The London rooftop that hosted the final live performance of The Beatles is set to open to tourists.
On January 30, 1969, John Lennon, Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison clambered to the top of 3 Savile Row and played for 42 minutes before police pulled the plug on their impromptu performance.
The site has long since been a site of pilgrimage for fans of the Fab Four, but now the building is set to open as a tourist attraction, allowing members of the public to take a tour and finish on the iconic rooftop.
The seven-storey building, which was once home to Apple Corps headquarters where the band recorded their final album, has now been filled with Beatles memorabilia.
Included in their final set were some of the band’s new songs including One After 909, Dig a Pony and I’ve Got a Feeling, which were set to be featured in their final album, Let It Be.
It also included renditions of Get Back and Don’t Let Me Down.
Police responded to a noise complaint and unplugged the amps, but the band managed to play Get Back once more before they finished.
Lennon’s final words into the mic were: ‘I’d like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves, and I hope we’ve passed the audition.’
The Beatles’ rooftop concert at 3 Savile Row in 1969, featuring John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr
It was the first time the band had performed together in three years at the time, but it turned out to be their last.
The concert was later depicted in the Beatles film Let It Be.
After a visit to the refurbished site, Sir Paul told The Telegraph: ‘It was such a trip to get back to 3 Savile Row recently and have a look around. There are so many special memories within the walls, not to mention the rooftop.’
Starr said the space was ‘like coming home’.
The site is an important chapter in the story of the band. By 1969 they had already decided to part ways and recorded Let It Be together with some reluctance.
Ringo later joked that he wanted the cops to drag him off. He said: ‘It would have looked really great, kicking the cymbals and all but they didn’t, they just came bumbling in.’
A few months after the ‘disturbance’ at 3 Savile Row, the song Get Back reached number one.
