What's on: The Mersey Beatles, Clitheroe (From Lancashire Telegraph)

What's on: The Mersey Beatles, Clitheroe

4:53pm Friday 27th July 2012 in What's on in Lancashire

THE Mersey Beatles recreate the sights and sound of The Beatles and they return to The Grand in Clitheroe next week.

The fun of the ‘Fab Four’ is captured as they deliver hip swinging Beatles’ classics from She Loves You, I Want to Hold Her Hand, Twist and Shout and Ticket to Ride.

Indeed, The Mersey Beatles, who were the resident band at Liverpool’s Cavern Club until recently, played the famous Liverpool venue more times than the original Beatles.

They are now in demand all over the world and Steve Howard, who plays Paul McCartney in the band, said: “It was an incredible honour to be resident at The Cavern, when we played our farewell performance the queue outside stretched down Matthew Street... It was like Beatlemania all over again.”

“We’ve had an incredible time this year, playing a special set for the Duchess of Cornwall in Liverpool when she was in the city commemorating the Beatles’ 50th anniversary.

“She has been a lifelong Beatles fan and apparently she went to Paris to see them play a famous set at The Olympia, which was amazing.”

Like their musical models, the band’s early performances were played in the social and cabaret clubs in their home city, including many venues where The Beatles performed.

The two-hour spectacular sees four costume changes that will thrill the audience, taking them on a magical mystery tour of the Beatles history and capturing the special sound of Liverpool’s most famous sons.

“It was a fantastic atmosphere when we played The Grand last year, we were knocked out by the acoustics and we received a fantastic reception,” added Steve.

“It is very rewarding when that happens, and we are all looking forward to going back to the Ribble Valley.”

In 2007, The Mersey Beatles were invited to play at Abbey Road studios in London, where the original Beatles recorded the album by the same name.

“We’d never found a good excuse to have the zebra crossing walk photograph done until that day,” added Steve.

“Paul McCartney went barefoot in the original shot so I had to do the same.

“It was winter so, unlike Paul who did it in summer, my feet were freezing!

“People love the music of The Beatles.

“It is known across the world and wherever we play the fans come out to see us play which is amazing,” said Steven.

“It is such a privilege to keep that famous sound a live experience for the thousands of people who love The Beatles.”

The Mersey Beatles, the Grand, Clitheroe, Friday, August 3, Details from the box office on 01200 421599.