Beatles tribute coming to Newton

Bands from the 1960s have influenced many musicians, and although a majority of its members are gone, music from the hit band The Beatles will be heard once again, performed by Beatles tribute band “The Abbey Road Band” at 7 p.m. Sunday in the Newton Senior High School auditorium.

The show will be the last of the Jasper County Concert Association’s 2012-2013 season.

The band consists of Monte Madison a.k.a Paul (vocals, bass, keyboards, lead guitar), Fred Gondzar a.k.a John (vocals, rhythm guitar, bass, keyboards, harmonics), Don Lerdal a.k.a George (vocals, lead guitar, bass) and Tony Johnson a.k.a Ringo (drums, vocals).

The Abbey Road Band formed in 2002 in South Dakota and quickly became popular. One of their concert had 30,000 people in attendance

Unlike some Beatles cover bands, The Abbey Road Band does not wear wigs; instead it concentrates on what matters most — music. The band grew up watching and listening to The Beatles, and understands how important their music means to people.

The band’s website, http://www.abbeyroadband.com, said the following:

“Monte Madison is one of the few performers in the world who can clearly express the expanse of Paul McCartney’s talent. Fred Gondzar, playing and singing the parts of John Lennon, has the vocal sound of John. It is so much a part of him that Fred becomes John Lennon with his voice and in his heart. He plays guitar, keyboards, bass guitar, and harmonica. In fact, the harmonica is an instrument that Fred learned and incorporated into the Abbey Road Band. Harmonica is as much a part of ‘Love Me Do’ as any drum, vocal or guitar part; it’s hard to imagine the song without it. Don Lerdal is the band’s musical director, guitar master and plays the parts of George Harrison. Don is the expert on the unusual structure of The Beatles’ harmonies and the surprising chords they used in song construction. It takes a keen ear to construct and reproduce Beatles songs so precisely. Don and the band feel strongly that it is not their job to ‘interpret’ Beatles material so every song is played as closely as possible to the original recording. Tony Johnson plays the parts of Ringo in Abbey Road Band.”

The band was brought to Newton in part by JCCA, which has brought various live-music artists to the city, and are proud to have brought The Abbey Road band to the area.

“The Jasper County Concert Association has a contract with Allied Concert services in Minnesota, and they come every year and give a preview to the board of which concerts are available,” JCCA President Carol Proctor said. “The board then picks out what concerts they would like to hear, and the Abbey Road Band was one of them.”

Proctor would also like to remind the public if anyone purchases a 2013-14 season pass, the Abbey Road concert will be free. The new season will begin October [double checking but pretty sure this is it].

“Season tickets are $35 per person, $10 for students or $75 for a family, and for an extra $10, you can attend the concert series in Marshalltown.” Proctor said. “Individual tickets are $20 person.”

Tickets can be purchased at Mattingly Music and Book, located at 113 W. Second St. N. or at the concert location, where season tickets will be available to purchase, as well.

Staff writer Matthew Shepard may be contacted at (641) 792-3121, ext. 425, or at mshepard@newtondailynews.com.