Live from Abbey Road is a British music documentary television series created by Michael Gleason and Peter Van Hooke and filmed at Abbey Road Studios in London which features new performances, interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from both old and new musical talent.
The series premiered in the UK on Channel Four on 12 January, 2007.
Live from Abbey Road premiered in South Africa on TopTV's Top One channel on Friday 10 June 2011, at 19h00. See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Season 3 premiered on Top One on Friday 3 August 2012, at 19h00. New episodes broadcast weekly. There are 12 episodes in the third season.
Season 1
The world's most famous recording studio is the setting for this intimate music series featuring new and established performers.
See some of rock music's biggest stars perform at London's legendary recording studio Abbey Road in this unique music series.
The series features new performances, interviews and behind-the-scenes footage from both old and new musical talent.
It features artists like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Gnarls Barkley, Paul Simon and Wynton Marsalis without an audience as they rehearse, discuss and perform in the closed environment of a recording studio.
The series features famous musicians and groups from various genres, artists playing rock music to heavy metal, music influenced by electronic music such as dance and industrial, pop and even jazz and blues have all been featured.
The artists spend the day at Abbey Road rehearsing and performing. Many have their own mixing desk and sound techs on site.
The idea is to capture the sound created during the production of a record, and to film the process without an audience, typical of the atmosphere in a recording studio.
The series features three music acts per show, performing up to three songs per session. The sessions are recorded without a live audience.
Filmed in High-Definition with the occasional use of 35 mm lenses, the producers have sought to record performances which "look like a movie and sound like a record".
Season 1 Artists
- Snow Patrol, Madeleine Peyroux and Red Hot Chili Peppers
- Paul Simon, Corinne Bailey Rae and Primal Scream
- Craig David, James Morrison and Dave Matthews
- Amos Lee, David Gilmour and Randy Crawford & Joe Sample
- The Kooks, Wynton Marsalis and Muse
- The Zutons, Shawn Colvin, Nerina Pallot and Ray Lamontagne
- Kasabian, Josh Groban and The Good, the Bad & the Queen
- Gnarls Barkley, The Feeling and The Killers
- Dr. John, LeAnn Rimes and Massive Attack
- Jamiroquai, Damien Rice and The Goo Goo Dolls
- Natasha Bedingfield, Gipsy Kings and Iron Maiden
- John Mayer, Richard Ashcroft and Norah Jones
Season 2
If the first season of Live From Abbey Road "redefined and revolutionised" music television to become the world's premiere music show; the second will leave its competitors standing with its high production values and outstanding content.
The season will showcase the world's finest musicians, with each show consisting of three top-class performers recording a session at the world's most prestigious recording studio.
Directed by the visionary AJ Jankel, each episode is as insightful as it is elegant, as sophisticated as it is cool. Shot in a classy, almost dreamlike way, its style is inimitable.
Live From Abbey Road 2 will provide artists with the assurance and freedom they need in order to perform to their very best.
The featured musicians will perform inside a studio environment, without a television presenter or public audience; each artist will perform three songs which will be interspersed with intimate interviews.
Expect content of the highest possible quality, our priority is to capture great performances, and we're pretty confident we've succeeded.
The most renowned music studio on the planet has opened its doors once more, and invites you to witness contemporary history in the making.
Season 2 Artists
- Mary J. Blige, Dashboard Confessional and James Blunt
- Sheryl Crow, Hard-Fi and Diana Krall
- Stereophonics, Colbie Caillat and Joan Armatrading
- Panic at the Disco, David Gray and Suzanne Vega
- The Hoosiers, The Black Keys and Manu Chao
- Matchbox Twenty, The Script and Def Leppard
- Rascal Flatts, Kate Nash, Herbie Hancock
- The Kills, Sara Bareilles and The Fratellis
- The Subways, Gnarls Barkley and Herbie Hancock
- Elbow, MGMT and Alanis Morissette
- Justin Currie, Ben Harper and Bryan Adams
- Teddy Thompson, Martha Wainwright and Brian Wilson
Season 3
The third season of the acclaimed original music series Live From Abbey Road features performances and interviews with musicians filmed at London's legendary Abbey Road Studios.
The premiere episode is a special tribute to the Beatles' iconic album, "Abbey Road." The episode features Seal, Counting Crows, Sugarland and Matchbox Twenty, as well as other never-before-seen performances of songs from the album in conjunction with its 40th Anniversary.
In addition, the episode includes an exclusive interview with legendary Beatles producer Sir George Martin.
Live From Abbey Road offers a unique look inside the creative process of some of the industry's most fascinating artists, both established and up and coming.
This season features performances by new and established A-list artists, with each one-hour episode offering three acts discussing their work and performing.
Artists on tap for season three include Seal, Sugarland, Green Day, Counting Crows, The Fray, Noisettes, The Killers, Michael Bublé, Fleet Foxes, Bloc Party, The Mars Volta, Chairlift and Mika.
Season 3 Artists
- A Tribute to the Beatles' Abbey Road album
- The Killers, Florence and the Machine and Chairlift
- Antony & the Johnsons, The Enemy, and Paloma Faith
- The Gossip, The Mars Volta and Friendly Fires
- Noisettes, Lyle Lovett and Doves
- Mika, La Roux and Bloc Party
- Fleet Foxes, PJ Harvey and John Parish and Manchester Orchestra
- Seal, Imelda May and Sugarland
- Counting Crows, Melody Gardot and Hockey
- Yusuf Islam, The Fray and White Lies
- Green Day, Bat For Lashes and Starsailor
- Michael Bublé, The Temper Trap and Little Boots
Season 4
The fourth season of the acclaimed original music series Live From Abbey Road features performances and interviews with musicians filmed at London's legendary Abbey Road Studios.
The final episode of the season - "Best Unseen Footage" - features unseen footage from previous episodes this series along with a performance from the band Transfer, who only appears in this episode.
Live From Abbey Road offers a unique look inside the creative process of some of the industry's most fascinating artists, both established and up and coming.
This season features performances by new and established A-list artists, with each one-hour episode offering three acts discussing their work and performing.
Artists on tap for season four include Noah and the Whale, Blondie, Anna Calvi, The Villagers, Kaiser Chiefs, Ryan Adams, Foster the People, The Kooks, Gregg Allman and Ed Sheeran.
Season 4 Artists
- Raphael Saadiq and Noah and the Whale
- Blondie and Anna Calvi
- Beady Eye and James Blake
- Rumer and The Villagers
- Kaiser Chiefs and Glasvegas
- Brandon Flowers and Lykke Li
- Laura Marling and Ryan Adams
- The Pierces and Dark Dark Dark
- Feist and Foster the People
- The Kooks and Viva Brother
- Gregg Allman and Ed Sheeran
- Best Unseen Footage
The series is produced by Michael Gleason and distributed worldwide by FremantleMedia Enterprises.
Seasons
Series exclusive to Top One
Season 1 (12 episodes)
Premiere: 10 June 2011 | Finale: 26 August 2011 | Fridays, 19h00
Season 2 (12 episodes)
Premiere: 1 July 2012 | Finale: 16 September 2012 | Sundays, 18h00
Season 3 (12 episodes)
Premiere: 3 August 2012 | Finale: 19 October 2012 | Fridays, 19h00