The Sessions – A live re-staging of the Beatles at Abbey Road Studios will embark on an eleven-date UK Arena Tour in spring 2016.
Following an open-doors charity preview in the Beatles’ home city, Liverpool, and the show’s already-sold-out world premier at the Royal Albert Hall on April 1st, the production – part blockbuster stage show, part access-all-areas musical documentary – will then travel to arenas in Brighton, Cardiff, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester, Aberdeen, Leeds and Birmingham, visiting Nottingham in 4th May, before returning to London for performances at Wembley Arena and the O2.
Set in a state-of-the-art reproduction of the iconic Abbey Road Studio 2, The Sessions will stage breath-taking, musically spectacular new live renditions of the timeless albums recorded there by The Beatles, to take us on a joyous, thrilling, historically authentic voyage through the events that shaped popular music history.
Inspired by Here, There and Everywhere, the memoir of the show’s Creative Consultant and Grammy-winning former Abbey Road sound engineer Geoff Emerick, The Sessions will be the closest an audience can get to experiencing The Beatles live and at the height of their glory.
No fewer than 45 people will take the stage to ensure that the experience is as sonically authentic to the original recordings as it is gloriously euphoric. The seven vocalists will comprise 2 ‘Johns’ 2‘Pauls’ 2 ‘Georges’ and one ‘Ringo’ in order to recreate the albums’ until-now inimitable vocal harmonies. A further seven musicians will use rare, vintage, historically accurate instruments to recapture the Beatles’ renegade multi-instrumentalism, while a twenty-one piece orchestra will help awaken the dramatic, uplifting power of these legendary albums and songs using the exact musical arrangements of the originals, and eight Studio Technicians will help relive the ‘Eureka’ moments that created The Beatles’ era-defining sound and changed recorded music forever.
Each of the albums recorded at Abbey Road will become a ‘Suite’ all of which form part of The Sessions’ definitive Beatles Overture, driving the true story of how they made the records that shaped the next half century of popular music and culture.
This multi-million pound production is set in a painstakingly accurate replica of the world-renowned Abbey Road studio, designed and made by Stufish – the entertainment architects behind emblematic set designs for live shows including The Rolling Stones, AC/DC and U2.
The arena show will place the audience around three sides of the ‘Studio’, with venue capacities limited to place the audience at eye-level with the performers and maintain the fly-on-the-wall intimacy of the piece.
The concept for The Sessions was developed by Stig Edgren (creator of The Elvis Presley – In Concert Show) who also acts as Executive Producer, with Kim Gavin (Creative Director, London 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony, Take That Stadium Tour, soon to do Rugby World Cup 2015 Opening Ceremony) on board as Director, and legendary promoter, agent and producer Jef Hanlon as Producer.
Stig Edgren, the Show’s Executive Producer said: “The Sessions – A live re-staging of the Beatles at Abbey Road Studios”will be a ‘musical documentary’ giving audiences an honest, respectful and accurate recreation of how musical history was made.”
Jef Hanlon, the Show’s Producer said: “An incredible amount of research has gone into the show – we wanted to be as true to the original process as possible. All instrumentation, arrangements and vocals will be performed identically to the original recordings – there will even be seven singers to recreate the multi-tracked vocals pioneered by The Beatles. This show does not seek to be a look-a-like show, but rather a sound-a-like, with the singers being the best Beatles imitators in the world. It’s a must for Beatles fans of all ages.”
Kim Gavin, the Show’s Director said: “This is an opportunity of a lifetime to work with such a legendary pop catalogue. It is really exciting to bring to life some of the Beatles most iconic recording sessions, and offer the audience a unique glimpse into the bands creative process.”
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