{"id":6622,"date":"2024-04-10T13:36:32","date_gmt":"2024-04-10T20:36:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/?p=6622"},"modified":"2026-08-30T20:45:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T03:45:23","slug":"the-last-great-beatles-summit-loves-lasting-legacy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/the-last-great-beatles-summit-loves-lasting-legacy\/","title":{"rendered":"The Last Great Beatles Summit: LOVE\u2019s Lasting Legacy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Chic<\/span><\/div>
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This is a sneak peek of an article that will be printed in<\/em>
\nChic Compass Magazine - Issue 18<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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(L-R) Giles Martin, Ringo Starr, Sir George Martin, Dominic Champagne - director, Sir Paul McCartney, Yoko Ono, <\/em>
\nGuest, Olivia Harrison, Guy Laliberte - Cirque du Soleil founder. Photo by KMazur\/WireImage via Getty Images.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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The Last Great Beatles Summit:<\/p>\n

LOVE\u2019s Lasting Legacy<\/h1>\n

By Jeremy Louwerse and Stacey Gualandi<\/p>\n<\/div>

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\u201cThere was Paul, and then Ringo, Yoko, and Olivia (Harrison), but then you looked up in the sound booth, and there was George Martin with his sleeves rolled up next to his son Giles!\u201d<\/p>\n

Chris Carter, the legendary host of \u201cBreakfast With The Beatles\u201d (on SiriusXM and KLOS in Los Angeles), is waxing nostalgic about June 30, 2006, the historic Grand Opening of Cirque du Soleil\u2019s Beatles\u2019 LOVE show at the Mirage Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Historic for many reasons, but mainly because this would be the last great gathering of the Fab Four family.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was like you were at Abbey Road or something!\u201d Carter says.<\/p>\n

After many years behind the mic of America's longest-running Beatles show, Carter was one of the fortunate few to have a front-row seat.<\/p>\n

Looking back, it would be a night never-to-be-repeated.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Ringo<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Ringo Starr with Chris Carter, host of Breakfast with the Beatles. (Photo courtesy of Chris Carter)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

The original idea for LOVE was borne out of the late George Harrison\u2019s imagination. He deeply desired to do more with the band\u2019s legacy and happened to be close personal friends with Cirque founder Guy Laliberte.<\/p>\n

When Harrison passed in 2001, his wife Olivia made George\u2019s original vision a reality.<\/p>\n

By 2006, the $130 million production, created by Dominic Champagne, would be Cirque\u2019s fifth permanent showpiece in Las Vegas. Anticipation had been building for months. What was the audience going to see, hear, and experience? As with any Beatles-related production, there is always a shroud of secrecy, so rumors continued to swirl until opening night.<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Olivia<\/span><\/div><\/div>

Olivia Harrison, Ringo Starr, Barbara Bach, Sir Paul McCartney, and Yoko Ono with the cast of LOVE. Photo by Kevin Mazur courtesy of Cirque du Soleil.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

\u201cIt was a big secret, and you didn\u2019t know what you were going to see,\u201d Carter says. \u201cWe did know there was going to be this whole new treasure trove of [music] mixes coming out, but you didn\u2019t know what they were like.\u201d<\/p>\n

Of course, the mastermind behind those mixes was the Beatles\u2019 long-time producer George Martin. Often referred to as \u201cThe Fifth Beatle,\u201d Martin produced the Beatles from the very beginning, even playing instruments in many of their songs.<\/p>\n

On this momentous occasion, it marked the passing of the torch to Martin\u2019s then 36-year-old son Giles. Following in his famed father\u2019s footsteps to \u201creimagine\u201d Beatles music\u2014at Abbey Road Studios, no less\u2014was an enormous responsibility for the up-and-coming producer.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I look back, I think about being in the room and trying to come up with ideas for the show and thinking, \u2018Well, this is a fun ride, but I\u2019ll probably get fired at some point,\u2019\u201d Giles jokes.<\/p>\n

Together, father and son created the 90-minute show\u2019s soundscape, combining traditional mop tops\u2019 tunes and the visual sensation of Cirque du Soleil with his own \u201crisky\u201d interpretations of the Beatles\u2019 most popular songs. Ultimately, he would have to play his tracks for the living band members.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dad hadn\u2019t heard it. He came to Abbey Road, listened to it, and wasn\u2019t sure about some of the riskier things I had done,\u201d Giles reminisces.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Paul [McCartney] came in, my dad wouldn\u2019t let me play the riskier stuff [but] Paul said, \u2018You know, I think you should go further.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Giles then played McCartney the versions he had been working on.<\/p>\n

