The Bootleg Beatles: A band simulating The Beatles, exploding music nights in Vietnam

Founded in Liverpool in 1960, The Beatles (including John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr) became an influential pop music phenomenon in the world.

They created a Beatles fan culture called Beatlemania – a form of fandom that persists to this day even after the band disbanded.

In The Guardian, writer Jonathan Freedland said that "The Beatles were like aliens from the future in 1969 and they are still as radical today."

The Beatles were so popular that many bands were formed, just to cover their music in the most authentic way.

The Bootleg Beatles, born in 1980, are one of them. They were one of the few tribute bands to tour with a "live" orchestra. To date, they have had a total of about 4,500 performances in 40 countries around the world.

The Bootleg Beatles lineup consisting of Steve White, Stephen Hill, Paul Canning and Gordon Elsmore memorized every gesture of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison or Ringo Starr thanks to years of material research and practice.

The Beatles Bootleg is said to bring the best of The Beatles to many corners of the world. Not only reproducing and covering the music of the group of four monsters simply, the band also "recreates" the musical space of one of the most popular music icons at one time.

They had a memorable six-week tour in the Soviet Union in 1982. Talking about that show of The Bootleg Beatles, the Daily Telegraph (UK) said that "this is not a tribute to the Beatles, but a rebirth".

When asked about the motivation to maintain the group from 1980 to now, member Steve White (impersonating Paul McCartney) said: "Thanks to people still listening to The Beatles, we are still active. Seeing the audience immersed in the songs is the happiness of the group."

Tribute band shows are popular in the UK, where artists or bands recreate songs and performance styles. They not only sing and play music like the original, but also strive to recreate their style, appearance and costumes, creating a sense of nostalgia for the audience.

According to the group's representatives, they have held about 4,500 performances in 40 countries and territories over the past 40 years. Previously, the members were fans of The Beatles, attending many music shows together. After the Beatles disbanded, the early members cherished the formation of a tribute band.

There was a lot of pressure when The Bootleg Beatles chose to act in the style of an idol band in the hearts of the public. The reproduction of the images and music of famous artists means that the group faces comparisons from fans. However, the members believe that as long as there are still listeners of The Beatles, they are ready to contribute, bringing performances that honor world legends.

Each performance always comes with a challenge, which is how to maintain the musical standards that The Beatles set in the 1960s and 1970s. To get the same appearance as the Beatles' appearance and style, the members invested in costumes, spending many hours wearing makeup.

On the evening of October 29, The Bootleg Beatles had an exchange with the media and the audience to promote the group's tour in Vietnam. A representative of The Bootleg Beatles shared that before coming to Vietnam, the members were looking for information about this country and were impressed by the cuisine and culture here.

Besides, the members of The Bootleg Beatles also humorously revealed that when they took a photo of crossing the street, they felt a little scared because they were not familiar with traffic in Vietnam. But for four artists, Steve White, Stephen Hill, Paul Canning and Gordon Elsmore, this was a new experience.

On the evening of October 31, the idol simulation group performed nearly 30 famous songs of The Beatles for the first time. The group opened the show with I Saw Her Standing There - the first song from The Beatles' debut album Please Please Me (1963). After that, they played She Loves You and All My Loving.

For nearly two hours, the band presented songs with gentle and deep melodies such as Yesterday, vibrant, disruptive with Twist and Shout, Help!, Helter Skelter. Every time the group sings, the audience below dances, harmonizing with the members. In many sections, members Steve White (played by Paul McCartney) and Paul Canning (played by John Lennon) put off the microphone and listened to the singing of the fans.

At the end of the show, the atmosphere became frenzied when the audience and the band sang the chorus of I Want to Hold Your Hand, Obla Di Obla Da, Don't Let Me Down, Let It Be. When the group performed Hey Jude (1968) - one of the immortal songs, fans sang the ending "na na na na" in unison for more than four minutes, making the stage burst into tears.

The show is simply staged, the highlight is a high-quality sound system, all musical instruments are brought from the UK. In addition to showing off vocal techniques, playing guitar, drums and performing like The Beatles, the group focuses on investing in costumes that simulate the members through each period. It only took them about two or three minutes to change their clothes and continue to "burn" with the audience.

Interspersed with performances, The Bootleg Beatles waved to fans, repeatedly saying "hello" and "thank you" in Vietnamese. Member Steve White serves as the group's narrator. He often interacts with the audience, asking people in English: "Are you having fun?", "We hope you enjoy tonight's concert with the group".