All that phoney Beatlemania has bitten the dust

But not in brave Kazakhstan!

The band's diehard fans in Almaty are keeping the faith alive by planning a concert on August 30 to celebrate the Fab Four's formation 50 years ago. A motley crew of local musicians and politicians will take to the stage to belt out covers of some 30 Beatles' favorites.

The Beatles enjoyed huge popularity in the Soviet Union and their songs remain a regular feature in the clubs and bars of Kazakhstan's commercial hub, Almaty. Local covers bands Zhetygen and Fridays will be joined on stage by eco-warrior Mels Yeleusizov, the leader of the environmental campaign group Tabigat, and Gani Kasymov, the burly leader of the Patriots' Party.