History of The Beatles Lecture and Beatles Flashback Concert

This year, the United States celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' first visit to these shores. The "Jazz & Beyond: Carson City Music Festival" is excited to provide two exciting Beatles events in honor of that occasion.

On Tuesday, Aug. 5, local musician and educator John Shipley will present a stimulating lecture about the History of the Beatles. He will include visual and audio samples and audience Q & A. On display will be replicas of instruments the Beatles chose to play. The instruments are provided by the sensational Beatles Flashback band, which will be performing the following evening. The lecture is from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the Brewery Arts Center (BAC) Ballroom, 449 W. King Street, Carson City. Admission is free.

John Shipley, an innovative jazz and R&B pianist, conductor, arranger, songwriter, producer, and recording artist, was a founding member of the groundbreaking Jazz-Fusion group Hiroshima (Epic Records). He is now musical director for Motown session musicians, "The Funk Brothers," who were awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last year. John also teaches piano, History of Rock and Roll, and songwriting at Western Nevada College. John's lecture is presented by the Mile High Jazz Band Association and the Brewery Arts Center, with public funding through a grant from Nevada Humanities.

On the following night, Wednesday, Aug. 6, experience "Beatlemania" at the Carson City Community Center, 851 E. William St. Beatles Flashback, a Beatles tribute band formed in 2006 in Sonoma County, Cal., will be performing. They relocated to the Reno area in 2013. While most people are familiar with Beatles tribute bands that dress up to look like the Fab Four, Beatles Flashback focuses instead on recreating the music that is heard on the original recordings. Beatles fanatics will be treated to see and hear the same vintage instruments and amplifiers used by the Beatles to create this special music! Beatles fans will love to re-experience many familiar songs they know by heart. There is nothing like that familiar Beatles guitar sound, those distinct Beatles harmonies, and those one-of-a-kind melodies and favorite songs that are uniquely Beatles! The Beatles Flashback concert begins at 7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Suggested donation is $5.00.

A raffle will be held during the Beatles Flashback concert Wednesday night. The raffle prize, a Squire by Fender electric guitar, is generously provided by Guitar Center Reno. Raffle tickets may be bought at either the Tuesday or Wednesday event.

Jazz & Beyond includes more than 60 performances and events throughout Carson City, Aug. 1 through 17. Festival sponsors include Mile High Jazz Band Association, Carson City, For the Love of Jazz, Nevada Commission on Tourism, Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau, Nevada Arts Council, Nevada Humanities, Brewery Arts Center, Carson City Historical Society, Lake Tahoe Entertainment, Lake Tahoe Media Group, and private donors.

For details and a complete schedule of events, see JazzCarsonCity.com or call Mile High Jazz Band at 775-883-4154.

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