Beatlemania Invades Berkeley Heights

They might have been a tad young to appreciate the significance of the Beatles, but that never stopped anyone from liking a Beatles song.

"I love Yellow Submarine," said eight-year-old Victoria Mauri from Berkeley Heights, referring to the classic Beatles song. Mauri was one of 150 peope who turned out for the latest installment of the Wednesday Night Summer Concert Series at Memorial Park on Wednesday night for Beatlemania Again with her mother and sisters. 

A tribute band, Beatlemania Again is a stage show that chronologically traces the Beatles careers from their debut on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 to the psychedelic Sgt. Pepper era to the final years of Abbey Road and Let It Be.

The Wednesday night concerts are a production of the Berkeley Heights Recreation Department, which will put on four shows this summer with the support of the Suburban Chamber of Commerce. The concerts are part of a repertoire of family activities produced by the recreation department that also includes Family Fun Day and Summer Movies in the Park.

There's something quite special about an outdoor concert in open air, according to Recreation Director Tom Barton. "The summer concert program is just one of those things that makes Berkeley Heights a great place to live," Barton said.

The Beatlemania Again act is apparently one of the most popular overall events. Beatles songs are catchy and timeless, which allows Victoria's four-year-old sister, Isabella to add that her favorite tune was "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

By the end of the two-set night, neither walked away disappointed, as Beatlemania Again played many of the Beatles most popular songs, such as "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," and "Twist and Shout."

The show was divided into two acts with an intermission in between. The first act had the mop-top lookalikes dressed in black suits complete with Beatle boots. Music played reflected the Beatles early days. The second act featured psychedelic outfits from the Sgt. Peppers era and stretched into music the Beatles produces in the 1970s. 

"There were a lot of great songs and I enjoyed having a fun night out with my family and friends." Victoria said, with her mother Kelly's assistance.

Others who came out for the show said it was a nice respite from the daily grind."It's something to look forward to during the week," said Rosemary Delia, who was at the show with her Irish Wolfhound dog Sky. "We all do things on the weekends but this is nice in the summer to break up the week."