Liverpool Beatles Day 2009 - a review

Friday 10th July 2009, otherwise known as Beatles Day, was a time for people to show their love for the Fab Four and raise money for local and national charities through the newly formed Beatles Day Foundation. BBFC Member Gary Peach was there and brings us this report.

Hello BBFC,

I've just got back from a superb weekend in Liverpool for The Beatles Day weekend July 10th 2009. The night was very high on the entertainment factor especially with compere and charity patron Ricky Tomlinson steering the tiller of the good ship and holding everything together.

The Backbeat Beatles again like last year did a sterling job as resident house band and proved once again they're the best Beatles Tribute act around bar none. Ian McNabb (The Icicle Works) deserves special mention too, a truly gifted performer and guitar player and someone who I will go out of my way to see live in the future.

The Buzzcocks completely ripped it up albeit briefly with I Saw Her Standing There but my god DID WE HEAR THEM....never mind!! Dennis Locorriere was a big hit with everyone too and did real justice to some Beatles classics including Eleanor Rigby. (A woman behind me did ask who he was and I said he was in Dr Hook... no, before you ask love, the one without the eye patch!)

Great too to see Ray Ennis (Swinging Blue Jeans) and Tony Crane (The Merseybeats) play again and see that they've still got what it takes to entertain after 40 years. The Greenbank School Choir were superb too in their own right with their version of Yellow Submarine and helping with the finale's Hey Jude, it got a big ahhhhh from everybody, me included.

The Liverpool Philharmonic really got into the spirit of the evening donning moptops wigs and with a sound to make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end especially on songs like A Day In The Life. Nigel Clarke from Dodgy did a beautiful rendition of John Lennon's Across The Universe on acoustic and soul diva Beverley Skeete with Terry Taylor did a superb version of Get Back, this got my wife Jayne up and dancing for sure!

And finally great to see special guest of the evening Julia Baird (John Lennon's sister) to hear a little more about the monies raised and to further raise awareness of The Beatles Day Foundation, Alder Hey Children's Hospital and other charitable causes who'll benefit from the proceedings.

My only criticism (very small) was that it could have been better organised during the day. A lot of people in town didn't even know it was Beatles Day and there wasn't much press coverage, locally or nationwide.

[Ricky Tomlinson & Gary]

We were lucky enough to meet Beatles Day Foundation patron and compere Ricky Tomlinson at the end of the show and what a lovely guy he was. He signed programs and posed for pictures too which was a lovely end to a brilliant day.

The spirit of the evening was superb and one not to miss. Get behind this event and show your support next year. Just Another Day? I think not!

Gary Peach

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