\u201cPaul said, \u2018This is what you should be doing. This is what I want to do; let\u2019s make a difference here.\u2019 Ringo [Starr] felt the same way,\u201d Giles says.<\/p>\n

In Las Vegas months later\u2014with the music compilations about to be revealed to the world\u2014two generations of Martins walked the Grand Opening red carpet. Giles says that his smile shielded sheer nerves.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Musician Julian Lennon, John Lennon's son, and his mother Cynthia arrive at the gala premiere of \"The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil\" at The Mirage Hotel & Casino June 30, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Musician Ringo Starr, with his wife actress Barbara Bach, arrives at the gala premiere of \"The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil\" at The Mirage Hotel & Casino June 30, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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\u201cI was very nervous about how it would be received,\u201d Giles admits. \u201cYou have to bear in mind that when we did the LOVE show, there were no shows pretty much in the world at that scale that had just playback audio. My biggest fear is that people would go, \u2018Wait a second, they just listened to a CD or a recording.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Not to mention, it was the biggest reunion of Beatles royalty in attendance since the band\u2019s breakup, including McCartney, Starr, Yoko Ono, Cynthia and Julian Lennon, Olivia Harrison, plus luminary members of their inner circle like Ravi Shankar, Brian Wilson, and Eric Idle.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the first time really that I\u2019ve seen Paul and Ringo and Yoko and Olivia and Dhani and Sean and the families all together watching the show,\u201d Giles says.<\/p>\n

While recording station IDs for his legendary radio show, Carter witnessed it all, even running into Giles and his famous father together on their big night.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Martins never seem nervous; they are very cool. They\u2019re like right out of a Bond movie,\u201d Carter says.<\/p>\n

But the stage had been officially set for the biggest launch in Giles Martin\u2019s musical career.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was creating this new landscape that had never been heard before, and it could have been embarrassing and really bad, but it was super cool and perfect,\u201d Carter adds.<\/p>\n

As the VIPs sat in the more than 2,000-seat theater-in-the-round, surrounded by speakers in the seats, on the floors, and everywhere else, the lights went down, and the music took over.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Yoko Ono, widow of Beatles' singer John Lennon, arrives at the gala premiere of \"The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil\" at The Mirage Hotel & Casino June 30, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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Musician Brian Wilson, of the Beach Boys, arrives at the gala premiere of \"The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil\" at The Mirage Hotel & Casino June 30, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The show is a joint artistic venture between The Beatles' company, Apple Corps Ltd., and Cirque du Soleil. (Photo by Ethan Miller\/Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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With vocals from \u201cBecause\u201d at the start to the voice of John Lennon saying \u201cGoodnight to yous all and God bless yous\u201d at the end of the show, the entire production was a technical triumph.<\/p>\n

The crowd stood and applauded as Paul McCartney took to the stage and shouted, \u201cThis is for John and George!\u201d<\/p>\n

At last, Giles could finally enjoy the fruits of his and his father\u2019s labor.<\/p>\n

\u201c[With] the standing ovation, I kind of knew we\u2019d done it, we knew we\u2019d made it, and I knew that we made something really special that would last for a long time,\u201d Giles says.<\/p>\n

Not holding back, Ringo Starr said he was delighted with the entire experience after the premiere. \u201cI thought the show was great; I thought the music was incredible, and I think the show is so expressive of that time, really,\u201d Starr said in 2006. \u201cIt was emotional because two of us aren\u2019t there, so it really comes home when you\u2019re watching this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Also emotional, Yoko Ono said, \u201cThe only regret is that John [Lennon] is not here because I\u2019m sure that he would have loved it.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the premiere after-party, the audience and cast gathered to celebrate.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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An original program for \"The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil.\"<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

\u201cIt was like every character in Austin Powers was there; it was truly the greatest \u201960s party; the women all looked like Patti Boyd, plus it had the real people that would be at a cool \u201860s party,\u201d Carter remembers.<\/p>\n

Since its defining debut, Cirque du Soleil\u2019s LOVE has performed more than 7,600 shows and entertained more than 11 million guests.<\/p>\n

The show boasts 83 artists and a 150-person crew and staff totaling 233 people, making the show happen twice a night, five nights a week.<\/p>\n

It remains a destination experience for anyone visiting the Las Vegas Strip.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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A cast member performs during \"Octopus's Garden\" for \"The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil.\" (Photo by Matt Beard, courtesy of Cirque du Soleil)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

But after the shocking announcement in 2023 that Hard Rock International purchased and will be transforming the Mirage Hotel and Casino into a new Hard Rock Las Vegas property, the question every devoted Cirque and Beatles fan was asking is what\u2019s next for their beloved LOVE?<\/p>\n

