I had always considered myself a firm card-carrying member of Team Paul until I was asked to name my Top 5 Beatles tunes by my brother-in-law. This was a few months ago. The two of us had been drinking, as bro-bros are wont to do, but while we had put to bed many super-important issues on this night, it’s not like we had totally run out of stuff to talk about. Alien? Better special effects than The Thing, which came out after it — how is that possible? Poor NFL officiating? Maybe if the refs got paid more, they wouldn’t suck as badly. Top 5 Beatles songs? You’ll have to gimme a minute, brah.
I’m pretty sure, knowing him, a Beatles playlist was wafting through the house, and he and I probably just got caught up in the greatness of it all. And there’s a lot of greatness to get caught up in. No band wrote catchier tunes or was more groundbreaking in the studio than the Liverpudlians. Maybe it was one of George’s rigid riffs or a particularly slippy-skippy Ringo fill, but the question came to me, and after easily ticking off “Let It Be” and “Get Back,” the other three were all John. My brother-in-law agreed.
“Paul wrote little ditties,” he said flatly. “John wrote real songs.”
Not to start a fight, well, at least not a big one, but isn’t catchiness as worthy an attribute in a pop song as strong lyrical content? If not worthier? Are we counting solo stuff, too? Clearly, Paul wins there, but what about “Instant Karma”? It’s a better tune than most of what Paul/Wings put out, including “Maybe I’m Amazed”? Aggh! So confused. Beer me.
The good news, and there’s always good news in this column, is that we can love them all, and if you’re as silly with the Fab Four as much as I am, I can tell you what you’ll be doing 6pm-10:30pm Wed, Oct 6. That’s when Tulips FTW (112 St. Louis Av, 817-367-9798) hosts Big Mike’s 18th Annual John Lennon Birthday Tribute Show. Featuring Chris Holt, Paul Averitt, and Chad Stockslager, in addition to the big man himself, frontman Mike Richardson, the band will definitely sway you toward John if you’re still undecided or don’t want no trouble. Now would also be the perfect time to ask around for a local Macca tribute show, also known as a concert by Paul McCartney, who’s 79 years old and still kicking, having played Globe Life in 2019. Tickets for Big Mike’s tribute are at Prekindle. And we all shine on.
Chris Pierce at The Post
From 8pm to 10pm Thu, The Post at River East (2925 Race St, 817-945-8890) presents an evening with Chris Pierce. The singer-songwriter is a pretty big deal, probably best known for his co-write “We Can Always Come Back to This” from the great NBC drama This Is Us and his acoustic version of “No One” from ABC’s A Million Little Things. One of his collaborations with Sunny War, “Amen,” was also featured on World Cafe and has notched more than 2 million spins on Spotify. Pierce has a new album out, American Silence, and it’s received good press from Rolling Stone and NPR Music, among others. Seating to his Post show is “very” limited, the venue says. Without any tables sold at the door, you’ve got to buy them in advance. Tickets, at Eventbrite, are $20-80.
Phantomelo at Lola’s
At 7pm Fri, King Clam and Primo Danger will open for Phantomelo, who’ll be celebrating the release of their new single, “Space Prom,” at Lola’s Trailer Park (2735 W 5th St, 817-759-9100). Tickets at Prekindle.
Royal Sons at MASS
For some alternately smooth and rowdy alt-rock that hits you in the loins, Royal Sons take over MASS (1002 S Main St, 682-707-7774) 8pm Sat with SolShifter and Seer. Tickets are $7-10 at Prekindle.
Contact HearSay at Anthony@FWWeekly.com.
