CONWAY — Louise Harrison, sister of the late Beatles guitarist George Harrison, hopes to see many members of her global family — Beatles fans — in the audience Saturday.
That’s when the Liverpool Legends, a Beatles tribute band she formed several years ago, will perform with the Conway Symphony Orchestra in a 7:30 p.m. concert at the Donald W. Reynolds Performance Hall at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
Titled All You Need is Love … and Music With the Liverpool Legends, the concert will feature this “Fab Four” performing hits of The Beatles, backed by the full orchestra, complete with lights, sets and costumes provided by the tribute band, which travels throughout the year and performs during the summer months in Branson, Missouri. Louise Harrison, who now makes her home in Branson, will be with the musicians.
“Our band is really excited about being able to play with a live orchestra,” Harrison said.
“Let’s face it; the Beatles music is such great music that it stands alone,” she said. “But playing with a proper orchestra is a real demonstration of what good music is all about. This is really, really good music.
“I hope all of the Beatles fans will buy their tickets early. We usually sell out our shows.”
Harrison said she is officially referred to as the “manager” of the Liverpool Legends.
“I say they are totally unmanageable,” she said with a laugh. “I am just their mum, just like my mum was mum to all of The Beatles.
“To me, the Beatles fans are my extended family,” Harrison said. “They are my global family.”
CSO Conductor Israel Getzov said this is the first time the orchestra has “self-produced a concert like this.
“The Liverpool Legends were brought to my attention by two of our board members — Judy Harkrider and Mike Grimes,” Getzov said. “This band is so much fun. Everybody loves Beatles music.
“One great thing about this concert is we will have these four musicians with their wonderful instruments live on stage with us,” he said. “It’s the next best thing to being in a recording studio.”
Getzov said the concert will be about two hours in length with an intermission.
“We’ll play all the great hits,” he said.
Harkrider, who has been a member of the CSO Board of Directors since 2013, said she is a “huge Beatles fan.”
“I first saw the Liverpool Legends in Branson several years ago,” said Harkrider, who is the band director at Greenbrier Junior High School. “I met Marty Scott, who performs as George Harrison, and talked to him. I stayed in touch with him, and we have had the band at the school twice now.
“We could have had them again this year, but instead, they are coming to play with the symphony. We are really excited about it. I hope everyone will come to the concert. It’s a chance to see, and hear, the best of The Beatles.”
Tickets for All You Need is Love … and Music With the Liverpool Legends range in price from $30 to $50 for adults and are $10 for children and students. Tickets for UCA faculty and staff are $20.
Tickets may be purchased by calling (501) 450-3265 or toll-free at (866) 810-0012; in person at the Reynolds box office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday; or online at tickets.uca.edu.