The Australian Beatals at Beatleweek 2001

The Liverpool Beatles Festival has been running for ten years and has been host to bands from South America, USA, Japan, Europe and of course Great Britain. However, no band has ever represented Australia in Liverpool, but this year The Beatals came to put that right!

The band said "G'day" to the Conventioneers at the Cavern Club on Thursday night. What a way to kick off your first visit to Liverpool!! They played again at the Barcelona on Friday afternoon - wearing the traditional grey round-collared Beatles suits, they got us boogying with songs such as: 'I Should Have Known Better', 'A Hard Day's Night', 'I Feel Fine', 'Help' with Max Fredericks as John, 'I Saw Her Standing There', 'Long Tall Sally' and 'I Wanna Be Your Man' with Monty Ruggierio (Ringo), managing to sing and play while holding onto his kit which kept falling off the drum riser! This band were like a breath of fresh air, for me.

Their shows were really outstanding, and along with their very own 'Billy Preston', they continued to thrill audiences all week with The Beatles music. One thing that makes The Beatals stand out from the rest is that their 'George' (Craig Tugwell) plays a sitar live on stage during 'Norwegian Wood', something I have never seen before! They gain further 'authenticity points' as Peter Martin (Paul) plays the keyboard during 'Let It Be' and 'Long Winding Road' - as a 'Beatles Anorak'. I was really very impressed!

I left everyone of their gigs on a high, and eagerly anticipating the next! I spoke to Monty Ruggiero and the bands' manager Theresa on the Tuesday afternoon, and they both remarked how much they had enjoyed being a part of the Beatles Festival and hoped to return next year. I get the feeling we haven't yet seen or heard everything The Beatals have to offer. They have terrific talent and the concerts in Liverpool were just the tip of the iceberg!

The Beatles conquered Australia back in 1964; we can safely say that The Australian Beatals have conquered England in 2001!

Jo Rishton
TWIL Issue Six November 2001