Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Bootleg Beatles to team up for special anniversary

The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the nation’s premier Beatle group The Bootleg Beatles have announced they will team up for a second time for a number of special concerts in 2019 and 2020 to mark the fiftieth anniversaries of the releases of two of The Beatles’ most iconic albums, Abbey Road and Let It Be.

This second collaboration follows their successful 10-concert date tour in 2017-2018, celebrating the 50^th Anniversary of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.

The tour marks 50 years since the release of these final two albums – Abbey Road (released 26 September 1969) and Let It Be (released 8 May 1970), and will explore the journey to the end of The Beatles – celebrating the music of this era and the legacy that endures to this day.

This unique production will premiere with two shows at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, the first, 50 years ago to the day of the release of Abbey Road (26 & 27 Sept 2019),  followed by a national tour to prestigious venues around the UK ending at Clyde Auditorium on the 50^th Anniversary of the release of Let it Be (8 May 2020).

Pic. Mark McNulty

The music of these two iconic albums is arranged by composer Ian Stephens in this special musical collaboration, employing the full majesty of a 70-piece symphony orchestra with  The Bootleg Beatles performing timeless classics including masterpieces such as ‘Here Comes The Sun’, ‘Come Together’,  ‘The Long and Winding Road’ and ‘Let it Be’.

Neil Innes, writer, comedian and musician, (Monty Python, Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, The Rutles) presents this unique live staging which will be an unmissable event for Beatles fans of all ages.

On Liverpool Philharmonic’s second collaboration with the Bootleg Beatles, Richard Haswell, Liverpool Philharmonic’s Head of Programme (Hall & Events) said:

‘After the huge success of the Sgt Pepper project, it’s an absolute delight to reunite the Bootleg Beatles with our incredible musicians in the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. We are also very excited about working with Neil Innes following his recent sell out performance with The Rutles in our Music Room venue. “ 

Neil Harrison of The Bootleg Beatles said:

‘The Bootleg Beatles/Liverpool Philharmonic collaboration to bring the Sgt Pepper album to life on stage was such a wonderful, creative, often challenging but hugely rewarding experience. Frankly I cannot think of anything more exciting than to repeat the whole process all over again.’

On bringing Abbey Road and Let It Be to the stage, composer/arranger Ian Stephens said:

‘I’ve known these albums all my life, but in preparing these orchestral versions I’m getting to know them a whole lot better!

‘I began by listening to the original tracks intensively with Andrew Barreau from The Bootleg Beatles, working out all the places where the orchestra takes the limelight – where it will provide a huge surge of brass-led power, or a lush dose of strings – and the places where it can take more of a background role.

‘What a privilege it is for me – a Devon boy but a Merseysider for the last 20 years – to be orchestrating this great music. I can’t wait to hear the final result!’

For more information and ticket bookings head to the Philharmonic Hall’s website here.