THEY'VE been together longer than the band they emulate, and perform many of the songs the original group never got round to singing live.

It's hardly surprising that The Bootleg Beatles are fast becoming as much of a legend as the Fab Four themselves.

The Bootlegs, who will be appearing at Portsmouth Guildhall next month, met in November 1979 in the West End musical Beatlemania and were one of the first of the then-new phenomenon of tribute bands, offering an authentic recreation of an original Beatles performance.

And whereas the loveable moptops were only together for ten years, The Bootlegs have been together for more than two decades and are still the best of friends.

In the process, thanks to their seamless combination of musical excellence and lavish production values, they've also become one of the most popular live bands in the world, filling venues such as Wembley Stadium and the Budokan Stadium in Tokyo (where they replicated, song by song, The Beatles' famous 1966 performance).

The key to their success is probably their insistence on sticking as closely as possible to the original music, using Sixties instruments such as Ludwig drums and Gretsch and Rickenbacker guitars to recreate those Lennon-McCartney classics note for note.

They are also renowned for putting on a truly spectacular show, representing every era of Beatlemania, from the sharply-tailored early days to the hippy-dippy Magical Mystery Tour look, with a variety of changes. They even go so far as to mimic The Beatles' physical mannerisms, such as Ringo's fixed grin and John Lennon's sardonic asides. You can see The Bootleg Beatles at Portsmouth Guildhall on Tuesday, May 7 at 7.30pm. For tickets and information, call the box office on 023 9282 4355.

COMPETITION

The Daily Echo has five pairs of tickets to see The Bootleg Beatles at Portsmouth Guildhall on May 7 up for grabs. To be in with a chance of winning, just answer the following question: What was The Beatles' first UK single?

Send your answer, with your name, address and daytime phone number, to Bootleg Beatles Competition, Andrew White, Entertainments Editor, Daily Echo, Test Lane, Redbridge, Southampton SO16 9JX, to arrive no later than April 16.