HOUSTON – A beloved Houston band that has covered the Beatles for the past 21 years is playing their last concert on Thursday.
The group is named Beetle, and they have lit up the stage at the Continental Club for two decades. They held their second to last concert last week and several people were emotional.
“At the end of the show, I was playing and looking out into the crowd, and there were people crying in the front few rows. It was moving,” said Jamie Adams, the band’s guitarist.
Beetle’s final concert will be at the club on June 22, and they were planning to do their last performance on the roof of the building just like The Beatles played their final live show on the roof of the Apple building.
The local band changed their plans due to the rain chances on Thursday, but they will still try to do something special for their final show.
The group includes rhythm guitarist Jamie Adams, bass player Paul Beebe, lead guitarist Jim Henkel and drummer Steve Candelari.
See the full interview with Jamie Adams below.
Adams said the band was formed about 21 years ago. He said he has known the bassist since kindergarten. They decided to form the cover band because they thought many people would come and see them play since the Beatle’s songs are wildly popular.
Beetle played at the Continental Club every Thursday, and they could cover about 185 songs by the English band.
They never had a planned set list for their shows and would play different songs depending on how they were feeling that day. They also took song requests from the audience.
And, little by little a community formed at the club. They would have themed nights and parties for the band’s shows.
“The fans that have started coming out. We have a core group of people, who are the regulars, and it’s really become like a family there,” Adams said.
He is moving to New York, but he’s grateful to have shared his passion for music with others.
“I would like to say ‘thank you’ because I never imagined this would have as much of an impact as it has on so many people,” Adams said.
Perhaps like an English band once said, ‘All You Need Is Love’ and good music and a group of Houstonians to make long-lasting memories.