S.B. Music-Makers Come Together at Jensen’s

Musical trends may come and go, but the Beatles will always be rock ‘n’ roll royalty. From their career-launching pop tunes (“Please Please Me,” “Love Me Do”) to the psychedelia of their Magical Mystery Tour to the genius swan songs of Let It Be, the four lads from Liverpool have changed the way we listen to pop music-and set the bar high for everyone who’s come along since.

This Saturday, November 14, at 7:30 p.m., Jensen’s Mainstage (2905 De la Vina St.) gives props to John, Paul, George, and Ringo with an extra special night of cover songs, all performed by a motley crew of Santa Barbara’s finest music-makers. For tickets and info, call 563-3200 or visit myspace.com/mainstagesb. And for a rundown of reasons to check it out, read on below.

1) The Nostalgia: Whether you were there when the Fab Four first played Madison Square Garden, or you discovered them while digging through your parents’ record collection, chances are you remember your first Beatles experience. It’s that sense of warm and fuzzy nostalgia that keeps fans coming back to Revolver some four decades later and continues to capture new listeners today. “[I remember] hearing my mom’s collection of Beatles records in the early ’70s when I was growing up,” recalled Alastair Greene, one of the evening’s performers. “That was the first band I was ever aware of and my favorite band when I was a kid.” “I was 12 the year the band broke up, but even then instinctively knew that this was the greatest creative tsunami to hit pop music in history,” added Flapping Flapping’s Joe Woodard. “My instincts were correct.” “Having been born in 1969, The Beatles were some of the first music makers I ever heard,” said Cover Night contributor Sally Barr. “I remember publicly performing a dance routine with my sister to ‘Here Comes the Sun’ when I was three, and somehow being more focused on the music than the dancing.”

2) The Talent: Aside from the trip down memory lane that comes along with a good Beatles song, the Jensen’s event promises live tunes from a slew of Santa Barbara’s best and brightest. Longtime S.B. musicians like blues guitarist Greene, alt-poppers Flapping Flapping, and rock ‘n’ rollers the Tearaways will get a chance to dish up a cover or two, and up-and-comers like indie punksters Verna Beware and garage rockers the Martyrs will be on hand to represent for the next generation of Beatles fans, in addition to many, many more. “[I’m looking forward to] hearing some local bands that I haven’t heard before,” said Greene, “and seeing who steps up and does this legendary band justice.”

3) The Cause: In addition to the stellar, something-for-everyone lineup, Saturday’s show is offering free admission to anyone interested in getting in on the action. The catch? By eliminating a door fee, the folks behind Beatles Cover Night are hoping to get fans to dish out a nominal donation or two. In exchange, you get some great music, and 100 percent of the cash gets filtered into Summer Rock Camp scholarship funds. As always, Jensen’s Beatles Cover Night is open to all ages.