Submitted Photo 1964 The Tribute’s Mark Benson performs in his John Lennon attire.

Experience The Beatles live all over again or for the very first time on Feb. 10 at Ann Nicole Nelson. 1964 The Tribute has been heralded as the “best Beatles tribute on Earth” by the Rolling Stone Magazine.

Around for 34 years, 1964 has worked hard and traveled all around from the US to Canada to England to Bermuda and more. Made of four performers, each takes on the role of a Beatles member. Mark Benson is John Lennon, Mac Ruffling is Paul McCartney, Tom Work is George Harrison, and Robert Potter is Ringo Starr. All have worked hard and researched extensively to be as authentic and genuine as possible.

Mark Benson, who was also a founder of the group, said they never intended for 1964 The Tribute to grow like it did.

“We started it for fun, thinking we would perform maybe once a month, once every two months, then after two years, we just exploded. Tribute bands weren’t really around back when we started, but we took off and now are still going strong,” said Benson.

Solely for fun, the members never had a business plan, but as time went on, more doors opened and more opportunities appeared. The idea of tribute bands and impersonating characters of bands grew.

The work the band has had to put in to reach what they’re goal was took a lot of time. They didn’t want to just be a story, to just be telling about The Beatles. They wanted to give the audience as genuine an experience as they could as if they were attending a real Beatles concert back during their US touring years, 1964-1966. For them, 1964 was so much more than just dressing up as John, Paul, George, and Ringo. It was about truly giving as genuine an experience as they possibly could, learning every cord and sound, spending hours upon hours to make sure they did everything exactly as the Beatles did when playing during their US touring years.

“We chose the touring years because that was, at least in my opinion, the time with the biggest impact. The country was in a sad time and trying to face a lot when suddenly there were these four, naturally charismatic guys taking the music scene. All of them could hold the spot light. They were all talented and took turns taking the spotlight during different songs and different concerts, and they were all known,” Benson said excitedly as he recounted everything.

All of the original four members of the tribute band grew up during the Beatle Mania and it really inspired them and played a role. Even the newer members were greatly touched by the Beatles music.

One of Benson’s favorite things about still performing is getting to see the wide variety of people who are fans of the Beatles and who can attend their concerts and get the experience they wouldn’t have ever gotten otherwise. Benson recounted seeing not only the original groups they assumed they would see at concerts, such as the Baby Boomers, but seeing three generations of families all singing along, seeing all demographics of people there to enjoy a band that some of them might not have even been alive to see.

“I once saw a grandfather and his grandson in the front row of one of my concerts, and it was amazing because the little boy was just looking up xat his grandfather so excited and it just amazed me how this little kid knew every song we were playing,” Benson said.

The Beatles changed music, and while the 60s, according to Benson, were full of amazing talent, they led to a lot of change and the opening of doors for a lot of non-American artists as well as lead to the production of stadiums today, being one of the first ever bands to perform in stadiums instead of concert halls.

Expected to be a great night fun for all the family, the concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 4. Tickets for the concert are available online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2993641.

For more information on 1964, visit their site at 1964thetribute.com.