THE Fabbest Four tribute act, The Bootleg Beatles, return to York Barbican for the fourth year in a row on Thursday.

Now in their 36th year, the Bootleg brand has chalked up six Glastonbury festival appearances, several world-tours, numerous radio and television appearances and many sell-out shows at the Royal Albert Hall: all testament to the band’s joyful re-creation of “the greatest songbook of all time”.

The line-up has undergone three changes in recent years with only the drum stool occupant remaining the same since 2011. Adam Hastings took over as John Lennon on guitar, vocals, keyboards and harmonica that year; Steve White joined as Bootleg Beatle Paul on bass, vocals and keyboards in 2012 and the latest recruit, Stephen Hill, has filled George Harrison’s Bootleg Beatle boots on guitar and vocals since 2014. Hugo Degenhardt continues to put the Ringo beat into the Bootleg Beatles on drums, percussion and vocals, as he has since 2003.

The long and winding road rolls into York once more on Thursday for a Bootleg show where, with a little help from their orchestral ensemble, they perform even the songs The Beatles never played live. Every tiny Beatle detail will be meticulously covered, from costumes to authentic period instruments, from Scouse banter to vocal mimicry.

• The Bootleg Beatles, York Barbican, Thursday, March 26, 7.30pm. Tickets are on sale at £28 on 0844 854 2757 or at yorkbarbican.co.uk