BRAIN: Regal Tones Show Review (for real)

[Jason Scruton]

I had sweat away several  pounds of life by the time they took a bow  after 
"Burning For You."  In the interim, it stuck me that the crowd gathered at 
the front of the stage might well have been the entire arena. It was huge. 
All were extremely pleased and guzzling the myriad liquid refreshments on 
offer.

The short respite ended when we entered "the Black and White Set" --- The 
Regal Tones were refreshed and sporting thin black ties, white button down 
shirts, black pants and shoes. Wasting no time, they launched into a 
full-fledged Beatles onslaught.  I've always been lukewarm when it came to 
John, Paul ,George and Ringo's output. Years of FM over-exposure, 
overly-rabid adulation and too many incomprehensible pop crimes in their 
solo careers left me only with a respect for their 'contribution to 
rock'n'roll.

  Tonight, all that changed.

Like the first set, I cannot remember all the songs performed. I know 
"Daytripper" (woohoo!), " We Can Work It Out", "The Night Before", "Help!" 
(and it came down heavy and fast, outrocking the studio track 1000 to 1), 
"Twist and Shout", "Love Me Do" (Albert on harmonica and drums 
simultaneously. Very tough!), "Things We Said Yesterday", "A Hard Days 
Night" -- complete with the cool opening wash of feedback and the nifty 
guitar fadeout were standouts in memory and at the time,   There were at 
least four more tunes, each as cool as the rest.

The British Invasion continued and the audience joyfully surrendered to the 
Big British Beat as Albert delivered those that pre-break drum fill in "For 
Your Love," as well as the snappy snare drum rat-a-tat  in "You Really Got 
Me."  "Secret Agent Man"  and "Hang on Sloopy" followed up the rear in all 
their rockin' majesty.

You might be asking, "...But what of the Stones, J? What of the 
Stones?"   Fear not, for  two of their many 45s were played -- my paradigm 
for what a guitar can do, "The Last Time", sent me into a frenzy as it 
should rightly do. It's ugly twin brother, "Satisfaction" included a 
hummingbird-speed bass drum fill by Monsieur Bouchard made their bad selves 
present at the Dance.

As they did with Set One, Set Two concluded  with Spectres' resident 
monster. Tonight, "Godzilla" wore a thin black tie,"Topsy (Part Two))"s 
drum solo, and the usual percussive excellence we know radioactive lizard 
masks can bestow upon their wearer (or something like that).   Although 
closing with 'zilla.. the crowd called out  for more. "(Don't Fear) The 
Reaper" was our present for finding and creating the night's vibes. 'Twas 
an old friend this song, still in good shape and displaying all the signs 
of a well-earned classic status.  Unlike the usual BOC shows, the Big 3's 
presence was not expected, but they were very welcome. I think they sound 
better without expecting 'em. There was one other song I don't know. They 
specifically played it for the woman who organized the whole shebang. She 
and her husband joined the 'Tones on stage with merry abandon.

After encore two ("Satisfaction"), the song to end all encores hit the 
stage,"Good Night Sweetheart, Good Night." Their  a capella version bade us 
fare well, as tradition commanded, and the assembled mass staggered home, 
exhausted from the groove. Rightly so, the band's final bows were like the 
embrace given by civilians to GIs on VE and VJ Day.

To put it all another way: tonight was the first time my parents and I 
enjoyed the same concert.
It was one for the books.