In a press release then, the new owner said it would extend the 18-year-old show from the previous ownership and made a deal to keep it running \u201cthrough at least 2024.\u201d<\/p>\n

But just before publication, Cirque du Soleil suddenly announced that the show would end on July 7th as part of the iconic hotel-casino\u2019s rebranding renovation plan.<\/p>\n

Devastating news for sure, but there\u2019s no doubt June 30, 2006, was an unforgettable night in Beatles history and introduced Giles Martin and his talents to the world.<\/p>\n

He would go on to remix several Beatles albums and co-produce (with Paul McCartney) the last Beatles single, \u201cNow And Then,\u201d which dropped last year and reached #1 in Great Britain.<\/p>\n

Not bad for the producer who once said that fateful night in 2006, \u201cI\u2019m not really one of them. I just actually move knobs around.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked if he still feels that way, Giles joked, \u201cA dirty knob twiddler?\u201d But quickly put his current position into perspective.<\/p>\n

\u201cI suppose I\u2019m part of the family in respect to being trusted with their material, and that\u2019s something I never take for granted,\u201d Giles says.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never imagined I\u2019d work on any Beatles music at all. LOVE was a life-changing experience for me,\u201d Giles adds. \u201cI\u2019m still working with the Beatles, and it\u2019s been an unbelievable ride. I\u2019m still not certainly one of them, but I\u2019m really, really happy they still ask me to work on their music.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Cast members perform during \"Revolution\" for \"The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil.\" (Photo by Matt Beard, courtesy of Cirque du Soleil)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

LOVE would be his father\u2019s last Beatles album before he passed in 2016, yet Giles says it brought George Martin back into the family and the inner workings of the Beatles.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to remember the backdrop of this: the Beatles didn\u2019t ask him to produce \u201cFree As A Bird,\u201d which was the record they made during 1995\u2019s Anthology, so he was reentering a family that he\u2019d not been part of for a while,\u201d Giles explains. \u201cTo be arm-in-arm with them on stage was pretty special.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>

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(L-R) Sir George Martin, Sir Paul McCartney, Olivia Harrison, Yoko Ono, Barbara Bach, and Ringo Star. (Photo by Kevin Mazur courtesy of Cirque du Soleil)<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

Not only is the LOVE show a Cirque success story, but it will always be a part of the Beatles lore.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou are expanding the legacy of The Beatles to a completely different audience,\u201d Carter emphasizes. \u201cThere\u2019s probably 40 percent of the audience who have no Beatles albums at home, and it also brings in the most hardcore fan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Giles Martin agrees. \u201cThe legacy of the show is also bringing new people and new audience members to the world of the Beatles, and indeed the world of Cirque. That\u2019s what the LOVE show is. It\u2019s been a landmark in my life, but it also created unique experiences for millions of people, and that\u2019s an incredible thing to be part of.\u201d<\/p>\n

All we need is LOVE.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jeremy Louwerse is the co-author of \u201cThe Beatles in Los Angeles.\u201d Visit thebeatlesinlosangeles.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

\"The<\/span><\/div><\/div>

The Beatles in Los Angeles: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow written by Jeremy Louwerse and Tom Weitzel<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>

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<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What started as a look back at the Last Great Beatles Summit almost 18 years ago at the grand opening of \u201cThe Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil\u201d at The Mirage Hotel & Casino quickly became a loving tribute to the show\u2019s iconic legacy. When Jeremy Louwerse and Stacey Gualandi set out to write this story for Chic Compass, they thought we would have LOVE in our lives through the end of 2024. But Cirque du Soleil\u2019s shocking announcement yesterday that the show will close for good on July 7th saddened our hearts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6627,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2360,4520],"tags":[4122,4117,4116,3396,4129,4126,4128,4121,4120,267,4131,2816,4127,4118,4125,4124,3128,3772,4123,4130,4119],"class_list":["post-6622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-entertainment","tag-barbara-bach","tag-breakfast-with-the-beatles","tag-chris-carter","tag-cirque-du-soleil","tag-dominic-champagne","tag-giles-martin","tag-guy-laliberte","tag-john-lennon","tag-julian-lennon","tag-las-vegas","tag-love","tag-nevada","tag-olivia-harrison","tag-ringo-star","tag-sir-george-martin","tag-sir-paul-mccartney","tag-stacey-gualandi","tag-the-beatles","tag-the-beatles-love","tag-the-mirage-hotel-casino","tag-yoko-ono"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6622","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6622"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6622\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6641,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6622\/revisions\/6641"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6622"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6622"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chiccompass.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}