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Info Wanted: The Beatles Rooftop concert?

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Hi all,
I am aware that copies of this exist - however, I am wondering if any of you have it and could tell me a bit more about it. This was a concert performed by The Beatles in 69 at Apple (I think), on the roof.

A Goon in a Gaggle of 'em

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At least part of it appears in the movie "Let It Be".

"Right now the coffees are doing their final work." (Airi, Masked Rider Den-o episode 1)

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Originally posted by: Molly
At least part of it appears in the movie "Let It Be".


In January 1969 the Beatles wanted to return to their Rock 'n' Roll roots and do a live concert show for fans that would just be them playing the songs live without any of the studio tricks that had dominated the Beatles music for a number of years. A T.V. film was commissioned to show the Beatles getting ready for the live show. The final BIG SHOW had also been planned to be filmed. But... The vibe and energy were just not with the Beatles at this point in their story, and the plans for the BIG SHOW (as well as the band itself) fell apart shortly after the filming began at the rehearsals. In an effort to come up with an ending to the existing film footage that had been shot at rehearsals, the group decided to quickly put together a makeshift live concert on the "Apple" office rooftop. So that's what they did, and it was the last time they played together in a public setting.

http://incolor.inebraska.com/sumaree/beatles/images/sulpy1.jpg
There are a few great books that document the "Let It Be" recordings and filming, and it's a very interesting story.

Some alternate shots of the roof top show had also been used in a few of the "Promo Films" (Music Videos) that had been seen on T.V. music shows back in 1969 when the original "Get Back and "Don't Let Me Down" single was first released. The Anthology Series also has some fantastic restored rooftop segments. For the filming of what became "Let It Be", the crew used 16mm film because the project was meant as a T.V. show not feature film. Then in 1970, the powers at "APPLE" had the film edited together as the movie "Let It Be" to satisfy
a 3 movie contract deal made with United Artists in the early 60's. The other 2 films being "A Hard Days Night" and "Help!"

A completed 16mm print of the finished "Let It Be" film was then blown up to 35mm so it could be show in movie theaters. These blown up prints are cropped and with that, some of the film's picture information is lost around the edges, and also the blow-up process had made the released film look blurry and dirty. The official VHS and Laserdisc from the early 1980s was transferred from one of these horrid blown-up prints. There is also a version of "Let It Be" floating around the fan underworld that is a transfer of an unmodified 16mm master. This version looks much better, but the person who did this transfer did not take care, and some digital glitches exist on all known copies. One of the other drawbacks on all the versions of "Let It Be" is the poor sounding audio soundtrack. Thankfully, there are some very good sound recordings of the entire project, and this includes the audio of the full rooftop show (minus a few seconds of between song chatter during a reel to reel tape change). These sound recordings may still be floating around the eBay and or the torrents. There is rumor that the film is still being restored and a possible complete re-edit may be in the works for DVD, but I would not hold my breath. None of The Beatles ever liked the released edit of the film, and this is one of the main reasons it's stayed officially unreleased on DVD format.

Send me a P.M. if you want more info about what is out there for us fans to enjoy from this project.

FF

http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/7484/rooftop.jpg
It was so cold on that roof, that Ringo and George had to borrow extra outerwear from their wives!

“First feel fear, then get angry. Then go with your life into the fight.” - Bill Mollison

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I've got a DVD of it, semi incomplete, but it's pretty good. How much is in Let it Be?
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Originally posted by: Molto
I've got a DVD of it, semi incomplete, but it's pretty good. How much is in Let it Be?


The complete rooftop show was 42 minutes, with about 20 min of it seen in the film "Let It Be".
CLICK TO SEE The original "Let It Be" Trailer

The songs played on the roof in order:

1) Get Back (Version 1 / Rehearsal)

2) Get Back (Version 2)

These 2 versions of Get Back had been edited together in the Film.

CLICK TO SEE "Get Back" version 1 & 2 edit

3)Don't Let Me Down (Version 1)

Seen complete in the film.
CLICK TO SEE "Don't Let Me Down"

4) I've Got A Feeling (Version 1)

Seen in the film (with some interviews with people in the street below), and this audio take was also used for the album "Let It Be".
CLICK TO SEE "I've Got A Feeling"

5) The One After 909

Seen complete in the film, and this audio take was also used for the album "Let It Be".
CLICK TO SEE "The One After 909"

6) Dig A Pony

Seen complete in the film. This audio take was also used for the album "Let It Be", but with a small edit by Phil Spector of the first "All I Want Is" lyric.
CLICK TO SEE "Dig A Pony"

7) God Save The Queen
Not used in the film or on the album.

The police have arrived! The band plays an off-the-cuff version of this song in protest as the multi-track recording tape is changed by then sound engineer Alan Parsons. You can also hear the protests of director Michael Lindsay Hogg over the band.

CLICK TO HEAR "God Save The Queen" (from nagra tape)


8) I've Got A Feeling (Version 2)

Not used in the film or on the album

9) Don't Let Me Down (Version 2)

Not used in the film or on the album
***CLICK TO SEE "Don't Let Me Down" Version 2 (This is a RARE film Out-Take!)***
This rare clip comes from the "Let It Be: Naked" video press kit.

10) Get Back (Version 3)

Seen complete in the film. The ending comments from this take are used on the album "Let It Be".
CLICK TO SEE "Get Back" Version 3


FF

“First feel fear, then get angry. Then go with your life into the fight.” - Bill Mollison

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The only version of the rooftop concert making the rounds is simply the final two reels of the Let it Be film (with the exception of the extra stuff seen in Anthology and its promos). Having said that, I have audio of the complete concert, and most of it is much better than the audio on the film soundtrack. And of course some of the audio on the Let it Be album, in stereo, comes from the rooftop concert. And then there are the two Glynn Johns mixes of the album, which include even more rooftop audio in excellent stereo. It would be possible, I believe, to match almost all of the audio from the rooftop section of Let it Be with upgraded stereo audio from these sources to produce a better product.