The Beatles or the Stones? Back in the Sixties, you had to decide which side of rock's fence you were sitting on, but at Peel Bay festival last night, there was no such dilemma! Both the Counterfeit Stones and the Bootleg Beatles put on stunning shows which took the older audience down memory lane and got younger fans dancing in the aisles.

The Counterfeit Stones are perhaps the most successful tribute act in the world after the mighty Bootlegs. The band, who first got together sixteen years ago, perform to gig and
theatre audiences all over the world and have a fan base as devoted as that of the real Stones.

Front-man 'Nick Dagger' aka west Londoner Steve Elson, explains that they attract "a really broad spectrum of appreciation... you've got the hardcore of 50-somethings who grew up with the Stones but our audience could be anybody."

Many people who love the Stones' music feel lukewarm about seeing their heroes as pinpoint dots in a vast stadium and are further dissuaded by the alarming price of their stadium
shows; the Counterfeits offer people the chance to hear the hits they love in the form of "a pot pourri - a compilation album on stage."

Steve, who confesses to an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Stones' history, calls the band "a labour of love - you can't do this thing very well unless you really idolise the music you're doing." However, there is humour in abundance, too: the wigs, the flamboyant clothes and the arch posturing are all an affectionate pastiche which Steve has described as "Stella Street with music rather than a straight tribute band."

They are immense fun. And make no mistake: close your eyes and it's the real thing. These are deft, razor-sharp musicians who are steeped in every nuance of the Stones' licks and hooks. An increasingly delighted audience began to take to their feet, moved by some of the most infectious rock songs ever written. It's not hard to see why the band won the approval of the most important critic of all - Mick Jagger. After the show, Steve laughingly describes how he heard the rumour that Sir Mick had seen their show at Shepherd's Bush Empire substantiated by none other than Tim Rice: "He asked him over lunch if he'd been to the gig and heard us play. He did and he had and it was good. Apparently he said something like, 'oh yeah, they're alright them, aren't they?'!"

He went on to praise the Island enthusiastically: "It's the first time we've been to the Isle of Man and the first thing we loved was how clean the air was. When you get that fresh air up your nostrils you feel very positive immediately don't you! And the scenery is great. I'd love to come back. Everybody in the band has said it's got a very good vibe about it. We've done Jersey a few times and other Channel Islands but there is something a bit special about the Isle of Man. I'm really glad we came and I loved it."

You wouldn't expect the world's biggest tribute to the world's biggest band to be nervous about following the Counterfeit Stones but that's exactly how Bootleg founder member Neil Harrison aka John Lennon was feeling: "The Stones are about these massive, power pop hits which everybody knows and it makes me feel apprehensive because we come on and we follow with the early Sixties Beatles' stuff which seems very light and kind of 'rinky dink'."

Nonetheless a warmed-up audience now in thorough party mood goes wild for the Bootlegs the moment they take to the stage. For a start, their physical and vocal resemblance is unnerving. The Bootlegs pull out all the stops to inhabit the spirit of the real Beatles and this is simply the closest thing you'll ever get to the Fab Four (something which George Martin himself recognised when he gave the band the thumbs-up to perform the Beatles back catalogue). A series of costume changes mark the Beatles' different stages of musical evolution, culminating in a massively rousing singalong rendition of 'Hey Jude'.

When they close their encore with a loping, loose 'Twist and Shout', people are grooving as best they can in and out of their seats, while on the peripheries of the arena, standing fans not only twist and shout but jive, jump and scream for more. Warren from Douglas shouts: "This is the best. It's HOT! The Beatles rule, man. There has to be a festival next year. There should be one three times a year! We need more! Everybody get to the Isle of Man!"

He's not the only person of relatively young years to be wowed by the Bootlegs. Talking in his dressing room, Neil Harrison drolly recalls being asked by Oasis to support them at their milestone Knebworth and Earl's Court gigs. "It was fantastic. Of course, they're Beatles nuts. They wanted to get the real thing, originally. I don't think they realised that John was in the ground."

One thing's for sure - on this night the spirit of the Beatles was resurrected with fidelity and love; something which everyone in the audience understood and appreciated. "We'd love to come back", said Neil.

We say: Get Back, Come Together and Let It Be!