Interesting set.... perhaps a little too heavy with songs from the White Album and afterwards though.
When I imagine a Beatles reunion concert/tour -- if fate had been different and they would be doing it in the present day -- I envision a sellout crowd of 50,000 or more at a fever pitch; maybe the openers were giants such as Elton John, Billy Joel or Stevie Wonder. The lights go out, and the crowd explodes.... and for several anticipitory moments, we all wait, screaming, on our feet, knowing the promised moment is at hand. Finally the nerve-shattering tension is broken with the opening chords of Twist and Shout -- at that moment the stage lights turn on and we see our four idols rip through this song, we even hear it too! And that's followed up by three or four uptempo numbers, maybe I Saw Her Standing There, A Hard Day's Night, I Feel Fine and Help! The Beatles stop playing for a moment, allowing the audience to catch a breather. For the first time, one of them (most likely Paul) speaks to the audience, drawing more ear-shattering screams from the crowd which is literally aged 8 to 80. At this point Paul sings Yesterday, and the audience obediently gets quiet -- except for the fact that they're singing along with him. This is now the 'mellow' part of the show, and after Paul finishes Yesterday, John steps to the mike, greeted by an extended ovation, and he greets the crowd. George shows up onstage with a sitar and they play Norwegian Wood, followed by Within You Without You, which provides John, Paul and probably Ringo with a break. George greets the crowd to more ovations; his sitar is replaced by an acoustic guitar and he plays the first notes of Here Comes the Sun. The crowd is orgasmic now, singing with every note. This is the 'George' part of the show. Something is next, followed by a medley of Taxman, Piggies, Long Long Long, and While My Guitar Gently Weeps -- complete with ERIC CLAPTON WALKING ONSTAGE AND PLAYING THE SOLO! Then the intermission.
After a healthy break, the Beatles open up the second half of the show with a Ringo showcase -- Yellow Submarine, followed by Ringo interaction with the audience, followed by Don't Pass Me By and Octopus's Garden. Then John takes the mike again, says some characteristically witty things (but the audience knows the show is getting serious again, after the Ringo interlude), and for the first time, the Beatles perform I Am the Walrus live. Complete with the sound effects. Walrus segues perfectly into the opening notes of All You Need is Love, which has the entire crowd of over 50 thousand singing along, crying and lighting candles. During the ovation, John takes the piano and starts playing the opening notes of Imagine, which draw a monstrous response from the ravenous crowd. John leaves the stage after Imagine, figuring that Paul wants equal time from his solo catalogue. Paul does -- but he starts his new set with a good old-fashioned rocker, I'm Down, followed by Eleanor Rigby and We Can Work it Out. Then he asks John, George and Ringo if they can play his next song -- they give him a tentative yes -- Band On the Run. The Beatles deliver it. But part of the deal, unbeknownst to the massive crowd, is that George gets another song in there. So the next song is My Sweet Lord, which everyone in the crowd is singing along to.
Now it's the home stretch. There's another John medley -- Strawberry Fields, followed by a She Said-She Said/Tomorrow Never Knows medley (with sound effects!), then Paul struts onstage with Why Don't We Do It In the Road.... then Blackbird, and Get Back (another huge ovation from all of us). Followed by Let it Be.... with the crowd singing along, and George going crazy with the guitar solo. And then.... Because. And You Never Give Me Your Money. And Sun King. And.... you know the rest. The end of side 2 of Abbey Road. With John, Paul and George doing a 'Battle of the Guitars' onstage. Ending with The End.
But not ending: the lights are out. The Beatles have left the stage. But the lights in the stadium have not been turned on yet. The Beatles come back on stage. The crowd continues to spew its worship. Hey Jude. EVERYBODY is singing along. The band steps offstage again. But the lights haven't been turned on, so everybody figures that they're coming back FOR ONE MORE SONG! And the Beatles are. We hear the familiar strains of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.... followed by Billy Shears (Ringo) singing I Get By With a Little Help With My Friends.... which segues into A Day In The Life.
And then the show is over.
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Topic: If the Beatles reunited in 1975 for a concert.... (Read 17116 times)