Heritage Day Kick-Off Features WANNABEATLES 2019 Tour   Clifton Forge, VA (May 10, 2019) - On Friday, May 31 at 7:30 pm in This Historic Masonic Theatre, enjoy the music of the Beatles experienced through the voices and instruments of the talented WANNABEATLES tribute band. The WANNABEATLES return to Theatre stage presenting their 2019 Tour and sponsored by the Covington-Bath County Rotary Club as a kick-off to Alleghany Highlands Heritage Day & C&O Railway Festival which begins at 10:00 am on Saturday, June 1. When it comes to recreating the fun and excitement of the most popular band in music history, the WANNABEATLES more than live up to their name. As befits their Grammy finalist status, they are the only tribute act to have written songs for fellow nominees Paul McCartney and Betty White. The videos for “We Wanna Meet Paul” and “Oh Betty!” have brought smiles to fans and concert goers alike. The career of the WANNABEATLES parallels that of their mentors. Like The Beatles, whose career began at an underground Liverpool venue called The Cavern Club, the WANNABEATLES got their start playing at a Mexican restaurant in Nashville where “Beatles and Fajitas” were the chosen fare. For Dennis Scott, Bryan Cumming, Nathan Burbank, and David Toledo it was love at first note! Entertaining at Nashville hot spots proved to be a springboard for higher profile shows which included appearances with such renowned artists as Wynonna Judd, Phil Keaggy, and Jonny Lang. Their performances at The Tennessee Performing Arts Center, The Music City Bowl, and Georgia’s New Year‘s Eve Peach Drop earned them enthusiastic reviews and standing ovations. They quickly learned that by being themselves they could have more fun on stage and engage their audiences in a whole new way. The WANNABEATLES like to say that they go “where no Beatles band has gone before.” Their travels have taken them from Perdido Beach to New York City where they appeared on national television. Their recording, “Fab Fan Memories – The Beatles Bond” was nominated for Best Spoken Word Album. It wasn’t long before the band’s on stage collaboration included their combined songwriting skills. Soon the City of Virginia Beach commissioned them to compose "In ’63", celebrating the city’s 50th anniversary which led to a full length album of their original songs including such favorites as "Oh Betty! The Betty White Song" and "Bristol Lights". And although the WANNABEATLES have not yet realized their dream of meeting Paul McCartney, their video "We Want to Meet Paul" expresses the sentiment of likeminded Beatles fans who wish they could shake hands with The Beatle on bass. The WANNABEATLES have produced ground breaking concerts including a rooftop concert on a downtown Nashville building to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Beatles final concert together made popular in the film, “Let it Be” with proceeds donated to The National Association of Music Education. Their 50th anniversary concert commemorating The Beatles famed February 9th appearance on the Ed Sullivan show had people lined up at the Omni Hotel. And when Sir Paul visited their hometown of Nashville, the WANNABEATLES staged a “Welcome Back Paul Party” across the street from where Paul was playing - including dancers and a big yellow “Love Bus.” The latest chapter of the WANNABEATLES’ journey has taken them from the solo stage to concerts with symphony orchestras. In addition to playing the Beatles songs that feature orchestras, they have expanded that repertoire by writing arrangements for additional Beatles songs – much to the delight of audience as well as the musicians on stage. Whatever it takes, the WANNABEATLES use their multi-instrumental skills to re-create all eras of the Beatles song catalogue. Says Dennis Scott, the group’s founder, “We literally tie ourselves into pretzels to reproduce songs that The Beatles themselves never performed live.” And maybe that’s what makes the WANNABEATLES special. It’s a team effort that lovingly allows the audience to share in their journey to go "where no Beatles band has gone before." Don’t miss the WANNABEATLES pre-show in the Thomas P. Dean Underground featuring THE INVASION on Saturday, May 31 from 6:30 pm to 7:20 pm. The pre-show is free for WANNABEATLES ticket holders.

THE INVASION is a stripped-down and energetic British-invasion tribute band specializing in British rock and roll from the 1960s and 1970s. From pre-Ed Sullivan Beatles and Dave Clark Five through the Faces and the Rolling Stones of the early seventies, the Invasion’s repertoire features all the sounds and colors of the greatest era in rock and roll; the Beatles and the Stones, naturally, as well as the Kinks, Who, Yardbirds, Zombies, Herman’s Hermits, Manfred Mann, and many more. THE INVASION show is sponsored by Tristan Puckett and Laurel Bradley. May 31, 2019 is all about the music 'from across the pond'. Purchase tickets to the WANNABEATLES online at www.historicmasonictheatre.com, by calling the Theatre Box Office at 540 862 5655 and at the Theatre Ticket Booth the evening of the event, if tickets are still available. For more information about The Historic Masonic Theatre and Amphitheatre summer events, visit the Theatre website or Facebook page.

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