Tate Liverpool and National Museums Liverpool have partnered with The Beatles and Dolby Laboratories to launch a unique "experiential" presentation of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in Dolby Atmos.
The free event will be presented daily at the Dr Martin Luther King Jr Building at the Royal Albert Dock Liverpool until Thursday, January 9, in an immersive sound environment "that feels as if the band is performing live in the space".
All tickets are now sold out, but the recordings are available to stream in Dolby Atmos via Amazon Echo Studio and Amazon Music HD for the first time, with further services to follow in 2020.
Helen Legg, director, Tate Liverpool, said: “We’re excited to be working with National Museums Liverpool to bring this unique listening experience to the city. At the time they made Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles were at the epicentre of pop and performance art of 60s London which strongly influenced this tremendous record. Listening to this special mix is like hearing something familiar for the first time. It sounds so fresh, you can hear every element which just underscores how wildly inventive it was.”
Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band is one of the most important and ground-breaking albums of all time
Giles Martin
Grammy Award-winning producer Giles Martin, son of the legendary Sir George Martin, created the mix from the original tapes.
“Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is one of the most important and ground-breaking albums of all time," he said. "In many ways it changed how records could be made. The Beatles stopped just simply making music and started painting pictures with sounds that hadn’t been heard before. Experiencing this Dolby Atmos mix allows us to fall into the record and to totally immerse ourselves in the fantastical world that was so beautifully created at Abbey Road Studios over 50 years ago.”
Paul Gallagher, deputy director - Museum of Liverpool, said: “The Beatles are part of Liverpool’s DNA but it’s rare that you’re able to work with the music industry experts who hold their legacy so close. It’s fabulous that technology has caught up to allow us to hear, for the first time in such clear detail, the innovation and incredible imagination of the group. The cutting-edge sound and the immersive experience will blow visitors away.”
Christine Thomas, senior director Music Partnerships, Dolby added: “Dolby Atmos gives music more space and freedom, unleashing every detail as it was meant to be heard with unparalleled sound quality. Beatles fans who are lucky enough to have tickets for this unique experience will feel like they are inside the music, moving them in new ways. Dolby is thrilled to be a part of the team that is bringing this experience to the people of Liverpool.”
The Beatles’ Abbey Road album returned to UK summit in 2019 after a record-breaking 49 years and 252 days.
