Jackson Thomas, Jack Jones, Rai Thistlethwayte and Wes Carr.
Camera IconJackson Thomas, Jack Jones, Rai Thistlethwayte and Wes Carr. Credit: Supplied/Nik Babic

All You Need Is Love: The Beatles classics take centre stage at City of Joondalup’s Valentine’s Concert

Tyler BrownJoondalup Times

LOVE was in the air as the sounds of The Beatles rang through Joondalup Resort for the annual Valentine’s Concert on Thursday night.

Jack Jones, Wes Carr, Rai Thistlethwayte and Jackson Thomas brought 30 tracks to life as part of the Perth premiere of All You Need Is Love, backed by the Perth Symphony Orchestra (PSO).

About 6000 fans attended the City of Joondalup concert, putting their voices to classics including Hey Jude, All You Need is Love, Eleanor Rigby, Across the Universe, Yellow Submarine, Yesterday and I am the Walrus.

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Jack Jones.
Camera IconJack Jones. Credit: Supplied/Nik Babic

Speaking after the show, Thistlethwayte and Jones were full of praise for the boisterous Joondalup crowd, the picturesque concert setting, the talent of PSO and the enduring legacy of The Beatles’ music.

“We’ve done quite a few of these types of concerts in the last few years but I don’t think we have had an audience that stretches that far back,” Thistlethwayte said.

“It was pretty amazing. I couldn’t even see the end of the people they were that far in the distance.”

Jack Jones, Jackson Thomas, Wes Carr and Rai Thistlethwayte.
Camera IconJack Jones, Jackson Thomas, Wes Carr and Rai Thistlethwayte. Credit: Supplied/Nik Babic

Jones said it was “a real pleasure” to be part of the performance.

“I hadn’t been back to Perth for a long time and it just reminded me of how beautiful this place is; this part of the world is extraordinary,” he said.

“The people here just get music. They have a high integrity level of music appreciation in this part of Australia.”

Wes Carr.
Camera IconWes Carr. Credit: Supplied/Nik Babic

Thistlethwayte and Jones said they were privileged to perform songs that had stood the test of time.

“As time goes on it becomes more evident the extraordinary craft and level of musicianship that went into that music,” Jones said.

For the first time tickets to the Valentine’s Concert had a subsidised fee but were also made available to people outside the City of Joondalup’s boundaries.

Jack Jones, Wes Carr, Jackson Thomas and Rai Thistlethwayte.
Camera IconJack Jones, Wes Carr, Jackson Thomas and Rai Thistlethwayte. Credit: Supplied/Nik Babic

Joondalup Mayor Albert Jacob said the 6000-strong crowd, down from the usual capacity 8000, showed that concert-goers were “more than happy to pay a small price to witness world-class entertainment in their own backyard”.

“What a fantastic concert and what a fantastic result to see so many people in attendance, many travelling from outside the northern corridor,” he said.

Jayne and Steve Dawson and Jan and Steve Mills.
Camera IconJayne and Steve Dawson and Jan and Steve Mills. Credit: Supplied/Nik Babic

“The majority of people in attendance paid $25 to witness an event that would cost them three or four times that amount elsewhere in the country and it is doubtful any of those venues would compare to an outdoor venue like the picture-perfect Joondalup Resort.

“The feedback from those that attended has so far been overwhelmingly positive.”

Trish and Michael Peard.
Camera IconTrish and Michael Peard. Credit: Supplied/Nik Babic