A cover band that plays Beatles music and reenacts some of the most famed times of the fab four?  Sold.  Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles is the latest Broadway show that puts the crowd into past Beatles moments while playing the music and videos that make the effect real.

Before the show starts, while you wait, on two large TV monitors Beatles trivia is played. My little brother and I sat there trying figure out random questions like “What does John whisper at the end of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’?” or easier questions like “Who inspired ‘Hey Jude’?”

We went on a Tuesday night, which was much different from when I saw it first — on a busy Friday night. The place wasn’t as crowded but I personally thought it was a better experience because it didn’t feel so cramped and no one was blocking my view.

The show starts off with clips of the Beatles and montages of crowds screaming and cheering. A clip plays of their first American TV appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show and the curtain rises with the stage recreating the scene [see image above!]. The actors playing John, Paul, George and Ringo (who freakishly look exactly like them) have everything the same right down to the hair and clothes.

After their first set, which includes songs like “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” and “A Hard Day’s Night”, the next scene recreates their concert in Shea Stadium in 1965 (Watch the actual Shea Stadium performance on YouTube here!).  Stadium lights, the blue police barricades, and surround sound and videos of a cheering crowd, they play songs such as “Twist and Shout” and “Day Tripper”.  The show continues as the outfits change into their Sgt. Pepper’s era complete with their colorful uniforms and colorful lights. They sing hits such as “Yellow Submarine” and “A Little Help From My Friends”. For the final scene they use a set replica of Abbey Road.  Standing ovations follow and the crowd sings along to “Let it Be” and “Give Peace A Chance.”

My personal favorite part of the show features old commercials from the 60’s. The commercials themselves are similar compared to how we have commercials today.  Overall the show is entertaining, especially if you’re a Beatles fan.  Bringing history with music, it’s a must see for anyone who enjoys good music and a good show.