Two nights of Beatles music mark Epic Live’s 20 years in Downtown Downey
Britain’s Finest: The Beatles Experience performs for a fundraiser for the Downey Arts Coalition supporting the Downey Symphony at Epic Live in Downey. Performers, from left, Jay Nixon (Paul), Mikel Hopkins (George), Brenden Peleo Lazar (Ringo), and Jeffrey Vasquez (John). (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
DOWNEY – A 20-year celebration of The Epic Live in Downey, (formerly The Epic Lounge), was highlighted by the special appearance of Britain’s Finest, The Beatles Experience, one of the top Beatles Tribute Bands.
The night, which was the first of two shows (Dec. 27, 28), was presented by the Downey Arts Coalition (DAC) and was a fundraiser for the ever-popular Downey Symphony. 2026 marks the 67th year of the symphony, which provides free concerts in the community.
The Epic Live owner David Devis reached out to the DAC to help create the event and said this of the two-day trip down memory lane for the many fans of the Fab Four in the tribute show: “(Saturday) is our 20-year anniversary,” he said. “The reason I wanted to host our 20-year anniversary is because just like the Beatles, they had to reinvent themselves to go with the times.
“It’s the pulse of the city and it’s an intimate setting. My dream is having a venue like a radio. You can just change the station. Every Saturday is something different.
“We’ve done everything from plays to wrestling.
“I am very excited and to raise money for charities in cooperation with the Downey Arts Coalition.”
Before the boys hit the stage, DAC President Patricia Gil and DAC Vice President Alistair Hunter welcomed the crowd and talked about the 20-year history of the club and the fundraiser for the Downey Symphony. Both are founding members of the DAC, a non profit community arts organization.
Gil, who actually saw Britains Finest in person long before the Downey show added, “You could feel the crowd and the excitement,” she said. “I love the whole intimate club, and you feel it literally in your bones. It’s a total experience.
“We help the symphony. David (Devis) has always been super generous. I love this club and David and had some legendary Blues Bands here at Epic Live.”
Gil has been a board member of the Downey Symphony for 10 years.
Devis joined the stage and simply said, “We’re still here standing and we’ll still be here another 20 years.”
John, Paul, George and Ringo, better known as tribute players (Jeffrey Blasquez, Jay Nixon, Mikel Hopkins and Brendan Peleo-Lazar) ran out to open the show and went right into the toe-tapping, “From Me To You” (April 1963), followed by “Please Please Me” (March 1963) and finished their three-song intro with one of the most popular of early Beatle songs, “I Want To Hold Your Hand” (November 1963). The audience went into a big applause after their opening songs.
Paul (Jeffrey) said a few words and basically said, “They are the one band and one band only.”
Throughout the show and interviews, the four lads never fell out of character, speaking with an excellent Liverpool/English accent.
Britains Finest was formed in 2011 by the last remaining and former member, Robert Bielma, (age not disclosed) who is now their manager. Bielma, who went to high school in Downey, played George Harrison.
“My heart has always been in Downey,” he said. “I went to St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy.
With nostalgic videos playing on the screen behind them, they went right into “All My Loving” (Nov. 1963) and the four harmonized perfectly. Following the song, John (Jeffrey), talked a bit and introduced George (Mikel), who went into the March 1964 release, “Do You Want to Know a Secret.”
Before the show, the four lads talked of their love of the Beatles and 18-year-old Jeffrey Blasquez (John) who recently graduated (2025) from Yucaipa High School, said, “I got in this band a month before I graduated and did my first show with these lads up in Lake Arrowhead.
“They (Britains Finest) found me on social media,” he said. “It was actually Ruben (Amaya, who is still playing the part of John in the band) who reached out to me.”
“It really is one of the best feelings and (Lennon) certainly is one of my heroes and he stood for a lot. The fact that he was taken from us in such a senseless manner and it’s great that we can carry on his legacy.”
Blasquez was asked about his parents, who were at the show and their interest of the Beatles. Age was brought up and he pleaded the fifth and didn’t give their age away. Mikel (George) showed some interest in his mother, but with a smile and laughter, typical Beatles banter, Blasquez answered very quickly, “too old for you George (Mikel).
“The experience to be able to play our favorite music live is the best job in the world.”
Before John (Jeffrey) and Paul (Jay) headed into the ever-popular song, “Hard Days Night” (July 1964), which was a big hit as a movie, John asked the crowd, “Does anyone have any vinyl records.” A few people muttered that they had some of course.
