It may be 40 years since The Beatles decided to call it a day, but Beatlemania shows no signs of declining in Kazakhstan. The band's diehard fans in Almaty are keeping the faith alive by planning a concert on August 30 to celebrate the Fab Four's formation 50 years ago. A motley crew of local musicians and politicians will take to the stage to belt out covers of some 30 Beatles' favorites.
The Beatles enjoyed huge popularity in the Soviet Union and their songs remain a regular feature in the clubs and bars of Kazakhstan's commercial hub, Almaty. Local covers bands Zhetygen and Fridays will be joined on stage by eco-warrior Mels Yeleusizov, the leader of the environmental campaign group Tabigat, and Gani Kasymov, the burly leader of the Patriots' Party. The concert will also commemorate John Lennon, who would have turned 70 this year. There are plans afoot to create an alley in Almaty named after the famous tunesmith, though a site has not been located.
The city already has one unusual monument to the Mop Tops from Liverpool – a Beatles bench, which is situated in the hilltop Kok-Tobe Park. The monument features John Lennon sitting on a bench strumming a guitar, with the other Beatles standing behind him. Long queues form to take photos with the Fab Four.
Paul Bartlett is a journalist based in Almaty.
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