White Album ...

The Fab Faux do some amazing things. I gushed over their re-make of the Sgt. Peppers album back in early September when a few friends made the trip to New York to celebrate and hear the album played live at the Beacon Theatre.

Tonight, it was a new venue, Terminal 5, way on the West Side of Manhattan, 56th and 11th Avenue to be exact. Nice place. Very strong security out front. Open, clean and spacious inside.

Large floor section, open for the standing room GA crowd. Two balconies, which seemed to be open to the public for seating, as no VIP signs were posted. We chose to stay with 'the people' on ground/orchestra level.

You know the set list, if you were paying attention to the billing:

Side one
"Back in the U.S.S.R." – 2:43
"Dear Prudence" – 3:56
"Glass Onion" – 2:17
"Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" – 3:08
"Wild Honey Pie" – 0:52
"The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" – 3:13
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (George Harrison) – 4:45
"Happiness Is a Warm Gun" – 2:43

Side two
"Martha My Dear" – 2:28
"I'm So Tired" – 2:03
"Blackbird" – 2:18
"Piggies" (Harrison) – 2:04
"Rocky Raccoon" – 3:32
"Don't Pass Me By" (Ringo Starr) – 3:50
"Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" – 1:40
"I Will" – 1:45
"Julia" – 2:54

The Fab Faux took a brief -10-15 minute break:

Side three
"Birthday" – 2:42
"Yer Blues" – 4:00
"Mother Nature's Son" – 2:47
"Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey" – 2:24
"Sexy Sadie" – 3:15
"Helter Skelter" – 4:29
"Long, Long, Long" (Harrison) – 3:03

Side four
"Revolution 1" – 4:15
"Honey Pie" – 2:40
"Savoy Truffle" (Harrison) – 2:54
"Cry Baby Cry" – 3:02
"Revolution 9" – 8:13
"Good Night" – 3:11

The band played Revolution - at full speed - as the #1 encore, then closed it out with "Hey Jude," which was recorded during the White Album sessions but released later (1970) as a single and as the title track of the album, "Hey Jude."

Here's my take: I love the "White Album." Would never argue it to be one of the most important and influential pieces of music in my lifetime, along with Abbey Road, Sgt. Peppers, Dark Side of the Moon, (you name the Elvis album) and a handful of others.
Still, the album is very, very difficult to play - LIVE - and it just amazes me that the Fab Faux even attempt it.

Tonight was the second time I witnesed the Fab Faux re-create the album. I enjoyed the concert, but rank the Beacon Theatre Sgt. Peppers show far, far ahead. I also enjoyed the Fab's "Psychedelic" era concert, the "Solo Years" and a few "Mixed Bag" shows a bit more. Will Lee is the best bass guitar player in NYC, by far.

Erin Hill and the "Creme Tangerine" strings are to die for. The "Hogshead Horns" are terrific. Jimmy Vivino just nailed "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" once again and the band seems to love playing "Yer Blues" as much as any song they perform.

Good crowd. Good company with my bud, Buddy, and longtime friend and music soul mate, Sammy.

Stay tuned for more on the Fab Faux when I find some time to 'pontificate' on what The Beatles mean to me.