Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles @ Fraze Pavilion, Kettering, OH

Words and photos by Duane Clawson

“Once there was a way, to get back homeward. Once there was a way, to get back home.” – "Golden Slumbers", Abbey Road

Getting back home is not always a bad thing! Especially when you are photographing and reviewing, Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles! A few years back I caught this awesome show at The Fox Theater in St. Louis. So when I saw they were going to be in Ohio during a trip back home, I knew I had to be there! If you’re expecting a cheesy knockoff of the Beatles, you’re going to be disappointed. These actors are phenomenal! Yes, I said actors but they are also musicians acting as the Beatles, no prerecorded lip-syncing here!

Rain has roots that can be traced back to 1975, when the band first premiered as Reign. Quite a few John, Paul, George, and Ringo’s have been cast over the years but the mission is the same, bring a high-quality Beatles tribute band to the masses! After a stint on Broadway, 300-plus shows, the band’s main focus now is touring. The current tour, The Best of Abbey Road recently concluded its spring/summer leg, performing to over 115,000 fans and logging over 25,000 miles throughout the U.S. and Canada!

This night’s performance at the beautiful Fraze Pavilion, finds roughly around 3,000 fans in the seats and on the lawn. Rain’s two sets take you chronologically through the Beatles' career. The first set finds the actors in Beatles' suits from the Ed Sullivan era. The first half concludes with an extravagant rendition of “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”. If you’re paying attention, you’ll witness that with each costume change, the Beatles return to the stage noticeably further apart than they were before.

Rain gives you the unique opportunity to hear Beatles songs that were never performed live. The second set unfolds with the actors in Sgt. Peppers-era attire and ramped up psychedelic visuals. Period correct instruments only enhance the overall Rain experience. After many standing ovations, many sing-a-longs, and many, many smiles, the night wraps with an encore, “Hey Jude”. The combination of great weather, great actors, a great sound system, and minimal cell phone usage transformed this into one of those magical concert nights!

A big thanks to Rain’s PR crew for allowing MTC MAG to be front and center! And a big thanks to the Fraze Pavilion staff for being overly accommodating!

Photos of the show are below: