Beatles’ next-generation musos tour Revolver, Rubber Soul

Four young musos have the best job going: performing Revolver and Rubber Soul in theatres around the country.

It can’t be much of a chore turning up for work each morning when the task at hand is singing some of the best songs recorded by The Beatles.

That has been the daily grind for singers and songwriters Fergus Linacre, Marlon Williams, Jordie Lane and Husky Gawenda this week in a Sydney rehearsal studio, as they prepare to perform the Fabs’ Revolver and Rubber Soul to theatre audiences around the country.

The musos have come together with a backing band to play the landmark Beatles albums in order and in their entirety on an eight-show tour that begins at Brisbane’s QPAC Concert Hall tonight.

They are aware that, while it’s fun to do, the pressure is on to get just right the many classic songs on the set list, such as Eleanor Rigby, Nowhere Man, Norwegian Wood and Tomorrow Never Knows.

“They are the best records so there’s a bit of pressure,” said Kiwi Williams, who released his debut album to critical acclaim earlier this year, “but we’re happy to rise to that.”

The tour, which ends with two performances at the Sydney Opera House next week, follows the success last year of a similar venture, when singers Tim Rogers, Phil Jamieson, Josh Pyke and Chris Cheney took The Beatles’ White Album on the road.

There are points of difference, however. The singers are younger this time and while Rogers and co performed much of the White Album separately, Rubber Soul and Revolver have the new ensemble singing much of the material togethe­r.

“The whole point is that we’re young musicians,” said Lin­acre, a member of Melbourne rock band Kingswood.

“It’s a good idea to get the younger­ generation in with these shows.”

Melbourne solo artist Lane, who has just finished a tour of German­y with Williams, said he was surprised at how well the four voices­, working together for the first time, suited each other.

“We went through the songs and realised we could harmonise well together,” he said. “About three-quarters of the material we’re on stage together singing harmonies. That’s what The Beatles­ were all about.”

Aside from the 28 songs from the two albums there is an added finale, although that will remain a secret until tonight.

“Revolver ends with Tomorrow Never Knows,” said Gawenda, from the band Husky, “which is a beautiful song, but it’s not really an end-of-the-night song; so we might finish with something else.”