Thursday, September 21, 2017

Featured Live Music Artist of the Week - Pepperland Rockestra


The name sounds large and grand - and well, it fits.  The band is large and grand.  Pepperland Rockestra consists of Keyboards, Drums, Bass Guitar, Guitars, Viola, Violin, Cello, a 7-string viola, and an entire horn section.  This is like "Wall of Sound" stuff that would make The Wrecking Crew and Phil Spector proud!

For those not familiar with The Beatles, this is a Beatles and Beatles-Solo cover band.  Pepperland coming from Yellow Submarine and Rockestra from Paul McCartney.  But it's not just a clever combination of song titles.  (Yes, both are actually song titles)  The band takes the stage dressed in late 1960s style attire, colorful, flowery, and imaginative - like Pepperland the place.  Though they obviously aren't cartoonish, thing of the attire as something from Yellow Submarine, if it were a live action band today.  Rockestra, well, with horns, strings, and a rock & roll band - that IS a Rockestra if there ever was one!

The band takes the "big sound" songs of the Beatles or Beatles solo and recreates them in full orchestral fashion - and they do it very well.  It's like listening to the recording - but watching it live and hearing it in real-time.  They also take some of the less "big sound" songs and recreate them as if they were originally "big sounding".  And they also do this very well!  Playing well known songs with a new flare.  (or is it flair, it's not Ric Flair, though I think he'd love the bigness of this sound - woooo - sorry I digress)

Not that The Beatles weren't cultured, but this full orchestral band, brings a new element of culture to what could have been "just another Beatles band".  Of course, as you can tell, they most certainly are NOT "just another Beatles band".

They are fun to watch on stage, as every single band member, whether it's the lead vocalist, the drummer, the guitarists, the string section, or the horn section, every single band member really gets into the music.  They are having fun - and it shows - and that's what music is about.  Didn't Mr. Holland say, "that's why it's called PLAYING music" because it's supposed to be fun.   And this band is having fun - and so is everybody watching them.

Highly Highly talented musicians, all combined on one stage (or on the stage, in front of the stage, and next to the stage).  This band is definitely one of the premier "Beatles bands", without a doubt.




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