ATTENTION HOLIDAY SHOPPERS:

If you order this weekend, we guarantee you WILL get your BEATLES GIFTS by DECEMBER 24th!

Happy Christmas.

Now THIS is what makes for a Wonderful Christmastime!

Having reached the 20 million subscriber plateau, SIRIUS/XM satellite radio celebrated in grand fashion: exclusive concert event for its listenership, headlined by Sir Paul McCartney at New York’s legendary Apollo Theater. Tickets were awarded to listeners by drawing, but a goodly number of seats were obviously reserved for SIRIUS/XM personnel and dozens of VIP’s. Some of the guests included Keith Richards, Ron Wood, Little Steven, Tony Bennett, Jimmy Fallon, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, Alec Baldwin, Dennis Leary, Photographer Bob Gruen, Howard Stern, Duran Duran, John McEnroe, Patty Smyth, Jerry Seinfeld, Ben Stiller, Matt Damon, Cousin Brucie & Rob Thomas. In every way, SIRIUS/XM rolled out the red carpet for the event, giving complimentary commemorative t-shirts and lanyards to all attendees, as well as providing a pre-show open bar (beer, wine and soda) and complimentary all-vegetarian hors d’oeuvres (spring rolls, potato knishes, etc, but no tofu wings to report).

At 7:45, SIRIUS/XM’s CEO Mel Karmazin took to the on stage podium to welcome everyone. The concert began at 8:15 and ran exactly two hours, so it was about two-thirds of a “full” McCartney show as done on the recent “Up and Coming” tour. And while the set list drew heavily from the tour repertoire, there were a few surprises thrown in. We thought the set list was a super one and had a most amazing evening! Here it is:

Magical Mystery Tour
Jet
Drive My Car
All My Loving
One After 909 – a McCartney concert stage repertoire rarity (only previous post-Beatles performance was in 1995, as a duet with Elvis Costello)
Let Me Roll It / Foxy Lady (reprise)
The Long & Winding Road
Nineteen Hundred Eighty Five
Maybe I’m Amazed – Paul hadn’t done this favorite in a long time. Perhaps not coincidentally, he flubbed the piano intro. Semi-apologetically, he started over.
Blackbird
I’m Looking Through You – one of the rotating acoustic numbers done on this year’s “Up and Coming” tour
And I Love Her
Petrushka – an improvised Russian-style folk song performed on mandolin
Dance Tonight
Eleanor Rigby – This one sounded the best of the evening. Perhaps it was because Geoff Emerick, the Beatles original engineer on Revolver was on the board for the night.

Paul told of his affection for many of the acts that had graced the Apollo stage, and the band launched into a RED HOT version of Marvin Gaye’s classic “Hitch Hike”. The performance was enhanced by a team of long-haired, sparkling mini-skirted dancers. What a treat until the PA system got knocked out about midway through the take.  After a few short minutes and tweaks, the system was restored, and Paul and band started over.

Band On The Run
Obladi-Oblada
Back In The USSR
A Day In The Life / Give Peace A Chance
Let It Be
Hey Jude

For the first encore, Paul did the rarely performed (but quite appropriate) “Wonderful Christmastime”. An absolutely delightful performance, with the heavy-handed studio effects toned way down, making for a more straight-forward “rock band” delivery, embellished by the 20-strong Academy of Harlem Choir. Truly memorable.

The first encore was rounded out with a ripping version of “I Saw Her Standing There” and “Get Back”.

The second encore boasted “Yesterday” and an impromptu chorus of the “alternate” title, “Scrambled Eggs” (similar to the parody as performed with Jimmy Fallon on his late night show a week earlier). The set ended with the “Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band / The End” medley.

As the house lights came up, the theater was showered with Christmas colored confetti. It was our first ever concert at the Apollo and it was an unforgettable evening.

The show was broadcast live on several of SIRIUS/XM’s channels, included in the month-long dedicated “Band On The Run” all-Macca channel. Encore performances kicked off at midnight following the show. There is another Encore this Saturday night at 8:00PM EST.

Thanks to Tom Frangione who assisted in this report from the Apollo.

In the second great Beatles surprise of the year, Paul McCartney performed Scrambled Eggs on The Jimmy Fallon Show. (For the young fans, who may not know, this was Paul’s original working title for Yesterday, the most recorded song in history!) Jimmy actually did a super job singing with Sir Paul and adding harmonies. You can tell it was the thrill of his lifetime to actually sing with Sir Paul. It was a great TV moment. CLICK HERE to view it. SiriusXM has announced the Live Broadcast of Paul at the Apollo Theater this Monday, December 13th at 8:00PM EST on 5 of their stations including the Band On The Run Radio on Sirius 33 and XM27. It was a busy week in NYC for Sir Paul!