Eight songs remained in the opening portion of the show and Paul (Jay) led the crowd into the December 1964 release, “Eight Days A Week”, with George leading the charge to get the crowd clapping, while Ringo (Brendan) played a very solid drums.
Paul (Jay), who is a right-hander and had to learn to play the guitar left-handed, jumped right into “Can’t Buy Me Love” (March 1964) with video clips of the movie “Hard Days Night” playing on the video behind them.
Playing on the video was the famous scene from “Hard Days Night”, of the Beatles running around in a field being chased by the cops.
Next on the video board were clips from the Beatles second film, “Help” (Aug. 1965), as John (Jeffrey) introduced and led the song.
The final five songs - “Day Tripper” (Dec. 1965), “Roll Over Beethoven” (Nov. 1963), “She Loves You”, (Aug. 1963) “I Saw Her Standing There” (March 1963) and “Twist and Shout” (July 1963) all got the audience on the dance floor before the intermission. Paul (Jay) led the audience while clapping, and George (Mikel) led off with “Day Tripper”, a song from the “Rubber Soul” album, also from 1965.
George (Mikel) followed with “Roll Over Beethoven”, saying, “This next one is a real rocker.” Next came their marque song, “She Loves You”, with Paul (Jay) and George (Mikel) together on the mic, uttering the famous, “She Loves You, Ya, Ya, Ya” line with perfect harmonizing.
“I Saw Her Standing There” and “Twist and Shout” brought the house down to end the first half of the show.
Gil reminded everyone that various items were available for their raffle, including a beautiful painting of John Lennon by the artist Argo was available for purchase.
The group finished with 11 songs after the intermission.
To begin the second half of the show, John (Jeffrey) walked out in the John Lennon signature white suit from the “Abbey Road” (September 1969) album and did a solo on the keyboards singing “Imagine” (Oct. 1971) which was beautifully done. Watching from the audience was a proud mom Adriane Blasquez and his dad, Andy Blasquez.
The other three “Beatles”, Paul (Jay), George (Mikel) and Ringo (Brendan) eventually joined John (Jeffrey) on stage for backing vocals. George (Mikel) and Paul (Jay) wore vests, while Ringo sported a bright red poke a dotted shirt.
George (Mikel) followed with “Something” (Sept. 1969) and Ringo (Brendan) had his first chance at a short solo on the drums with the beginning of the song “Get Back” (April 1969) by Paul (Jay). And famously, the song ended with the line by McCartney, “I’d like to say on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hoped we passed the audition.”
Hopkins, 26, who graduated from Don Lugo High School in Chino talked of the song, “Something”, saying, “It’s my favorite,” he said. “It took me some practice to get the confidence I suppose.”
Asked how he got started in the band, he added, “In the Beatles world, I found an ad online. It was Paul (Jay Nixon) who said we needed somebody. We need a John (Lennon). I learned all of the John (songs) and they said, ‘we need a George (Harrison) actually’. It took a bit more time, but its fun and I think it’s a better fit actually.”
With the “Let It Be” album cover on the video behind the band, John sang the title song, which was followed by “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band” (May 1967) and John (Jeffrey) on lead vocals.
Sgt. Peppers, of course, went right into “A little Help From My Friends” (May 1970) and Ringo (Brendan) ended the song by saying, “Peace and Love Downey”.
The show wouldn’t be complete without “Yellow Submarine”, (Jan. 1969) sung by Ringo (Brendan), with the videos of course with the cartoon caricatures behind him. John (Jeffrey), with his many talents, was on the keyboard with sound effects.
Ringo (Brendan Peleo-Lazar), 32, who is from the North side of Chicago talked of how he was discovered. “I was found on “My Space” and someone needed a drummer,” he said. “I just loved to play the drums. I was trained by a man in Chicago who used to play (Lennon). There was a lot of bands in the Midwest who were Beatles bands in the early 2000’s and that’s where I got my start.”
Peleo-Lazar, mentioned long time George Harrison tribute player, Jimmy Pou, who has graced stages worldwide with the original Beatlemania show. “He is a veteran and a legend,” added Peleo-Lazar. With someone like (Jimmy) tells you what not to do, you listen.
“When I was 17 or 18, I caught the Beatles bug in the pre-911 era and always loved the Beatles. My mom saw the Beatles in 1964.
