Of course, no band can duplicate The Beatles, but “Rain” sure does pay an honest tribute that takes the audience as close to the musical experience as one could dream. With a close enough resemblance to the Fab Four (especially Graham Alexander as Paul McCartney) to already create a serviceable illusion that one is actually at a Beatles concert, it’s the uncannily precise music in “Rain” that really cements the experience as a whole.
The show opens with a series of nostalgic period clips displayed on large screens on either side of the stage. Finally, the famous Ed Sullivan introduction in replicated as the curtain drops and the band goes into “I Want to Hold Your Hand”. As the evening progresses, “Rain”, for the most part chronologically, takes the audience into the various stages of The Beatles early on playing songs “Hard Days Night”, “Yesterday” and “Daytripper”. Before closing in on the midway break of the show the band takes on a complete transformation, donning the famous Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band garb and delivering such classics as “Strawberry Fields”, A Day In the Life” and “With A Little Help from My Friends”.
The bands returns from the intermission clothed in the mystical wear associated with The Beatles days with the Maharishi delving into “Hello Goodbye” and “I Am the Walrus” before hitting the final White Album/Abbey Road/ Let it Be eras. With each transformation in appearance the characters in “Rain” take on more and more likeness of The Beatles. The band is also accompanied by a massive projection screen at the rear of the stage that displays a flowing stream of images throughout, adding to the entire experience.
If you are a Beatles fan (and who isn’t?), it without question that this show is for you. Alexander’s voice is scarily similar to Paul McCartney’s, Tom Teeley nails George Harrison’s guitar work, Douglas Cox plays like Ringo Starr incarnate and Steve Landes bravely takes on the tough task that is John Lennon and does so with the exactitude to successfully embody the famous icon.
The night ends triumphantly with encores “Let It Be” followed by a very crowd-pleasing version of “Hey Jude” that keeps the audience on their feet throughout and has them singing the “Na na na na na na na’s” is unison.
“Rain” is currently being performed at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts/Oriental Theatre (24 W. Randolph) through February 13th. For more information visit www.raintribute.com or www.broadwayinchicago.com.
