Southwest Virginia fans of The Beatles are in for a rare treat this fall. Voted one of the top 10 Beatles tribute bands in the world, The Fab Four will bring their internationally acclaimed show to the Berglund Performing Arts Theatre in Roanoke on Thursday, September 25, at 7:30 p.m.
This Emmy-winning tribute act is celebrated for its uncanny recreations of The Beatles’ legendary music and style. The Roanoke performance will feature a special spotlight on the Help! album era, alongside an array of the band’s most beloved hits from across their career.
The Fab Four has built its reputation on authenticity and attention to detail, and with three rotating lineups traveling worldwide, they keep Beatlemania alive for audiences everywhere. While longtime fans may know Gavin Pring as one of the world’s premier George Harrison impersonators, he will not be performing in Roanoke. But, Pring assures, Southwest Virginia will not be disappointed.
“Robbie Berg is one of the best George Harrison impersonators I’ve ever seen,” Pring said in a recent phone interview. “He’s an excellent musician and the spitting image of a young George Harrison. The audience will be in great hands.”
Joining Berg onstage will be Neil Candelora as Paul McCartney, Erik Fidel as Ringo Starr, and Adam Hastings — flying in from London — as John Lennon.
“The great thing about The Fab Four,” Pring added, “is how well they bring out the individual talents of each player. Everyone has to resemble the Beatle they’re portraying, and they must be able to play those parts convincingly.”
But Pring explained that tribute work isn’t always straightforward. Certain Beatles albums required creative solutions for live performances.
“With Sgt. Pepper’s, for example, Paul played both bass and lead parts in the studio. Of course, you can’t do that live, so whoever’s playing George has to handle the lead while Paul sticks to bass,” he said. “You have to be flexible and ready to play whatever’s needed.”
That flexibility, Pring noted, is key to success in a top-tier tribute band.
“Resemblance is important,” he said. “Even if you’ve got the best voice in the world, you can’t play Paul McCartney if you’re 250 pounds and look like Carrot Top. You need the look and the attitude.”
The band’s structure reflects that dedication to quality. The Fab Four maintains three versions of each Beatle, ready to step in at a moment’s notice if needed.
“Each one of us has to be prepared,” Pring said. “I’ve filled in for Robbie before. There was a gig in Liverpool where Robbie couldn’t make it. I planned to manage backstage and visit my mother, but I brought my suits just in case. Good thing I did, because I had to go on as George that night without rehearsal. You have to know the material so well you can just jump in.”
Beyond the music, there’s a whole layer of work audiences never see.
“I’m usually the one who does the interviews,” Pring shared. “I’ve always been good at talking to people and being on television, so the band sends me to handle that side of things. Others, like Adam, who looks remarkably like John Lennon, are more often in front of the camera for promotional photos.”
At its heart, though, the success of The Fab Four comes down to teamwork — the same quality that helped make The Beatles timeless.
“We complement each other,” Pring said. “Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and we balance them. That’s why the show works so well, no matter which lineup is on stage.”
For Roanoke audiences, the promise is simple: a night of nostalgia, energy, and uncanny performances of music that defined a generation.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 25, at the Berglund Performing Arts Theatre, with the show starting at 7:30. Tickets are on sale now at https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/76064213/the-fab-four-roanoke-berglund-performing-arts-theatre.
