2015 LIMELIGHT MUSIC AWARDS “TRIBUTE BAND OF THE YEAR”

“A splendid time IS guaranteed for all … “

Beatles For Sale is an award-winning, New England-based Beatles tribute band that is committed to recreating the sounds of the Beatles live in concert. This band of talented musicians was drawn together by their love of Beatles music and the desire to keep the music alive, bringing it to a whole new generation of Beatles fans.

But don’t expect to see Beatle wigs or Sgt. Pepper suits. They feel that the most important thing about the show is the music. What you will see is a fun and energetic performance complete with original instrumentation and vocal harmonies that are as accurate as possible to the original Beatles recordings. There are no “sampling” or “midi tricks” – everything you hear is performed completely live.

“The Long And Winding Road …
Beatles For Sale was formed in the Summer of 2007 by Joe Budroe (bass /vocal) and Mike Christian (drums/vocals), 25-year veterans of the Worcester / Boston music scene.

On the heels on long runs with Chaos, a Worcester-based band of all-original music, and Sidewalk Therapy, a Douglas-based cover band, Joe and Mike decided to keep themselves busy musically by recording their own versions of Beatles tunes in Joe’s digital 16-track home studio. One year later they had amassed a collection of 40 Beatles tunes, with the two of them taking turns laying down all of the guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and vocal tracks.

What was first dubbed project Secret Identity became Beatles For Sale when Joe and Mike found Dan Kirouac, Dennis Cummins, and Steve Caisse in the summer and fall of 2007. Mike obviously could “play” the part of Ringo Star and Joe could lead the band as Paul McCartney. But they had to secure a “George Harrison” and a “John Lennon” to complete the band. Through ads they posted on Craig’s List and local trade papers and postings at Central Massachusetts music stores, Mike and Joe found guys who could play those roles — plus one.

For Dennis, Steve and Dan, answering those ads was a no-brainer.

Dennis Cummins, a rhythm guitarist with a 40-year musical career, was a member of the Shrewsbury-based Beatles tribute band Come Together.
Dennis, a first-generation Beatles fan and an accomplished singer/guitarist, was the perfect “John Lennon” for the group. Sounding and playing just like John, he nailed the audition within minutes of walking through the door.

While their search for a lead guitarist was a top priority, Mike and Joe stumbled upon the keyboardist and singer who would end up completing the sound of Beatles For Sale. Dan, the former keyboardist/singer of the Worcester-based Beatles tribute band Yellow Submarine and also the owner/operator of Entertainment by Dan Kirouac, sent Mike an e-mail simply to wish the group the best of luck.

Even though at the time Joe, Mike and Dennis were not actively seeking a keyboard player for the group, they invited Dan to come over and jam at a practice. Dan accepted, and everyone had so much fun jamming at that practice that Dan was asked to become a permanent member of the band. Due to his prior commitments and projects at the time, Dan could only be a part-time member of the group. But that only lasted a few months, and today Dan is a full-time member.

Finding someone to step into the “George Harrison” lead guitar role proved to be more difficult than Joe, Mike, or Dennis ever imagined.

After weeks of frustrating audition after audition by numerous guitarists, in walked Steve Caisse, a seasoned lead guitarist who’s been in the music business for over 20 years and a huge Beatles fan. Steve had just finished playing lead guitar in the New Hampshire band Along for the Ride. From his first note at the audition, it was evident to Mike, Joe and Dennis that Steve’s ability to pick out and reproduce all of the Beatles’ guitar instrumentation was second-to-none. Steve agreed to join the band that night and has been wowing audiences with his guitar licks ever since.

Beatles For Sale has been entertaining audiences since 2007 with a repertoire that consists of over 150 SONGS from the Beatles catalog.