America’s most prestigious tribute for creative artists, The Kennedy Center Honor was presented to Sir Paul this week in Washington, DC. The evening’s closing had the feel of a FEST finale, except it was Paul singing Hey Jude and President Obama and his family came on stage to join in. It will air on CBS on Tuesday, December 28th. Another great honor to the most honored musician in history!

Photo is by our friend and Chicago FEST regular Jorie Gracen. See all her photos of Paul on her site – http://www.photos.mccartney.net/

Yesterday on Facebook, we asked what your favorite date in Beatles history was, and what a wonderful mix of answers you gave! From birthdays to historical moments to personal memories, here’s a smattering of the Beatles Timeline, as told by you. (Click here for more memorable Beatles dates!)

And the 3 winners of the calendars are:  Luis Hestres, Maria Luque and Jen Caliendo. Please send your addresses to Jackie at thefest dot com. Congratulations all!

Shannon Hintz- July 7, 1940… WHEN RINGO WAS BORN!!!!! 😀

Katie Gates- Johnny boys birthday!! Oct 9, 1940
Corey Lyn Nester- ‎18 June 1942- Paul McCartney is born and therefore will be destined to become a Beatle. YAY!

Laurie Dykas Hull- ‎2-24-1943 George’s birthdate! LOVE GEORGE!! ♥♥♥

Luis Hestres- July 6, 1957: the day John Lennon met Paul McCartney. No other Beatles date is more important. Everything flows from that day.

Sassi Theune- ‎17. August 1960: The boys gave their first concert, under the Name “Beatles”.

Amy Franza- NOVEMBER 9, 1961….BRIAN EPSTEIN ATTENDED A LUNCHTIME PERFORMANCE BY THE BEATLES AT THE CAVERN CLUB..IF BRIAN NEVER WENT TO THE CAVERN, HE WOULD HAVE NEVER PUSHED FOR THEM…THEY WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN INTRODUCED TO GEORGE MARTIN AND SIGNED TO PARLOPHONE IN ’62…THE REST IS HISTORY!!

Chris Bandy- August 18th 1962 Ringo is the Beatles new drummer

Jennifer Fingard- January 20, 1964 : Meet the Beatles lp is released. Its my favorite because my mom was born on January 20,1964 and it was the first Beatles lp I ever owned!

Sherry King- February 7, 1964 of course! The Beatles landed in America and changed the music culture of America and across the world. What a great 28th birthday that must have been for my Mom. I’ve always been so jealous!!

Kelly Story- February 9, 1964…The night The Beatles first appeared on The Ed Sullivan show and the night I was conceived.

Maria Luque- August 15, 1965 The Beatles play at Shea Stadium- because august 15 is my birthday!!! 🙂

Katie Cochran- Dec. 3rd, 1965 – Rubber Soul released. My fave album! Dec. 3rd this year should’ve been the day my daughter was born, but she was impatient and came on Oct. 25th instead.

Kathy Culwell-  August 29, 1966 at Candlestick Park San Francisco. Final concert together. I wasn’t there ! too young.

Amanda White App- June 1, 1967 WHY???? SGT. PEPPERS LONELY HEART CLUB BAND came out!!! that albums many generes… with the Indian, jazz, classical… etc… man that album changed my life forever!!!!

Don Romano- ‎28 July 1968 – ‘Mad Day Out’ photo session. They looked their coolest here.

Joe DiMuro- ‎08.26.1968 “Hey Jude” was released as the first single from The Beatles’ record label Apple Records.

Trudi Fisher Cabrera- Jan. 30, 1969. Apple building rooftop concert.

Crystal Calderon Ayala- October 6 1969, “Something” is released. First time ever that a Harrison song is on the a side of a single. My most favorite song ever!

Maria Luque Wait- no I got it. April 28 1974 the day mr mark lapidos met john. Hahah do I win do I win????

Elizabeth Andres- April 24th 1976, the day of lorne michaels’s offer for the Beatles to appear on SNL because John and Paul “supposedly” were watching it together and were going to go down to Studio 8!

Jen Caliendo- September 14, 1991 – my 9th birthday. My uncle put a pair of those gigantic old headphones on me and played the Sgt. Pepper album for me. That was the first time I ever heard The Beatles and I have been hooked ever since! My uncle has since passed, but I will never forget that day and cherish that he passed his love of the Fab Four on to me

Jay Reednzl- August 31, 1999. Yellow Submarine on VHS/DVD. My introduction to the greatest band of all time.

Scott O’Rourke- Nov 29 2002 The Concert For George

Carol Ames- November 8, 2005 – I had FRONT row tickets to see Paul in San Jose, CA. He not only SIGNED and POSED WITH the painting I had done of him but his DVD (The Space Within US) shows him signing it!! He also is seen on the DVD carrying the flowers I had brought for him and tossed on stage. Hands down the BEST day of my LIFE!

