(RED BANK, NJ) -- Count Basie Center for the Arts presents RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at 7:30pm. This is an electrifying concert experience celebrating the timeless music of the legendary fab four. With note-for-note precision, this mind-blowing performance transports you back to the iconic eras of Sgt. Pepper and Magical Mystery Tour, along with all your favorite hits.
From energetic classics to reflective favorites, the band delivers an unforgettable performance that appeals to fans old and new. With vibrant costumes and psychedelic visuals, RAIN creates a stunning concert full of nostalgia and good vibes.
RAIN – A Tribute to the Beatles promises an extraordinary journey through the eras that captivates hearts and inspires all generations.
Tickets range from $39-$89 and are available for purchase online. Count Basie Center for the Arts is located at 99 Monmouth Street in Red Bank, New Jersey.
The members of RAIN are: Steve Landes (Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Piano, Harmonica); Paul Curatolo (Vocals, Bass, Piano, Guitar); Alastar McNeil (Vocals, Lead Guitar); and Dylan Verge (Drums, Percussion, Vocals).
A life-long, second-generation Beatles fan, Steve Landes taught himself guitar at 10 listening to Beatles records and by 13 was fronting a Top 40 cover band in his native Philadelphia. At 17 he joined Beatlemania and further developed his musicianship, touring the world with the show. After 'passing the audition' with the existing RAIN band members in 1998, his career was set. On one of his travels to England, he found himself at Liverpool's Casbah Club, owned by pre-Ringo Beatles drummer Pete Best. Encouraged to get on stage, Steve belted out lead vocals to The Beatles rocker "Slow Down," while Best sat in on drums.
As a backup musician, Steve has performed alongside legendary sixties artists Peter Noone (Herman’s Hermits), Joey Molland (Badfinger), Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels, and Tiny Tim. As an actor, he appeared in the films "Wedding Bell Blues," "For Which He Stands" and Tim Burton’s "Mars Attacks!" Steve writes and records his own original music.
The Beatles became Paul Curatolo's biggest influence as a child growing up with RAIN. At ten years old, his musical journey began when he taught himself the drums. He quickly adapted to guitar & piano which drove him to write and record his own music. When he was 14, as a member of the pop band "Wayward", he went on to record five albums. Until recently the band has toured the U.S. and was voted home town heroes in A.P. magazine. (Alternative Press). Paul's love for the Beatles has driven him to master the character of Paul McCartney down to every detail. From vocal inflections to turning the bass over to perform left-handed. Paul considers it an honor to pay tribute to his idol.
Born and raised on the island of Oahu, State of Hawaii, Alastar McNeil grew up surrounded by musicians who played ukulele and guitar. These instruments would play a pivotal role in his life as he became an ukulele luthier- for a time supervising a local factory- and eventually changed careers to fulfill the dream of being a full time musician. Alastar and his wife Miwa (herself a kiho'alu or Hawaiian slack key guitarist) have played with the iconic band Kupaina for years even as he earned a solid reputation for his instrumentation and adaptability playing with Honolulu bands doing everything from Irish to reggae, funk to classic rock and even a local Beatles tribute. "Playing with RAIN has challenged and improved my ability to express myself not just as a musician but as an actor and entertainer as well. Nothing is more thrilling!"
Like any Beatles fan, Dylan Verge was drawn to their magic by watching their “First U.S. Visit” DVD as early as he can remember. This was foundation for his musical journey. He started playing drums around age 5 and soon began playing professionally before his teenage years, as a self taught drummer. He later attended the Boston Arts Academy school, where his musicianship breaded exponentially through different styles and intense performance study. With his time at this school and studying with Berklee City Music all through high school, he was accepted into Berklee College of Music with the “J. Curtis Warner“ full tuition scholarship. In addition to gigging 3-4 times a week, he majored in Contemporary Writing and Production, studying: scoring for orchestras, advertisement writing, and arranging. In his time as Berklee he taught himself bass guitar, through learning every McCartney line he could, along with guitar and mandolin, in order to write and record on all of his assignments. He currently lives in Nashville, and is working as a performer and multi-instrumentalist, and the Beatle sound and influence has always been and will be with him in his work, no matter what.
Count Basie Center for the Arts is New Jersey’s premier center for the cultural arts, dedicated to fostering powerful, inclusive artistic experiences and creative exchange of ideas. The Basie mission is to inspire, educate and entertain through its distinct and engaging cultural and artistic offerings that embrace and amplify the diversity of the region. As a nonprofit organization, the Basie is committed to enriching the community’s quality of life by generating opportunities for participation in the arts, partnering with schools, collaborating with other mission-based organizations and driving regional economic prosperity. The Basie Center has hosted an array of world-class artists, including Bruce Springsteen & the E-Street Band, Jon Bon Jovi, John Legend, Crosby Stills & Nash, Tony Bennett, Sophia Loren and Ringo Starr. Count Basie Center programming is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
