On the heels of their full-house summer “Abbey Road” show, Classic Rock Legacy Presents is back at the Ritz with a cut-by-cut live performance of The Beatles’ “Rubber Soul” and “Revolver” albums. The band will honor the albums in their entirety during two shows on Saturday, January 28, 2023, from 2:30 - 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. (doors open 30 minutes before showtime) at the Historic Ritz Theatre in Downtown Winter Haven. Don’t walk, “Run for Your Life” to centralfloridatix.com for tickets.
The show is made even more special by the recent reissue of “Revolver,” which was announced in September and released on October 28, 2022. “We didn’t know at the time that we were putting it together. […] We found out after we were doing it that they were reissuing the album,” said Classic Rock Legacy Presents vocalist and guitarist Daniel Pepin. Months before solidifying which albums they’d perform, drummer and vocalist Keith Coville told Pepin, “Those two albums [“Rubber Soul” and “Revolver”] were supposed to be a double album, but the record company wouldn’t let them do it.”
“I was hooked – I thought that was a great idea,” Pepin said. “We wanted to do something bigger than we did last time. What’s bigger than one album but two?”
Asked if he’d already snagged a reissue, Pepin smiled and said, “I haven’t picked one up because I know my wife well enough to know she probably bought it for Christmas.”
The Classic Rock Legacy Presents lineup includes Daniel Pepin on vocals and guitar, Bill Dorfschmidt on vocals and guitar, Jessy Rose on vocals and keyboard, Josh Grimes on vocals and bass, and Keith Coville on vocals and drums.
All members, save for Rose and Dorfschmidt, knew each other from a previous Beatles tribute band. Pepin began asking his musical compadres if they’d be interested in doing a Beatles project honoring the music, sans costumes, on a bigger stage. They were all in.
Pepin has known Rose, one of his oldest friends, since age nine when the two went to school together in the New England area. Rose joined Classic Rock Legacy Presents following a career as musical director for a major cruise line.
As for Dorfschmidt? “Bill is in every project that I do. He’s my best friend,” Pepin said. “It’s funny because I didn’t even ask him. I called him up on the phone and said, ‘Hey Bill, you’re in a Beatles band.’”
With all their Beatles in a row, Classic Rock Legacy Presents started rehearsing the very next week.
“There’s no one in that band that doesn’t love the Beatles and doesn’t respect what they’ve done and what they’ve contributed to other music even today,” Pepin said. “Even some hip-hop music has sampled Beatles songs. Their contribution is amazing. We’re trying to honor the music the way it’s supposed to be played. We’re not putting our spin on it. It’s not us trying to outshine The Beatles as musicians – it’s us trying to be them musically.”
For Pepin, The Beatles have a stronghold as his favorite band – no close second in sight. Nourished by nostalgia, one of his earliest musical memories is of his grandmother playing The Beatles’ “Eight Days a Week” on an old flip-top record player. The first time he heard it, he said, “That’s what I want to be. I want to do that.” The Beatles prompted Pepin to get his first guitar lesson at four years old. A tough ask to be sure, and with much consideration on his part, Pepin’s favorite Beatles song? “Strawberry Fields Forever.”
Pepin, an accomplished guitarist who has opened for the likes of Godsmack, Cold, Breaking Benjamin, Mudvayne, and Disturbed, took a guitar-shredding sabbatical following the birth of his son. He returned to performing in 2021, debuting solo at the Winter Haven Farmers Market and picking up recurring gigs at what have become his home venues, the Pink Piano, Grove Roots Brewing Company, and Swan Brewing.
The last few years have been a propulsive ‘slow burn.’ “It’s been from me fighting to get gigs to now having them contact me, and I’m booked until May of next year.” Pepin is set to tour his original music throughout the UK this summer, and hopes to return to the Cavern Club, where The Beatles played. He’s currently sponsored by Canadian guitar company Godin – donning a Union Jack strap across the handmade guitar to honor his favorite band. Pepin’s music is available on all streaming platforms.
He and Classic Rock Legacy Presents bandmate/ best friend Bill Dorfschmidt, are also in a band called Evil Bill and the Strugglebus, rocking out to 80s hits (think burly dude with purple hair singing “Video Killed the Radio Star”). It started as a fun project, said the guitarist. Even so, they’ve gained traction and now have music on Spotify, Amazon, and iTunes.
As for the Classic Rock Legacy Presents Rubber Soul & Revolver show, Pepin said attendees can expect to “experience the music the way it’s supposed to be played by people who really love the music. That’s the vibe we’re going for.”
He added, “We’re doing those albums note for note – almost exactly. There are some mistakes The Beatles even made on their guitars that we copy to get that same feel. We really want you to be able to close your eyes and hear the Beatles.”
Along with all the “Wait,” “Eleanor Rigby,” and “Yellow Submarine” goodness, Pepin said, “During the encores, we honor every era of the Beatles from the mop top to the hippy days, so there’s something for everybody no matter what kind of Beatles fan you are.”
Follow Classic Rock Legacy Presents on Facebook for more Beatlemania and purchase tickets to their January shows at centralfloridatix.com.
