A healthy mix of music fans packed the Pour House on Sat. Sept. 29 to check out the Athens, Ga., tribute band Abbey Road Live! — a quartet of veteran players more interested in celebrating the music, guitar licks, harmonies, and dynamics of the 1969 Beatles album than in putting on some sort of wig ‘n’ costume cabaret act. From the opening triplets of “Come Together” through the “Aahhhh’s!” of “The End,” they nailed it all.
On his vintage Silvertone six-string (and playing the part of John Lennon), guitarist Tim Conley’s soulful guitar work pushed the band’s sound to high levels, adding tasty stuff to the lengthy outro of “I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” the solo section of “You Never Give Me Your Money,” and the string-bending verses of “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window.”
Drummer Andrew “Silver Hammer” Hamner (pictured) sang on Ringo’s “Octopus’s Garden,” sounding just British and flat-toned enough to fit perfectly. Bassist Dave Domizi’s voice was shot from cold symptoms, so he couldn’t quite handle everything that McCartney sang on the album. Conley stepped in for the high-pitched “Oh! Darling,” but Domizi did well with the calmer duties on “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” “Golden Slumbers,” and “Carry That Weight.”
Guitarist/keyboardist Michael Wegner (“George Harrison” on stage) switched back and forth between instruments and even whipped out a clarinet for the horn solo of “You Never Give Me Your Money” — a surprise move that earned loud applause, as did his rhythm guitar work and singin’ on “Here Comes the Sun.” They nailed it all and even started the second set off appropriately with the hidden ditty of “Her Majesty.” It was an impressively tight and vigorous performance. —T. Ballard Lesemann
For more, visit www.abbeyroadlive.com.
Love Best of Charleston? Help the Charleston City Paper keep Best of Charleston going every year with a donation. Or sign up to become a member of the Charleston City Paper club.