Review: Southampton duo The Henrys’ ode to The Beatles

Unlike other artists, I have never gravitated towards their music. It’s never pulled me in.

But after watching Southampton father-son duo The Henrys perform a medley of their best hits during an intimate show, I can say my mind has been changed.

Well, providing The Henrys perform their songs of course.

In an unassuming yet beautiful 18th century barn, The Henrys roared onto stage.

The pair were met by cheers and claps from the enthusiastic crowd at Hangar Farm Arts Centre on Thursday night.

The Henrys at Hangar Farm Arts Centre (Image: Newsquest)

This was something that continued throughout the night. Nearly every song was punctuated by raucous applause.

What was clear to me is that The Henrys have an excellent rapport with the public - whether they be fans of The Beatles or not - and I can see why.

The Henrys - both called Henrique Machado - had humble beginnings.

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They began their career busking on the streets of Southampton and now continue to impress people with their fantastic renditions of The Beatles’ songs.

The youngest Henry exudes suave and is the epitome of a charming showman. He engaged with the audience and was no stranger to a ‘dry’ joke, usually at the expense of his father/stage partner.

And his vocals wowed me from start to finish.

Every time I thought he couldn’t surprise me again, he did. Most notable was his performance of Blackbird.

It was at this moment he truly embodied Paul McCartney and his passion for The Beatles shone through.

Eight Days a Week was an undeniably crowd pleaser as the pair continued to showcase their impressive vocals and equally impressive guitar playing skills.

They were frequently likened to John Lennon and Paul McCartney during the interval, and this cannot be disputed.

Their vocals complement each other wonderfully and they have great chemistry on stage.

The Henrys packed a punch with their return after the interval with Drive My Car - a powerful duet that showed no lack of energy or enthusiasm from the pair, who were ready to wow us once again.

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Alongside several remarkable guitar solos, a harmonica also made a surprise appearance.

A Hard Day’s Night got the crowd going again as The Henrys continued their modern homage to The Beatles.

The evening drew to a close as the pair encouraged the audience to join them by singing Hey Jude - one of my favourite moments of the night.

It served as a reminder as to why intimate gigs like this with local talent are so important.

In that moment, we were all swept up in our love of the music (or new found love in my case) with exceptional performers.

In the words of one guest at the gig, ‘That was worth travelling from Fareham for.’