Beatles Rooftop Concert

January 30, 1970, the date that the Beatles Rooftop Concert took place on top of Abbey Road studios – a day that will last in infamy in the hearts of Beatlemaniacs like me.  Why the big deal?  It was the last time that the Beatles would perform together publically.  I can remember watching the evening news broadcast this extraordinary event, though I was just 9 years old at the time.  I’m pretty sure that I saw it in color, but my memory has been replaced with the countless videos I have seen of the event on YouTube.  I think the deepest emotion I had was that I lost my last chance to see the Beatles ever perform together.  Somehow I knew this deep inside. Perhaps it was all about the rumors flying around of the Fab 4 feuding, the marriages, the solo albums – everything that brought the deepest foreboding to a girl who often fantasized that she was the fifth people since she was as young as 3 years old.  Yes, to me, the Beatles were like my virtual surrogate big brothers – ones who would never tease me, scold me, and always liked having me around.

The Beatles officially broke-up on April 10, 1970, following a press release by Paul McCartney stating he was leaving.

The most painful part of the news broadcast was watching the passersby happen upon this Beatles concert.  To me, most of the people who were interviewed seemed rather ambivalent to the whole situation.  Well, perhaps they were used to seeing the Beatles in their neighborhood, but still – I would have been having a full-blown, hysterical Beatlemaniac attack!  I don’t know if I would have fainted, screamed their names, sang along, or try to get into the building, but whatever my reaction, it wouldn’t be as nonchalant as the people on the telly!  If they had stayed together a few more years and continued to play concerts, I am sure that I would have attempted to get back[1] stage (no pun intended).

On July 15, 2009, I missed another opportunity to see a live Beatles Rooftop Concert, which was when Paul actually performed, “Get Back,” on the rooftop of the Ed Sullivan Theater!

Written by Brenne Meirowitz, BA, MA, MS

[1]The outtakes that would eventually make themselves into the Beatle bootleg mainstream were called the “Get Back Sessions.”  Several albums were compiled from these recordings, though the “Let It Be” album would feature the song, “Get Back.”  “Get Back” is also one of the songs that was performed on the Beatles Rooftop Concert.

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