The Fab Fourever tries to bring fans back to the days of Beatlemania, says tribute band member Jody Tennant.
"We want to bring people back to the early days when the energy was just... that wave of screams. Obviously we don't get the screams like they did," he says. "We really try to reproduce what was done onstage."
The group, billed as the complete Beatles experience, performs Saturday night at Genesis Theatre in Ladner.
Tennant explains the band doesn't just focus on one particular era of the Beatles, the famous English rock band that was active throughout the 1960s and had hits like Can't Buy Me Love, Love Me Do, She Loves You, Help, Yesterday, Yellow Submarine, All You Need Is Love and Back in the USSR.
"We have songs from, I believe, almost every album in our show," he says.
The Beatles, comprised of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr after an initial five-piece line-up, is said to be the best-selling band in the history of popular music.
Tennant, a self-taught bass player, started the tribute band with another huge Beatles fan.
He says meeting Paul McCartney backstage at a concert in Seattle in 2005 helped prompt him to get the Fab Fourever going.
"It was absolutely unbelievable. He's been a hero of mine since I was four or five years old. To meet him and to share it with my family it was such a gift. He's an amazing human being," says Tennant.
"It really changed my life. I wouldn't be doing this had I not met him."
Tennant, who lists Abbey Road or Rubber Soul as his favourite Beatles album depending on his mood, says Fab Fourever has worked its way up from playing at cafes or bars for little to no money to doing shows at festivals, theatres and casinos.
"Here we are nearly six years later, still going strong, and performing in bigger shows than I ever would have dreamed possible. It's a lot fun.
"It's been amazing we get to play to huge audiences - receptive audiences, who really enjoy this music. That's the best part of all, bringing this music - live music to the public. The Beatles still have the public's attention," he says, noting the band broke up about four decades ago.
Tennant, who was first exposed to the Beatles by listening to his parents' records as a youngster, says being involved in the tribute band has been a big learning experience.
"I was never a musician before. I had no frame of reference to starting a band. I just did it out of pure love. It's been a learning experience. To this day, I'm learning new stuff about music, the music industry," he says. "We do this for the joy of it."
The Fab Fourever perform Saturday, Sept. 24 at Genesis Theatre, 5005-45th Ave., Ladner.
Doors are at 7 p.m. and the show is at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $27.50 (plus service charges) from www.ticketmaster.ca.
Charge by phone at 1-855-985-5000.
For more information on the group, visit www.fabfourever.com.
