The Bootleg Beatles

16th August 2020

Virgin Money Unity Arena, Newcastle 

Well, this return to gigs certainly did NOT go as planned.   The original intention had been to catch either the afternoon or the evening show by Northern Irish band Two Door Cinema Club on the Saturday.

But, as ever, when faced with choices such as these, I dithered and swithered over my options.  With the result, that when I finally dropped into the website on the Saturday morning to buy our evening tickets, I was faced with a slightly smug message stating: “Tickets Off Sale”.

Contacting Ticketline directly, I learned the sale had been halted the previous midnight, to “ensure that we track everyone’s arrival and send allocated time slots in sufficient time to ensure social distancing protocols and measures are followed.”

All very laudable and eminently sensible, but a wee warning on the website to that effect would not have gone amiss.

So, not even Plan B, but closer to Plan E, had to be put into action.  Which was to purchase tickets for the afternoon concert on the following Sunday: this show featuring The Bootleg Beatles, supported by Bjorn Again.  Was Wife pleased with Me?  Most certainly not.

But it actually turned out to be a moderately entertaining afternoon.  Bjorn Again reproduced pretty much all those ABBA hits of yore – but, thankfully steered well clear of Fernando.  Their exaggerated faux-Scandinavian accents did grate a touch though.

Pretend Bjorn and Benny hammed it up throughout, the latter happy to play the fool, whilst the former entertained himself (and most of us) by sneaking heavy guitar riffs into proceedings wherever he felt he could get away with it.  The culmination of which, was a jarringly incongruous rendition of Van Halen's Jump.

Although, I am not quite sure how much (if, in fact any) of the music we were hearing was actually being played by B&B – for there was certainly a saxophone parping away during one song, with nary a saxophonist in sight.

Virgin Money Unity Arena, Newcastle

Virgin Money Unity Arena, Newcastle

The Bootleg Beatles, at least I knew played their instruments.  But the outdoor arena meant we were denied the entertaining slide-show which I felt adds to their show immensely.   There was also no sign of the mini-orchestra who had been present the last time I saw the act.  So, we heard no Day in the Life, I Am The Walrus, Penny Lane nor Sgt. Pepper.  The failure to perform this last named particularly irking a young lad who, as we were leaving, could be heard tearfully complaining to his parents: “They didn't even play their best known song!”

Credit though, to the Virgin Money Unity Arena for making the effort to put these gigs on.  I don't know that there is anywhere else in the country doing so.

It is certainly a unique experience to be herded into what is little more than a cattle pen to watch a concert.  But hey, it is way better than nothing.