After all these years, Eric Michaels remains in awe of the band members in Beatles tribute band American English who can embrace the parts of all the Beatles.
Michaels, one of the two original band members who’ll be at the Star Plaza Theater Valentine’s Day weekend for a pre-Valentine’s extravaganza at 8 p.m. Feb. 13, is a “Paul” man all the way, even down to McCartney’s left-hand guitar. But ask him to channel any of the other Fab Four, and you might as well ask him to sing in Mandarin.
“The guy who’s playing George (Harrison) right now saw us when he was young, and he understands everyone’s part,” Michaels said. “Now, I love John Lennon, but he is still a complete mystery to me.”
The band, one of the most popular Beatles tributes in the country and managed by the actual Beatles’ original promoter, Sam Leach out of Liverpool, is making its fifth appearance at the theater for Valentine’s Day. As such, its playlist will include the love songs people always want to hear.
But because the band takes its fans on a trip through all the various time periods, they rotate them, Michaels said. They start the show with Ed Sullivan period up to the “Revolver” album, then switch into psychedelic period for a bit before launching into the White Album.
They then end the show with “Abbey Road.” By that time, the had Beatles performed their last live show on the rooftop of Apple Headquarters in London before making that album and ultimately disbanding for good.
Performing with American English since 1999, Michaels said he’s “still in love with every period.””The music is so inspirational,” he said. “And since we do the whole history, it’s like a history lesson each time. It’s quite a show.”
And a show of precision: Hours upon hours upon years of study have gone into making the band as much the Beatles as the Beatles ever were, right down to the time John, Paul and George got the idea to paint their guitars. And there can never be an “off” night.
“For us, this is like classical music; we can’t play it wrong because people know every note and every word,” Michaels said. “Every time we play, it’s a another chance to play the songs more correctly than the last.”
Along with Michaels, Tommy Gable, who plays Ringo, is the other original member from the band’s inception. Rounding out the lineup is Young Hines, who plays Lennon; and Gaines Lynch, who plays George. The secret weapon who ties it all together, however, is keyboardist Ken Cemanek, to who Michaels refers as the “architect of sound.”
“He’s right up there with us because we want everyone to know that all the music we perform is live, from the horns to the strings,” Michaels said. “We all do everything the way it was.”
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance writer.
American English
When: Feb. 13
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Where: Star Plaza Theater, 8001 Delaware Place, Merrillville, IN
Tickets: $25
Information: 219-769-6311, ext. 5463, or starplazatheatre.com