A journey back in time to The Beatles’ early period
Tickets on sale now at dso.org
Detroit, (August 18, 2025) – The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) is pleased to host 1964 The Tribute once again at Orchestra Hall on September 6. The one-night-only concert is known as the “best Beatles tribute on earth” (Rolling Stone), transporting audiences back to the age of Beatlemania. Please note: the DSO does not appear on this program.
1964 The Tribute is presented by co-founder and producer Mark Benson as John Lennon, Mac Ruffing as Paul McCartney, Doug Couture as George Harrison, and Joseph Bologna as Ringo Starr. Since creating this tribute in 1984, 1964 The Tribute has toured internationally, performing at several venues The Beatles once rocked in. Playing on authentic period instruments, complete with Ruffing playing a left-handed bass like McCartney, 1964 The Tribute recreates the iconic sound of The Beatles with impressive accuracy.
1964 The Tribute will take place on Saturday, September 6 at 8 p.m. in Orchestra Hall. Tickets for these performances start at $29 and can be purchased at dso.org or by calling the Box Office at 313.576.5111, open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Saturday, September 6 at 8 p.m.
Orchestra Hall
Experience Beatlemania in all its glory! The “best Beatles tribute on earth” (Rolling Stone) is complete with authentic period instruments, iconic ‘60s fashion, and the electrifying energy that defined Beatlemania. This isn’t just a tribute; it’s a journey back in time bringing the original set up and infectious spirit of a live Beatles concert.
Mark Benson, producer, guitar, and vocals
Mac Ruffing, guitar, bass, and vocals
Doug Couture, guitar and vocals
Joseph Bologna, drums and vocals
1964 The Tribute is not endorsed or affiliated with Apple Corps, LTD.
The DSO does not appear on this program.
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About the DSO
The acclaimed Detroit Symphony Orchestra is known for trailblazing performances, collaborations with the world’s foremost musical artists, and a deep connection to its city. Led by Music Director Jader Bignamini since 2020, the DSO makes its home at historic Orchestra Hall within the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center, offering a robust performance schedule that features classical, pops, jazz, and family concerts, plus community performances. Enrico Lopez-Yañez was named Principal Pops Conductor in 2023, trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard serves as the orchestra’s Fred A. Erb Jazz Creative Director Chair, and Tabita Berglund began her tenure as Principal Guest Conductor in the 2024–25 season. A dedication to broadcast innovation and technology began in 1922, when the DSO became the first orchestra in the world to present a live radio broadcast of a concert and continues today with the groundbreaking Live from Orchestra Hall series of free webcasts.
The DSO’s distinguished history of recordings—many led by its renowned music directors—spans nearly a century, beginning with the orchestra’s first 78 rpm singles with Ossip Gabrilowitsch released on the Victrola label in 1928. A steady recording output has continued since then, with highlights including more than 20 releases with Paul Paray for Mercury’s Living Presence series, and 27 under the baton of Neeme Järvi, mostly on the Chandos label. In the 1970s, the DSO took part in the historic Black Composers Series for Columbia Records led by its then-Associate Conductor Paul Freeman and later made several acclaimed recordings with Antal Doráti for the Decca label. More recently, under the direction of Leonard Slatkin, the DSO recorded music by Rachmaninoff, Copland, and John Williams for the Naxos label, earning its first GRAMMY® nomination in 2017 for Copland’s Third Symphony / Three Latin American Sketches. The first recording with Jader Bignamini, of Wynton Marsalis’s Blues Symphony, was released in March 2025 on the Pentatone label.
Since its first school concerts a century ago, and particularly since the founding of the Civic Youth Ensembles in 1970, the DSO has been a national leader in bringing the benefits of music education to students, teachers, and families in Detroit and surrounding communities. The DSO remains committed to expanding its participation in the growth and well-being of Detroit through programs like its Detroit Neighborhood Initiative—cultural events co-created with community partners and residents—and Detroit Harmony, a promise to provide an instrument and instruction to any student in the city who wants to learn. With unwavering support from the people of Detroit, the DSO actively pursues a mission to impact lives through the power of unforgettable musical experiences.