The Final Live Performance Of The Beatles

On January 30, 1969, atop the Apple Studios Building in London, the Beatles staged what would become the climactic scene for their film Let It Be.

“We went on the roof to resolve the live concert idea because it was much simpler than going anywhere else; also, nobody had ever done that, so it would be interesting to see what happened when we started playing up there. It was a nice little social study. We set up a camera in the Apple reception area, behind a window so nobody could see it, and we filmed people coming in. The police and everybody came in saying, ‘You can’t do that! You’ve got to stop.’” – George Harrison, Anthology

Though this rooftop concert became their unplanned final live performance, the Beatles’ last scheduled concert took place on August 29, 1966, at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, California.

“There was a big talk at Candlestick Park that this had got to end. At that San Francisco gig, it seemed that this could possibly be the last time, but I never felt 100% certain till we got back to London. John wanted to give up more than the others. He said that he’d had enough.” – Ringo Starr, Anthology

Candlestick Park, a baseball stadium and home to the San Francisco Giants, hosted the Beatles’ final concert, selling 25,000 tickets out of a possible 42,500, leaving large sections of the stadium empty.

During their final rooftop performance, the Beatles played their classic hit, “Get Back.” The unsuspecting audience was thrilled to witness the Fab Four perform one last time.

“It was good fun, actually. We had to set the mikes up and get a show together. I remember seeing Vicki Wickham of Ready, Steady, Go! (there’s a name to conjure with) on the opposite roof, for some reason, with the street between us. She and a couple of friends sat there, and then the secretaries from the lawyers’ offices next door came out on their roof.” – Paul McCartney, Anthology

The concert was unique and spontaneous, with Vicki Wickham and a few others forming their impromptu audience. This unforgettable event marked one of the historic moments of the Beatles’ legacy in rock history.