Paul Davie plans long and works hard to put on the annual BeatleCuse show in Syracuse’s Landmark Theatre.

The promoter and musician picked Saturday night as the date for the third edition of his merge between a large and talented collection of the city and its surrounding area’s best musicians and a couple of special international guests on … Well, probably shortly after last year’s show.

See the cool poster at right to show the cast, and what Davie can do to whip up attention.

And then the Syracuse men’s basketball team went on its improbable run to qualify for the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament.

And the schedule was announced that the hometown Orange would play ACC rival North Carolina in Houston at 8:47 p.m. Saturday night.

Right, smack dab in the middle of BeatleCuse.

So Davie scrambled.

The show will start at 6 p.m. instead. Wide-screen TVs in the Landmark will be tuned to TBS if Beatles fans wish to stay.

Good thinking, Mr. Davie.

Here’s are some highlights from Paul’s original release about the night of music:

• Starring Denny Laine (Moody Blues/Paul McCartney’s Wings) and Hilton Valentine (The Animals).

• 
Over 50 CNY Musicians to Celebrate 50 Years of Rubber Soul and Revolver Albums.

• Show Now Dedicated in Memory Of Beatles Producer – Sir George Martin.

• Three-hour fundraising event, featuring over 50 SAMMY (Syracuse Area Music Awards Hall of Famers, award winners and local all-stars. National level musical artists from The Beatles’ world will perform with Syracuse’s finest.

• Combined audiences of more than 2,200 at the first two shows.

• Portion of proceeds from the concert will go to the Carol M. Baldwin Breast Cancer Research Fund of CNY, Inc., specifically towards a research grant in memory of Linda McCartney, who passed away in 1998 from the effects of the disease. Linda was married for 30 years to Sir Paul McCartney of The Beatles.

• This multi-media production will be anything but a traditional ‘Beatlemania’ format show, which normally focuses on ‘boots & suits’ and a short catalog of the band’s hits.

• BeatleCUSE allows the audience to re-live all the groundbreaking moments throughout the entire career span of The Beatles from 1962 – 1970.

•This year, the crowd will experience highlights from both “Rubber Soul” and “Revolver” albums throughout the entire evening, which broke all the studio recording rules of the day, released 50 years ago.

• Tributes to fallen heroes David Bowie (who co-wrote a No. 1 hit with John Lennon and Sir George Martin who passed away on March 8 at the age of 90. Paul McCartney himself claimed Martin should be given the honorary title of “The 5th Beatle.”

• An incredible replication of “God Only Knows” from Brian Wilson/The Beach Boys’ “Pet Sounds” LP, released 50 years ago. Wilson directly credits “Rubber Soul” as the inspiration to outdo The Beatles by writing the album, which in turn, inspired McCartney to create the concept of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Nineteen musicians in total, including an eight-piece string ensemble, will perform a note-for-note rendition of “God Only Knows.”

• “The Fab Femmes” – performing reverent original versions of early 60’s girl group hits from The Cookies, The Marvelettes and The Shirelles, that The Beatles covered on two albums during their breakout period in the US in 1964. 


• Re-interpretations of Beatles songs, from artists including Dave Porter and Creamo Liss from 805, Ronnie Leigh, Grupo Pagan, Jamie Notarthomas and more.

• Master of Ceremonies will be SAMMY Hall of Famer, local radio legend and tireless supporter of the CNY music scene for more than 30 years – Dave Frisina of Rebel 105.9, the event’s official radio sponsor.

• Joining the all-star lineup of local musicians will be two essential stars from The British Invasion period of pop music history, and contributors to the emerging 70’s rock scene:

• Denny Laine was the co-founder of The Moody Blues in early 1964, and sang lead on the band’s only #1 single in their storied career, “Go Now.” Internal struggles led Denny into a different direction, forming the Electric String Band in late ’66. The ESB opened for the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s final UK performance at London’s Saville Theatre, August 1967. 
In 1970, Denny joined Cream drummer Ginger Baker’s Air Force, which was formed out of Blind Faith disbanding, which included Stevie Winwood. Artistic differences (which seem to be a necessary evil in rock and roll) ended up working in Denny’s favor in late 1971, as the next chapter in his life would become his most successful, commercially speaking. From 1971 to 1981, Denny was the lone constant member of Paul McCartney & Wings, aside from Paul’s wife, Linda. He played lead/rhythm guitars, bass, woodwinds, piano, organ and sang harmony vocals on all of Wings’ hits during this period, along with co-writing credits on Band On The Run, Venus & Mars, Wings at The Speed of Sound, London Town and the Live And Let Die albums. Denny also co-wrote the biggest selling single in UK history with McCartney, “Mull of Kintyre” in 1977.

• Hilton Valentine’s roots in skiffle and American folk and blues of the late 50’s/early 60’s contributed greatly in developing his distinctive guitar playing style, while growing up in the Newcastle area of England. He joined the “Alan Price Combo” as guitarist in 1963, which already had a soulful lead singer in place with Eric Burdon. After developing a reputation as a ‘bunch of animals on stage’, they changed the group name to The Animals in 1963. 

As their UK popularity grew, The Animals wanted to set themselves apart from the other pop music groups of the day. So, they focused on recording a grittier version of “House Of The Rising Sun,” which had just been covered in a folk style by none other than Bob Dylan. Between the memorable lead vocal of Burdon, Alan Price’s organ solo, and the iconic guitar arpeggio intro that Hilton invented, the song raced to No. 1 on both sides of the Atlantic. Hilton’s intro is commonly recognized as one of the top 100 guitar riffs of all-time. 

Like his counterparts George Harrison and Roger McGuinn, Hilton incorporated the Rickenbacker 12 string guitar, within 10 more Top 40 hits between 1965-66, including “We Gotta Get Outta This Place,” “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” and “It’s My Life.”

• Event co-sponsor Shifty’s (1401 Burnet Avenue in Syracuse), will host the official after-party, with an all-star jam session with show participants hosted by The Strangers at 10 p.m.

• Sponsors include Visual Technologies, Whitewater Pub, Jefferson Clinton Hotel, CNY Payroll Services, Kitty Hoynes, Charles Schiele Creative, George’s Pro Sound and 105.9/The Rebel.

• To raise further funds of the charity, a pair of 10th row tickets to see Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band at the Lakeview Amphitheater on Friday, June 3 will be raffled, as well as autographed memorabilia from Denny Laine and Hilton Valentine.

• Tickets are $25 & $35 plus $4 Landmark Patron Support Charge, available at the
Landmark Theatre Box Office, or online at LandmarkTheatre.org (Ticketmaster fees apply), or at the event website.

What’s your favorite Beatles song, and why? What’s your favorite Moody Blues song, and why? What’s your favorite Animals song, and why?>/em>

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