The Pepperland Rockestra (formerly known as BEATLEJUICE) was founded in 1997 by Johnny Burnett (keyboard, acoustic guitar, lead vocals). He asked his longtime bandmate, Robin Akins, and his brother, Terry Burnett, to join him as a band that would compete in the Chicago Fest for Beatles Fans Battle of The Bands that year. This was the only year that BEATLEJUICE entered the Battle, until 2015.
Inspired by The Beatles LOVE Cirque de Soleil soundtrack, which included new string arrangements on Beatles songs we've always loved, Johnny revisited the long-hoped for idea of assembling a string quartet to perform Beatles classics, rockestra-style for the Battle of the Bands!
Johnny sought to build BEATLEJUICE off of his pre-existing trio, THE JOHNNY BURNETT BAND, whose members include Brian Murphy (bass) and Brian Reynolds (drums). On the chance that it might somehow work out, Johnny put the word out to his Fest friends, and was able to bring together several longtime Fest attendees who happened to also be string players, and the BEATLEJUICE STRING QUARTET was born!
Diana Mayne (viola), Kandalyn Hahn (violin), Willa Leannah (viola) and Melissa Brumm (cello) all agreed to help Johnny make a dream come true, which was to perform live the "rockestra" sound that The Beatles made so famous in songs such as "All You Need Is Love", "Eleanor Rigby", "I Am The Walrus" and "Yesterday". Tony Giangreco (drums, bass, sitar) and Richard Poemape (electric and acoustic guitar) complete the ensemble.
In 2015, the song BEATLEJUICE chose for the Battle of the Bands was "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", and they had one, ONE, rehearsal before playing the song live before the great Fest for Beatles Fans audience!
And they won!
Since the Fest, BEATLEJUICE has performed full-length shows around the Chicago area, most recently at Peggy Kinnane's Irish Restaurant in Arlington Heights, IL.
After discovering there is another band in the Boston-area with the same name and spelling as Beatlejuice, the band put their name to a vote.
As of March 2016, they are known as THE PEPPERLAND ROCKESTRA! Pepperland is a fictional place in The Beatles' 1968 YELLOW SUBMARINE animated film. Rockestra is a term that combines the music of rock and orchestra, which is exactly what THE PEPPERLAND ROCKESTRA does!
Our main focus is The Beatles, but we do venture into other great rockestra-themed music such as Led Zeppelin, Santana and Pink Floyd.
The band is available for bookings, so call Johnny at (847)707-3360 or email booking@thepepperlandrockestra.com to hire THE PEPPERLAND ROCKESTRA!
Inspired by The Beatles LOVE Cirque de Soleil soundtrack, which included new string arrangements on Beatles songs we've always loved, Johnny revisited the long-hoped for idea of assembling a string quartet to perform Beatles classics, rockestra-style for the Battle of the Bands!
Johnny sought to build BEATLEJUICE off of his pre-existing trio, THE JOHNNY BURNETT BAND, whose members include Brian Murphy (bass) and Brian Reynolds (drums). On the chance that it might somehow work out, Johnny put the word out to his Fest friends, and was able to bring together several longtime Fest attendees who happened to also be string players, and the BEATLEJUICE STRING QUARTET was born!
Diana Mayne (viola), Kandalyn Hahn (violin), Willa Leannah (viola) and Melissa Brumm (cello) all agreed to help Johnny make a dream come true, which was to perform live the "rockestra" sound that The Beatles made so famous in songs such as "All You Need Is Love", "Eleanor Rigby", "I Am The Walrus" and "Yesterday". Tony Giangreco (drums, bass, sitar) and Richard Poemape (electric and acoustic guitar) complete the ensemble.
In 2015, the song BEATLEJUICE chose for the Battle of the Bands was "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", and they had one, ONE, rehearsal before playing the song live before the great Fest for Beatles Fans audience!
And they won!
Since the Fest, BEATLEJUICE has performed full-length shows around the Chicago area, most recently at Peggy Kinnane's Irish Restaurant in Arlington Heights, IL.
After discovering there is another band in the Boston-area with the same name and spelling as Beatlejuice, the band put their name to a vote.
As of March 2016, they are known as THE PEPPERLAND ROCKESTRA! Pepperland is a fictional place in The Beatles' 1968 YELLOW SUBMARINE animated film. Rockestra is a term that combines the music of rock and orchestra, which is exactly what THE PEPPERLAND ROCKESTRA does!
Our main focus is The Beatles, but we do venture into other great rockestra-themed music such as Led Zeppelin, Santana and Pink Floyd.
The band is available for bookings, so call Johnny at (847)707-3360 or email booking@thepepperlandrockestra.com to hire THE PEPPERLAND ROCKESTRA!
MEET THE BAND: |
OUR FIRST REHEARSAL TOGETHER: |
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps"
Winning song at the chicago Fest for Beatles Fans 2015
Battle of the bands
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