Rain bringing ‘fresh look’ to stage show
Beatles tribute plays ‘Abbey Road’ and more.
When you’re performing songs by one of the greatest acts in the history of the recording industry, there aren’t many musical changes to make. However, the industrious lads in Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles, performing at the Schuster Center in Dayton on Wednesday, Oct. 27, keep finding ways to update some of the show’s visual components.
This aspect is incredibly important since Rain is much more than a band. The outfit, Paul Curatolo (vocals, bass, piano, guitar), Steve Landes (vocals, rhythm guitar, piano, harmonica), Alastar McNeil (vocals, lead guitar) and Aaron Chiazza (drums, percussion, vocals), presents an immersive theatrical stage show with costume changes, video and light displays.
“We fine-tuned everything,” Curatolo said. “We stepped into the 21st century with our show with massive LED walls. We have this fresh look with the digital backgrounds that change almost song-to-song. They move and play video content. Everything is new and updated. There are interactive sets, so the audience can get involved. It fully immerses them into the show. It’s like standing in the album.”
Rain’s current touring show is “The Best of ‘Abbey Road’ Performed Live,” but the program also includes material from various stages of the Beatles’ career.
“We’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of ‘Abbey Road’ right now,” Curatolo said. “We put a highlight on it by playing a
‘The Beatles has really made an impact on that generation’s counterculture as well. That just proves how timeless this music is.’ Paul Curatolo Rain vocalist
Best Of from that album within our show, which is kind of like a story of the Beatles through their most iconic performances, outfits and albums.”
“Let It Be” (1970) was the final album released by the Beatles, but it was actually recorded before “Abbey Road” (1969), which was recorded and released while the “Let It Be” documentary was being completed.
“It really is such an amazing farewell from a band who impacted the world so much in
such a short period of time,” Curatolo said. “It’s funny, they were actually going to call the album, ‘Everest,’ which makes so much sense because they used everything they’d learned together.
“They took all that innovative technology, all the songwriting skills they had acquired and matured into, and they put it all together,” Curatolo continued. “As a band, they kind of knew it was drawing to an end. The album plays out with such emotion, and it’s so well-articulated, so it’s such a pleasure to play it.”
That combination of talent and skill is the reason the songs of the Beatles continue to connect with
music fans young and old 51 years after the band’s demise.
“It’s great to see their music hasn’t lost its potency,” Curatolo said. “It’s really impressive. There are always new people coming up to discover it, as well. I’m 32, and I’m seeing, not just my generation, but the younger generation has really taken a liking to the Beatles with this newfound love for vinyl records and collecting and listening to it via analog.
“The Beatles has really made an impact on that generation’s counterculture as well,” Curatolo added. “That just proves how timeless this music is.”