Que Pasa New York?
The Fab Faux @ The Bowery Ballroom, New York City ( 9 & 10 April 2002)

For the most part, I've always found tribute band concerts to be disappointing affairs outside of Beatle Week. That's no reflection on the bands. It's the audiences I don't get on with. Usually they won't have the depth of knowledge that Convention crowd have, nor the enthusiasm for the music, so the setlist ends up as pretty much a greatest hits showcase, with the odd b-side or album cut - but only those off the Blue or Red albums - and a definite skew to the Mania years. And the audience keep bums firmly on seats until the obligatory 'Twist and Shout' encore, which isn't much fun if, like me, even the hackneyed tracks make you want to dance in the aisles. So I've learnt to resist the urge to pop to the local theatre or pub or weekend festival no matter how much I need a Beatles fix.

So why was I sitting on a plane above the Atlantic, prepared to travel 3,500 miles and fork out a considerable amount of money (almost as much as the BW single room supplement for the Adelphi!) in order to see a mere tribute band perform?

Because the band I was going to see was the Fab Faux. Because they hadn't been invited to Liverpool Beatle Week 2002 and I needed to see them play. Because it was New York I was heading for (any excuse to visit my favourite city). Because there were two shows on consecutive nights. And because there was a 1957 Gretsch Duo Jet involved.

We had a few days of the touristy thing before the shows came round, and we stuffed those days full. It was interesting to see the city for the first time after 9/11 - but that's another story. Be assured that the life affirming effects of Beatles music were not out of place in NYC. So when the main event arrived on Tuesday evening we didn't feel as if it was wrong to be so excited and in the mood for celebration, even after seeing Ground Zero and visiting a Fire Department Ladder earlier in the week.

The Bowery Ballroom is in a less than salubrious part of town, and like so much of our trip to New York City it felt like a movie crew would appear round the corner at any moment and start filming some chase scene as we waited for the doors to open (we were there early - after travelling three and a half thousand miles we weren't risking not getting a front of stage spot!). But the crowd were a friendly lot, and loved the fact us 'English' girls (there were two Scots and an honorary Welsh woman in our crew of 5!) had come to see their boys play. Many of those at the front were old stagers, who follow every Faux movement avidly, but it is worth mentioning two young guys who came along out of curiosity and ended the evening by hanging from the monitors, nearly salivating.

Now, I've seen every Fab Faux performance in Liverpool and thought they rocked at each one. The two Royal Court headliners in 2000 and 2001 were epiphany-like for me. But - man - you ain't seen nothing until you've seen them in front of a home crowd. After the customary introduction from May Pang, the first night started with 'The Word', which I like to think was a cursory nod to our presence (we had a more formal acknowledgement when the charismatic Will Lee introduced us as 'all the way from Liverpool, England' (not quite, but hey)) and I don't think the excitement abated for a second after that, continuing through the intervening hours of Wednesday daytime, as we relived the Tuesday show and anticipated the one that evening. They were both tighter and looser, if that makes sense.

Of particular note were the White Album tracks, but then they should be as the Faux had performed the album in its entirety to rapt NY audiences back in October. Jimmy's 'While My Guitar' went to places I've never heard that song go before, and it's no disparagement to Macca to say that for some weeks afterwards there were White Album tracks I couldn't listen to without visualising Jack Petruzzelli on vocals. And it may be sacrilege to say so, but give me the Faux's 'Monkey' over 'Helter Skelter' any day, and the second night's version was the best I've seen.

Not all songs were well-worn favourites, however. New cuts were 'Another Girl', 'All I've Got To Do' and 'Ticket To Ride', all of which got the Gretsch treatment, which made me very happy. Can't beat the sound of a Gretsch.

The smooth transition on the album segues demonstrated again the Fab Faux's superior musicianship, and attention to detail - 'USSR' into 'Prudence', 'Good Morning' into 'Pepper Reprise' into 'A Day in The Life', and 'Carry That Weight' through to' Her Maj'. Honourable mention also to 'I Want You', which is a chance for the band to really rock, and they did. And Jack really played to the ladies of the audience with his 'Oh Darling' performed on his knees on night two.

Other points - much respect to the Hogshead Horns and Creme Tangerine Strings for superb accompaniment; Will Lee with pink hair and PVC trousers - wow; noticeable improvement in vocals overall (the Faux's weakest point); many thanks for the warm welcome we received from all the band and special thanks to Frank for looking after us; and the '57 Duo Jet was beautiful!

Oh, and I approved of the audience. They rocked too.

So was the trip worth it? Yes - and then some. Musically, I don't think the Fab Faux can be beaten. In my opinion they are to Beatles music what the Wondermints are to Beach Boys (I hope that reference means something to you - if not, go read your music press from the past few months!). What I found myself doing after returning home was something I don't do very often anymore, because Beatle music runs in my brain as a constant sound track. I went home and got out my Beatles CDs and LISTENED. Now, that alone is worth the airfare.

Janine Edwards
TWIL Issue Eight August 2002