All You Need Is Love
28th July 2019
ASB Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland, New Zealand.
Review by Sarah Kidd. Photography by Richard Myburgh.
Last night the enchanting world of the iconic and beloved Beatles came to life during the inaugural New Zealand performance of All You Need Is Love; a stunning concert production from producers Phil Barthols and Tim Woods who have successfully produced several Beatles shows in Australia such as Let It Be, The White Album Concert and Beatles First 5.
A tribute to The Beatles and their insurmountable body of work, All You Need Is Love, promised a night of memorable performances and an impressive selection of no less than thirty Beatles tracks. Considering the relatively short-lived career of the band, many of their songs never had the chance to be performed live by the fab four themselves; productions such as these providing many of the compositions the chance to be admired and appreciated in all their wonderment.
Stepping into the ASB Theatre, attendees were greeted with the dazzling sight of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra framed against a deep blue backdrop pinpricked with twinkling lights. Conductor Dominic Harvey primed and ready to take the performance to the next level, the mile-wide smile set permanently on his face communicating to all just how much he was enjoying the evening’s festivities.
With an additional six-piece band led by musical director and lead guitarist Rex Goh in place, the lights dipped, and the celebration began, a swirling instrumental montage of Beatles songs performed beautifully by the APO setting the mood and leaving everyone breathless.
The Northern Irish Ciaran Gribbin (INXS, Stadium) was the first of the four featured vocalists to grace the stage, his rendition of ‘Got to Get You into My Life’ from the 1966 Revolver album immediately injecting some rock n roll vibes into the room; Jackson Thomas (The Voice) following it up with a particularly lovely version of ‘Eleanor Rigby’, the APO string section led by First Violin and Assistant Concertmaster Miranda Adams providing a rich and full bodied accompaniment that saw the song take flight across the room.
The remaining two more familiar vocalists, Jack Jones (Southern Sons) and Rai Thistlethwayte (Thirsty Merc) made their first appearances after a rousing version of ‘I Am the Walrus’; Jones delivering ‘Strawberry Fields’ with aplomb, his vocal range perfectly suited to the classic.
Arriving to enthusiastic applause Thistlethwayte shined as he sang ‘The Fool on the Hill’ from the 1967 Magical Mystery Tour album.
Needless to say, but the first half of the show went by in the blink of an eye, the constructs of time swept away on the back of such exceptional music. Highlights included ‘Penny Lane’ sung by Jack Jones and featuring a phenomenal piccolo trumpet solo from APO section principal Huw Dann that received it’s own round of applause, a transcendent version of ‘Across the Universe’ from Rai Thistlethwayte and a full sing-a-long of ‘Carry That Weight’ which not only saw dualing guitars from Rex Goh and Paul Barton – as well as a mini drum solo from the incomparable Hamish Stewart – but all four vocalists take the song with impeccable harmonisation straight into ‘Are you Gonna be in My Dreams Tonight’ to bring the end of the first half to a close with a flourish.
The second half of the evening delivered a sublime mix of mainstream classics alongside a few unexpected wild cards that certainly would have delighted The Beatles aficionados in the audience. From Ciaran Gribbin’s rendition of ‘Norwegian Wood’ featuring Rex Goh on a lush green electric sitar, to Jack Jones’s heartfelt version of ‘Yesterday’; the room positively hummed as fans – who had passionately been given full permission from conductor Dominic Harvey to let loose and have some fun – clapped and sang along to their favourites.
Demonstrating that they are both accomplished musicians as well as outstanding vocalists, Rai Thistlethwayte took a seat at the piano that had up until this point housed the wonderful Rob Woolf, for a version of ‘Lady Madonna’; Jack Jones blowing the crowd away as he whipped out his guitar for a full rock version of ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’ that saw him receive a standing ovation from dozens of fans, the spectacular lighting transforming ASB Theatre momentarily into that of a sold out stadium.
‘A Day in the Life’ saw Gribbin and Thomas perform a seamless duet, the APO once again ensuring that the song was larger than life as the frenetic strings built in sonic intensity until they spilled over the sides. Thomas later returning for a pleasing version of ‘Let it Be’ which may have suited the more experienced vocal range of Jack Jones. By now the crowd were well and truly eating out of the palm of their hands, all four vocalists leading the audience through ‘Yellow Submarine’; the night concluding with both the fans and the band joining together to sing the final lines of the encore’s ‘Hey Jude’ with gusto.
All You Need Is Love is a stupendous evening of music and song, the timelessness of The Beatles artistry on full display in all its shimmering glory. Fingers crossed that Auckland has the pleasure of seeing more of these Beatles productions in the not too distant future!
Were you there at the ASB Theatre in the Aotea Centre for this magnificent celebration of The Beatles? Or have you seen the All You Need Is Love concert somewhere else before? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Setlist:
Set One:
- Got To Get You Into My Life – Ciaran Gribbin
- Eleanor Rigby – Jackson Thomas
- I Am The Walrus – Ciaran Gribbin
- Strawberry Fields – Jack Jones
- The Fool On The Hill – Rai Thistlethwayte
- Penny Lane – Jack Jones
- Hello, Goodbye – Jackson Thomas
- Across The Universe – Rai Thistlethwayte
- The Long And Winding Road – Jack Jones
- Good Morning, Good Morning – Rai Thistlethwayte
- Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band – All
- With A Little Help From My Friends – Rai Thistlethwayte
- Golden Slumbers – Ciaran Gribbin
- Carry That Weight – All
- Are You Gonna Be In My Dreams Tonight – All
SET 2
- Magical Mystery Tour – All
- Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) – Ciaran Gribbin
- Yesterday – Jack Jones
- Honey Pie – Jackson Thomas
- Martha My Dear – Jack Jones
- Lady Madonna – Rai Thistlethwayte
- I Want You (She’s So Heavy) – Jack Jones
- For No One – Ciaran Gribbin
- A Day In The Life – Jackson Thomas
- Something – Rai Thistlethwayte
- Let It Be – Jackson Thomas
- Yellow Submarine – All
- Goodnight – Rai Thistlethwayte
ENCORE
- Love Is All You Need – All
- Hey Jude – All
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