The Beatles conducted their famous rooftop concert on January 30, 1969. The show, which took place on top of the roof at the London headquarters of their Apple record label, was the last concert performance by the band.
Paul McCartney had insisted that the Beatles, who stopped touring in 1966, return to live performances. The band reluctantly agreed to a series of rehearsals, known at the time as the "Get Back" sessions, which would culminate in a televised concert.
Over the course of the stressful project, which included George Harrison's brief departure from the band, the plans were continuously downgraded. Eventually, the four Beatles could only (reluctantly) agree to an impromptu rooftop concert to provide a conclusion to the documentary that was being filmed about the rehearsal process.
Accompanied by keyboardist Billy Preston, the Beatles played to a bemused lunchtime crowd in the surrounding buildings and in the street below. They played for a little more than 40 minutes, before police shut down the performance. The concert covered songs that would eventually end up on their "Let It Be" album. The setlist included "Don't Let Me Down," "I've Got A Feeling" and "Get Back" (which were all played a couple times), as well as "The One After 909," "Dig A Pony" and "God Save The Queen."
by RTT Staff Writer