Connor Langan- September 9th 2009 the day the beatles rock band came out. It reinstalled my love for them and then it made me happier thanks to that game I got hooked on the greatest band ever.

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2010 – TODAY ONLY
First Ever 10% OFF Beatles Store-Wide Sale
ONLINE ORDERS ONLY
Not to be Combined with any other Offers
Welcome to YESTERDAY: AKA Cyber Monday on Wednesday! Why? Because as many of you know, our website was down for a few hours on Cyber Monday of all days. But we fixed the hole, and to make up for any online shopping frustration, we’re having an unprecedented 1-DAY WEB ONLY STOREWIDE 10% OFF SALE!!.

Hundreds of items that have NEVER been on sale, even many of the higher priced items – All of the CD and DVD Box Sets, Hoodies, John Lennon Sun Glasses, Gold Record Plaques, Beatles Replica Jackets, the New Framed Presentations, Yellow Submarine 3D Art, Beatles Ornaments, & many more!

Go to www.thefest.com and use Promo Code YESTERDAY upon check-out to redeem this discount.
This sale expires at 3 AM EST on Dec 2, 2010

Happy shopping! And as for tomorrow… well….Tomorrow Never Knows.

NOTE FOR OUR RETURNING CUSTOMERS: If your order reflects a different value amount from the 10% discount, do not worry. It will be corrected by our office staff.
NO PHONE ORDERS accepted for this Special Discount.
This special is for WEB ORDERS ONLY!
This offer may not be combined with any other special offers.

We apologize for any inconvenience as our webstore was down from yesterday afternoon. It was a minor internal glitch that has been fixed. Welcome to Cyber Monday!

Since we couldn’t do any blogs earlier I wanted to note this sad 9th Anniversary of George’s passing.  His music sounds better than ever. Put on your favorite George Album and have a listen today. The music will tell you why we love him so much. It’s strange how we are celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the release of one of the greatest albums of the 20th century-All Things Must Pass at the same point in time.

We hope you got to see LENNONYC on your local PBS station last night. It is a brand new documentary covering John’s New York City Years. We think it was very well done, with lots of previously unseen footage and new interviews with many friends and family including Yoko, Jack Douglas, Elton John, Earl Slick, Hugh McCracken, Bob Gruen and many others. Let us know what you thought of it. The LENNONYC DVD is now available, specially priced at $22.50 (List is $24.95) and it is in stock. Others may tell you the release is December 7th, but we do have them in stock and ready to ship.

In perhaps the most remarkably coincidental juxtaposition of events, November 22, 1963 was a dark day in US history as President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Across the ocean, however, that day was a bit brighter – With The Beatles was released in the UK. The sadness of that day will never be forgotten by all who lived through it. It would be barely 5 weeks later that The Beatles helped bring us out of the doldrums with the onslaught of beatlemania. On that same day, Walter Cronkite was going to run the first news story about this new English phenomenon. It, of course, was bumped as we watched the news of the day as a nation. Five years later on this day, The Beatles (White Album) was released. All that music – in a 5 year span!!

Don’t forget to tune in tonight on your local PBS station to watch LENNONYC. There were two PBS specials last night. One was Lennon Naked, which was a dramatic look at John’s life from around the time he met Yoko until they moved to NYC. It was very well done. We will be carrying the DVD of this hopefully by next week. The other, first aired in 2009 – How The Beatles Rocked the Kremlin –  dealt with the importance of The Beatles behind the iron curtain and how young people learned English from their smuggled records.

Today we let you know the iTunes Top Beatles Downloads as of right now. We note it is a George song that leads the list.

31 . Here Comes The Sun
37.  Let It Be
40. In My Life
51.  Come Together
55. Blackbird
70. Hey Jude
88. Let It Be
90. With A Little Help From My Friends
91. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
92. Yesterday
95. Twist and Shout
100. I Saw Her Standing There
103. Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da
105. Something
110. A Day in the Life
115. Can’t Buy Me Love
117. Eleanor Rigby
119. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
123. Help
130. A Hard Day’s Night
140. When I’m 64
142. You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away
149. Revolution
152. Dear Prudence
164. I Should Have Known Better
171. All My Loving
173. Strawberry Fields Forever
174. Long and Winding Road
181. I Am The Walrus
185. I Want To Hold Your Hand
187. Norwegian Wood
192. Penny Lane
195. Sgt. Pepper
198. Do You Want To Know A Secret
199. Hello Goodbye

For some reason 6 of these were on the list twice (same album listed)
35 of the top 200 downloaded song right now are Beatles Songs.