Asked about the smaller clubs to play at like The Epic Live, Peleo-Lazar said, “That’s why we like playing the smaller venues, it’s truly like the Beatles (in the early days).”
The group played at The Cavern in Liverpool during Beatle Week in 2024, a club just like the original.
“When Britains Finest went down those stairs with our equipment, I’ll never forget the experience, really. Finally, being there where the Beatles played. It was a legendary time.”
As the show neared the end the crowd got going again with “Birthday” (Nov. 1968), as Paul (Jay) introduced the song that later became famous again with McCartney playing the song among thousands at Red Square in Moscow, Russia in 2003.
John (Jeffrey), who was very outgoing, personal and talkative during the show led into “Come Together” (September 1969) and said to anyone in the crowd, “If anyone wants to protest, go outside,” he said with a grin. That was the theme of the day back in 60s of course.
With only two songs left, Paul (Jay) thanked David Devis and The Epic Live and John (Jeffrey) led right into “Revolution” (Aug. 1968) with the short guitar riff and in perfect fashion screamed the words, “You say you want a revolution…”
The encore song was none other than “Let It Be” (March 1970), which was their 12th and last album.
Alistair Hunter and Pat Gil of the Downey Arts Coalition speak at a fundraiser at Epic Live benefiting the Downey Symphony. (Photo by Keith Durflinger)
The band thanked Gil and Devis and Paul (Jay) introduced the band – Ringo (Brendan Peleo-Lazar), originally from Chicago, Illinois, George (Mikel Hopkins from Pomona, John (Jeffrey Blasquez from Yucaipa). George (Mikel) then introduced Paul (Jay Nixon, from Bell).
Paul (Jay), on keyboards, finished up the show with the ever famous Let It Be.
Amaya also found Jay Nixon (Paul), who attended Cal State University Long Beach, talked of the silliness of the Beatles. “Absolutely, we love being hams back on stage and doing anything Beatle-related.
Paul (Jay Nixon), 27, talked of McCartney’s grandfather, who had a big cameo in “Hard Days Night.” He was beautiful old man coming up and down on the stage in the movie.
“In small venues like this (Epic Live) we like to have those costume changes and there’s other nights when we change the songs a little bit and have different costumes with the different songs. We figure we have two nights (Saturday and Sunday at Epic Live) and will bring out the (Sgt.) Pepper suits.
“We do that to differentiate ourselves from other bands. We can do all sorts of costumes.”
Asked about his favorite Beatle album, Nixon said, “One that I really love that is near and dear to my heart is the ‘White’ album.
The Epic Live is located at 8239 2nd St. in Downtown Downey.
The next few shows for the band are Jan. 22 at the Yuma Art Centre in AZ, Feb. 2 at Leisure World in Mesa, AZ and Green Valley Recreation in AZ. Their next California show is at the Old Town Temecula Community Theater Thursday Feb. 26. That show will be followed by the Golden Village Palms RV Resort in Hemet April 18.
What they said:
Alistair Hunter, DAC Vice President: “Wow, what a terrific experience. This is a very special experience for us (DAC). The musicians were great and you can see people were dancing and there was this tremendous interaction.
This is why we like Epic Live. We do a lot of Blues shows. They are legendary Blues artists from Southern California and love to play in this intimate place.
David (Devis) is a special guy and has been open for 20 years and was delighted and asked us (DAC) to produce this event for him.
I feel very blessed and this has been a great audience.
Both the DAC and David Devis have been recognized for their contributions to the community by the Mayor and Downey City Council.”
Adriane Blasquez, (John), Jeffrey Blasquez’ mother: “He (Jeffrey) definitely loves playing in these tribute bands. These guys are so awesome and he’s having the time of his life and he’s only 18. This is all brand new to us.
I’m a very proud mom right now. He’s got the accent down now.”
Sylvia Cervantes-Blush, Downey resident: “It’s really exciting to see a band like this that is a tribute band of the Beatles.
To be able to have a venue that supports visual and performing arts and community fund raising is really important. David Devis has always supported the community.
Twenty years later it’s a venue that really celebrates the arts.”
Bill Blush, Downey resident: “We (Sylvia Cervantes-Blush) both met David (Devis) through the Downey Arts Coalition. He’s been a big supporter of the arts.
Together we produced a couple nights of plays I had written, called “Bill Shorts 1” and “Bill Shorts 2”. They were on separate nights. They were short comedic plays.”