Watch the Video!

My idea for the video was to make it very similar to the original BNL video "Lovers In A Dangerous Time". We borrowed a friend's truck that had an open back just like they had done and the fact that it was a cold winter's day also matched the vibe of their original video.

Tyler Stewart of the Barenaked Ladies

ABBEY ROAD MEDLEY - LIVE PERFORMANCE

From playing every Beatles record as a kid in the 1970's to pulling off one of the most ambitious musical tributes imaginable, my journey defines how decades of passion and technical craft eventually align. Picking up instruments nearly half a century ago gave me the foundation, but mastering the full rhythm section—drums, bass, guitar, and piano—unlocked something far deeper. I didn't just listen to The Beatles; I learned how their music was built from the ground up. Ringo’s solid, musical drumming anchors Paul’s melodic basslines, and the sweeping piano structures allowed me to internalize the DNA of their signature sound.

"This is something I have dreamed about for years but it was always very unrealistic to actually perform live."

That multi-instrumental fluency set the stage for the ultimate test... the Abbey Road Medley. Widely considered one of the highest peaks in rock history, the side-two suite is a seamless, complex tapestry of key changes, tempo shifts, and intricate vocal harmonies. Performing it live as a single musician isn't just an ambitious gig—it's a high-wire act. As I was thinking about taking on this project of recording the various instruments for a backing track, after I figured out what I needed to record and what I was playing live, I timed the drum solo and I had ten seconds to switch from piano to the electric guitar. that was plenty of time, I knew it would work. This is something I have dreamed about for years but it was always very unrealistic to actually perform live. This venue in the John A MacDonald building had the large screens and the technical staff to put it together. Once I cleared that hurdle and figured out how to sync two videos to play at the same time, it was now within reach.

This is where my experience in television production turned a virtually impossible live performance into a seamless reality. Playing every instrument live simultaneously isn't humanly possible, but I was able to use my video production expertise and once I got past a little technical hiccup, I knew I could make it happen in front of a live audience. By multi-tracking myself with the drums and bass on video in advance, I essentially made a backing track to play along with so it was just like playing along to the original record.

"Combining live performance with video production, Aaron Reid brings the Abbey Road medley to life by layering live piano, guitar solos, and vocals over self-produced backing tracks synced to large video screens. The result is a seamless, one-man full-band experience capturing the depth and energy of the original studio recording."

Standing on stage, playing piano, and singing live alongside pre-recorded band members on screen, I turned a solo stage into a full-scale multimedia experience. One person came up to me after the performance and said she felt like she was at a rock show. It wasn't just my tribute to the Beatles; it was the pinnacle convergence of every track I've ever recorded, every instrument I've learned how to play, and every music video I've put together since I learned how. I was ready for this... This was my moment.

"I watched every YouTube performance of the Beatles medley,

NOBODY has attempted to do what I did as a LIVE PERFORMANCE."

So here it is, the Abbey Road Medley, LIVE. Performed as a one man band. No strings attached and no safety net."

50TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT SERIES

Featuring: The Beatles

In 2014, I went to a show that featured local musician Paul Johanis. He had just started a series of concerts celebrating the 50th anniversary of the original release date of every Beatles album. I approached him after the show and joined the band for the next show which was A Hard Day's Night. After the series was completed in 2019, I asked him if he would be interested in filming a documentary to make use all the live footage that was collected over the years. And of course, he agreed.

Extra footage was collected under Fair Use in Canada for the purpose of a documentary.

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