The Beatles "The Beatles" 50th Anniv - 2nd Seating

Join us for one of two shows celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the eponymous ninth studio album by The Beatles. Also known as "The White Album" it was originally released on November 22nd, 1968.

A double album, its plain white sleeve has no graphics or text other than the band's name embossed, which was intended as a direct contrast to the vivid cover artwork of the band's earlier Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. With a 93 minute run time, and huge demand, we are doing 2 seating sessions of 2hr 30min each. Get your tickets soon, because if demand is anything like Sgt. Pepper's, both shows could sell out!

Most of the songs on the album were written during March and April 1968 at a Transcendental Meditation course in Rishikesh, India. The group returned to EMI Studios (now known as Abbey Road) in May to commence recording sessions that lasted through to October. During these sessions, arguments broke out among the foursome over creative differences. Another divisive element was the constant presence of John Lennon's new partner, Yoko Ono, whose attendance at the sessions broke with the Beatles' policy regarding wives and girlfriends. After a series of problems, including producer George Martin taking a sudden leave of absence and engineer Geoff Emerick quitting, Ringo Starr left the band briefly in August. The same tensions continued throughout the following year, leading to the eventual break-up of the band in April 1970.

On release, The Beatles received favourable reviews from the majority of music critics, but other commentators found its satirical songs unimportant and apolitical amid the turbulent political and social climate of 1968. The band and Martin later debated whether the group should have released a single album instead. Nonetheless, The Beatles reached number one on the charts in both the United Kingdom and the United States, and has since been viewed by some critics as one of the greatest albums of all time.

Rolling Stone ranked The Beatles at number 10 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time and it is included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.