While visiting Las Vegas last April for the National Association of Broadcasters trade show, my very dear friends, Rainer and Andrea, gave me a great birthday gift. They took me to the Mirage to see a Cirque de Soleil show called Love.

 

If you love the Beatles, as I do, this show is a must-see. Picture yourself in a boat on a river, floating down a steam of consciousness through strawberry fields forever. This is a show you not only see and hear, but you can also touch, smell and taste. Seriously. At one point you are engulfed in a dream that looks a lot like the cover of the white album. Really. You’ll walk out feeling like you’ve just stepped back in time and actually witnessed a live Beatles stadium concert. Honest. You’ll hear Beatles tunes in a way that you’ve never heard them before. If you pay close attention, you’ll realize that some of the surround sound is actually emanating from behind your head, through the cushions of your seat.

Everyone who watches the show gets a different experience, from a slightly different perspective, which basically means you could go back and see it again and again and get a different show every time. If all this sounds excessively superlative to you, please understand that my description is actually understated. How can I possibly make you understand? This is more than a show. It’s a life experience.

Imagine, in my life, on my birthday, there’s a place, a magical mystery tour if you will, like an octopus’s garden on a hard day’s night, where I’ll be on my way. Tell me why we can come together to see lucy in the sky with diamonds twist and shout. I want to hold your hand so we can work it out. I should have known better that lovely Rita, Martha my dear, the Lady Madonna, would love me do because she’s a woman. I saw her standing there, the fool on the hill, and I love her, because, hey Jude, all you need is love. You can’t buy me love and your bird can sing another day. From me to you, thank you girl. I want you and I feel fine. Please please me, let’s get back to where we once belonged. I’ll get back, and I’ll follow the sun, here there and everywhere. Maybe I’m amazed, but that day in the life was really something.

Here’s a great documentary that talks about the making of this show, but I recommend you wait to watch it until after you’ve seen the show.

Keep the Fab Four planted firmly in your brain as you enjoy You Can’t Do That by (Harry) Nilsson on RCA 9298 from 1967:

 

You’ll hear nearly 500 different Beatles songs on MusicMaster Oldies, including stuff from Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers, George Harrison, George Martin and his Orchestra, John Lennon and The Plastic Ono Band, Stuart Sutcliffe, The Silver Beatles, the Savage Young Beatles, The Quarrymen, Paul and Linda McCartney with and without Wings, Ringo with and without Badfinger, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, Pete Best, and even Jimmy Nicol. If you’re not familiar with some of these names, well, that’s why they invented Google!

In addition to all these songs, you’ll also hear over 1000 songs about the Beatles, cover versions of Beatles tunes, and original songs that were covered by the Beatles. The best part is that you can hear them Any Time At All. Just spin your digital dial to MusicMaster Oldies and Baby, You’re A Rich Man!