiting up in Edwardian suits for their first set paying homage to the British band’s first U.S. appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on Feb. 9, 1964.
After doing some last-minute primping of their mop tops, Gilbert Bonilla, who gives life to John Lennon, Gavin Pring, who portrays George Harrison, Ardy Sarraf, who plays Paul McCartney, and Brad Brunsdon, who assumes the role of Ringo Starr, were welcomed to the bowl by Burbank City Councilman Jess Talamantes.
“We always love playing here in Burbank,” Sarraf told Talamantes. “And these dressing rooms have a Shea Stadium vibe to them,” he added, referencing the Beatles’ historic performance at the New York sports arena that took place during the height of Beatlemania on Aug. 15, 1965.
After taking the stage, the Fab Four took the full-house crowd back in time from the Beatles’ 1962 debut single, “Love Me Do,” to their final album, “Let it Be,” in the 1970s and on through the solo careers of John, Paul, George and Ringo.
While Starlight Bowl concert attendees can leave their cares behind while enjoying an evening of music at the amphitheater nestled within the Verdugo Hills, the staging of these shows entails the work of staffers from Burbank’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department who are dedicated to providing an evening of affordable family entertainment and safety.
This year’s concert series, headed up by Kristin Buhagiar, Kris Smith and Paul Palone, is also being made possible by Doug Fowler, Ricky Corado, Elisa Acardi, Evan Jensen, Masis Ghazaryan, Ricky Zelada, Alexis Correa, Randall Higgins, Kassandra Amaya, Elaine Reyes, Buster Roebuck, Melissa Sorich, Gabby Galves, Racheal Real, Kevin Navarro, Brianna Krejsa, Alexa Salvador, Miguel Delgado and Callie Suppa.
Now at the halfway point in the 2017 summer concert series, the Starlight Bowl will present the Journey tribute band DSB on July 22, Jefferson Starship on July 29, and a season-culminating performance by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Dave Mason on Aug. 5.
The bowl will also host a special performance on Aug. 12 that will feature the German synth pop group Alphaville, who scored the 1984 hits “Forever Young” and “Big in Japan.”
The Starlight Bowl is located at 1249 Lockheed View Drive.
For more information about upcoming concerts and tickets, visit starlightbowl.com.
DAVID LAURELL may be reached by email at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.
