BEATLES SHOW - Bowfinger, Fruition, The New Town Centres, Portion.

Esquires Bedford Lev 2. 30th December 2006.

With the 'Love' Album currently riding high in the charts, it seems the appeal of The Beatles shows no signs of abating and to round of a fabulous year at Esquires (and to celebrate DJ Pete's birthday), tonight is a special tribute to the Fab Four, featuring four bands playing at least three Beatles songs.

I can't quite imagine the first band on, PORTION, performing one Beatles song let alone three but to their eternal credit they dug out an exhilarating version of 'Back in the USSR' followed by 'Drive My Car' and 'I Saw Her Standing There' albeit a little help from guest backing vocalist Laura. Somehow I don't think Lennon and McCartney quite wrote these songs with vocalist Blaine in mind, nor do I think John or Paul who have told the blender joke at Shea Stadium!

THE NEW TOWN CENTRES appeared to be more The Rutles than The Beatles in their approach to the task. With Bongo Barry making an appearance on drums, the suits and mop-tops are out in force as the perform 'Money', 'Please, Please, Me' and 'Lady Madonna'.

FRUITION changed the strategy a little with their tribute by performing the Abbey Road medley in full and it was superb from start to finish. The guitarist's Beatles t-shirt was also a nice touch.

It was left to the supremely dapper BOWFINGER to close proceedings. Normally an extremely energetic outfit, their quite sensitive and serious version of 'A Day in the Life' is quite a departure, but they revert to type with a blistering 'Helter Skelter' and a version of 'Taxman' which includes a snatch of The Jam's 'Start'. With a totally over the top ska version of 'Hey Jude' played at twice the speed of the original ending the night, I'm sure I wasn't alone in hoping this could be a regular end of year event.