Dan's Papers - July 4, 2008 - The Fab Faux

Buckle your seatbelts Beatles fans, the Fab Faux band, coming to the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center (WHBPAC) on July 12, promises to be a fun ride back in time.

The five members of this famous Beatles tribute band, of New York City, got together and formed The Fab Faux in 1998. Since then, they have been on the road performing everywhere from the David Letterman and Howard Stern shows, last year, to a variety of venues in the New York area, including The Bottom Line, The China Club, The Bowery Ballroom, Irving Plaza and Webster Hall. This group has also performed many times in Liverpool, England, where they played three shows each year from 1999 to 2005 for that city's annual Beatle Week festivities, including outdoor concerts for over 35,000 people on the Apple-sponsored "Yellow Submarine" and "Let It Be" stages. They also participated in a CD of original material by Beatles tribute bands, recorded in London by Abbey Road Studios.

People might ask, "Why five Beatles?" To this the band says that they're not trying to copy the Beatles exactly. In fact, they don't even dress or act like the group. They formed The Fab Faux because of their love for this music, and they mostly enjoy playing the Beatles' later music because its more complex and challenging. For this, they have even added a string and horn section to their group, called the "Hogshead Horns" and the "Creme Tangerine Strings," which will also be at the July 12 show.

What also makes this group unique is that they have some star-studded musicians with some impressive credits to their names. They are full-time musicians and singers who remain active in the music industry. The group features Grammy Award-winning Will Lee, a 20-year veteran bassist for "Late Show With David Letterman," as vocalist and bassist. Jimmy Vivino, who does vocals, guitar and keyboard, is also high profile, with his career as guitarist/arranger for the Max Weinberg Seven on "Late Night With Conan O'Brien.

Frank Agnello, on guitar and vocals, is an accomplished songwriter, and has toured as a guitarist for a European production of the musical Hair, performed in the Self-Righteous Brothers with Jimmy V. and Al Kooper, and appeared on "The Beat Goes On" series, as a featured performer and band member, supporting such artists as Marshall Crenshaw, Phoebe Snow, Jackie DeShannon, and Jack Petruzzelli, on guitar, keyboard and vocals, is also a member of the Joan Osborne Band, where he plays guitar and keyboard, and his songwriting and performances are featured on her Righteous Love CD.

Rich Pagano, on drums and vocals, is the co-founder of The Fab Faux, and owns his own production studio, New Calcutta Recordings NYC, where he develops new talent.

What also makes The Fab Faux so special is that these talented and experienced musicians perform the music of the Beatles in complete part-perfect renditions, in such complex songs as "Strawberry Fields Forever" and "I Am the Walrus." They also perform such harmony-driven songs as "Nowhere Man," "Paperback Writer" and "Because," with note-for-note perfection, and even with extra vocalists to achieve a double-tracked effect.

The Fab Faux focuses on the later Beatles material, which they explain is harder to perform. For example, because the Beatles stopped playing before the band recorded Sergeant Pepper, they never had the chance to perform their most carefully crafted music live. So in a sense, The Fab Faux makes it possible to hear what could have been.

So, for a real treat, come see for yourself The Fab Faux's commitment to impeccable reproductions of Beatles' songs, and experience their painstakingly perfect recreations of these songs we all know and love. On July 12, there will be two shows at WBPAC - at 7:30 and 10 p.m. For tickets and information, call 631-288-2350, or check their Web site at www.whbpac.org.