The George Harrison of Spokane Valley returns to the Bing

While growing up in Spokane Valley, Robbie Berg’s musical taste didn’t jibe with many of his classmates, who favored contemporary recording artists.

Those attending East Valley High School during the teens embraced Taylor Swift, Kendrick Lamar and Beyoncé, among other celebrated entertainers.

Berg, however, was enamored of icons from a bygone era. The Beatles, the Beach Boys and Elvis Presley were the legends Berg was obsessed with during his youth. Berg would read about his heroes and purchase classic vinyl in Spokane.

“I spent so much time and bought so many albums at 4000 Holes,” Berg said, while calling from Los Angeles. “I couldn’t get enough of the Beatles as a kid. It all started with ‘Please Please Me’ and I went from there.”

The innocent early Beatles songs and the earnest work written by Brian Wilson for the Beach Boys were what hooked Berg.

“The songs from those bands from that era are some of the greatest songs of all time,” Berg said. “That’s particularly so with the Beatles.”

While spinning vinyl, Berg dreamed of playing Beatles songs in a band. His fantasies became a reality when the vocalist-guitarist was tabbed to portray George Harrison in the Beatles cover band, the Fab Four, in 2018.

“When I learned that I had this opportunity I was ecstatic,” Berg said. “I was just 19 and I was getting paid to play my favorite songs every night. What could be better?”

Cover bands dotted the landscape after Beatlemania debuted in 1980. The demand for Beatles bands has always been high.

“There’s nothing like the sound and the look of the Beatles,” Berg said. “They made the greatest songs and what they created changed the world.”

The Fab Four will play the Beatles’ brilliant “Rubber Soul” album from front to back when the group returns Friday to the Bing Crosby Theater.

The album, released in December 1965, was filled with love songs. The Beatles took a leap forward sonically and lyrically. The instrumental parameters expanded with the sitar on “Norwegian Wood (this Bird has Flown.)” There’s the fuzzy bass throughout “Think for Yourself.” ”Rubber Soul” is filled with classics such as “In My Life,” “Drive My Car” and “Michelle.”

“ ’Rubber Soul’ is one of our favorite albums,” Berg said. “It’s an amazing album. The Beatles’ songwriting became much more mature.”

The second half of the Fab Four show will feature Beatles hits.

“I love coming back and playing my hometown,” Berg said. “Spokane loves the Beatles.”

Berg is well aware of the local fandom for the Fabs not only from the stage but from the seats.

“The coolest concert I’ve ever been to was when Paul McCartney opened his (“Got Back”) tour (in 2022) at the Spokane Arena,” he said. “It was so awesome.

“It wasn’t just about how great he and his band are and all of the incredible Beatles songs that were played, it was about a Beatle playing my town for the first time.

“And the show was the start of the tour. It happened in my city.”

Berg didn’t see that coming in 2013 when he and his family traveled to Seattle to catch McCartney at the Kingdome.

“I’ll never forget that show,” Berg said. “I was in nosebleed seats, but I got to see Paul play ‘Long Tall Sally’ with Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic. There’s nothing like a McCartney show.”

Now that McCartney is an octogenarian, who knows how much longer the songwriting genius and underrated bassist will tour?

“I hope he goes on the road again, but the cool thing is that there will always be Beatles music played live,” Berg said. “There’s our band, and there are so many other bands playing Beatles music, since the songs are so exceptional.

“What that band created is going to live on forever.”