Help Album performed in its entirety April 29 at the Belly Up

SOLANA BEACH, CA (03/03/2012) Nationally touring Beatles tribute, Abbey Road, performs the iconic Help album in its entirety on Sunday, April 29 at the Belly Up Tavern at 8 pm. The band will also play a full set of other Beatles hits. A string quartet will accompany the band on ballads like "Yesterday" and "Imagine." The Belly Up is located at 143 S. Cedros in Solana Beach. Tickets are $12/$14 and may be purchased online at www.bellyup.com or by calling the box office at (858) 481-8140. The show's website is www.inmylifetheplay.com.

In February 1965, when the Beatles began filming their second motion picture, they had just written and recorded eleven new songs which had left them virtually tapped out of inspiration at the time. For the next three months their primary focus would be on being actors. But they knew that at some point they would be asked to write and record another song – whenever the title of the movie would be decided. They also knew that, as was the case the previous year with "A Hard Day's Night," whatever song they would write would no doubt be their next single. Therefore, the caliber of this song had to be of the highest quality. Could they pull themselves out of their dressing rooms to be up for the task?

On the very day they were asked to write the film’s title song, John Lennon wrote what became one of, if not the most, impressive songwriting achievements of their career as of that point. The result was one of the most recognizable and best admired Beatles songs of their career, “Help”.

Although they were given the title to write a song around, they could very well have written another formula pop standard the likes of which they could churn out at any given moment. Up to this time, the Beatles wrote innocent pop songs about holding hands and sharing secrets instead of meaningful lyrics about their lives. When it came to writing the hit singles, the songs that would make the biggest impact and reach the most people, they played it safe and fell back to writing standard pop classics about relationships. Therefore, as of early 1965, the general population were still treated to Beatles lyrics such as “she’s in love with me and I feel fine” and “I ain’t got nothing but love, babe, eight days a week.”

Instead, what John chose to write was the most revealing and personal inner feelings he had ever put pen to paper about. Lennon wrote the lyrics of the song to express his stress after the Beatles' quick rise to success. "I was fat and depressed and I was crying out for 'Help'," Lennon told Playboy. Writer Ian MacDonald describes the song as the "first crack in the protective shell" Lennon had built around his emotions during the Beatles' rise to fame, and an important milestone in his songwriting style.

John Lennon would later dismiss the music he wrote with the Beatles, but the song “Help” was one that he was always very proud of. “The only true songs I ever wrote were ‘Help’ and ‘Strawberry Fields,’” he stated in December of 1970. “They were the ones I really wrote from experience and not projecting myself into a situation and writing a nice story about it, which I always found phoney. The lyric is as good now as it was then. It makes me feel secure to know that I was that sensible, aware of myself back then.”

The Lennon and McCartney songwriting team was maturing and moving away from the safe lyrics. After “Help!” they dared to delve into sophisticated themes, writing compelling and personal lyrics, coupled with emotional melodies. With the inspiration of Bob Dylan, who was writing songs about his personal feelings and experiences, Lennon and McCartney matured as songwriters.

In 2004, "Help" was ranked number 29 on Rolling Stone's list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".

With their tight harmonies, flawless note for note renditions of Beatles hits, custom–tailored costumes, vintage instruments, Liverpudlian dialect and precise attention to every detail, Abbey Road has honed their show to become one of the most musically and visually satisfying Beatle tribute acts in the world. Abbey Road recreates the magic, music, wit and charm of the Beatles, including the Fab Four’s cheeky personalities, familiar onstage banter and patter between songs.

“The show delivers” said the L.A. Times. “If you see one tribute show, see this one – smart and loads of fun,” said the O.C. Register. “This is the ticket for you,” said the Idaho Statesman. In addition to the Belly Up, Abbey Road headlines Knott’s, Harrah’s Rincon, Harrah's Tahoe, The Coach House, The Canyon Club and Pala Casino.

Three costume changes cover the full range of the Beatle experience and beyond, with authentic early black Beatle suits, Sgt. Pepper’s regalia and Abbey Road attire. Hear the piccolo trumpet solo on Penny Lane and the full orchestration of A Day in the Life. Relive the emotional intensity of Paul’s moving Yesterday solo, as well as the high energy of stadium songs like Twist and Shout and other Beatle hits. www.inmylifetheplay.com and www.facebook.com/abbeyroadtribute

If you would like to arrange an interview with the musicians or producers, would like press passes or would like more information please email andy@lajollabooking.com or call Andy at (562) 480-7951. If you would like photographs forwarded to your editor, please advise.

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Abbey Road - A Tribute to the Beatles performs "Help" album in its entirety as well as other Beatles hits on Sunday, April 29 at the Belly Up Tavern at 8 pm. The Belly Up is located at 143 S. Cedros in Solana Beach. Tickets are $12/$14 and may be purchased online at www.bellyup.com or calling the box office at (858)481-8140. The show's website is www.inmylifetheplay.com.