PAC Museum: Beatles in Montreal

Beatles in Montreal
POINTE-À-CALLIÈRE MUSEUM

March 29th, 2013 - March 30th, 2014

The Beatles in Montréal, an exhibition  of the legendary British group which revolutionized pop music around the world, is on a Montréal stopover. The group had a profound influence on musical trends that took root right in Montréal and throughout Québec. Designed as an exhibition-experience, The Beatles in Montréal uses this past musical event as a starting point for an examination of Montréal history and the emergence of “yéyé” music in 1960s Québec.

This exhibition displays a great amount of memorabilia items  from the Montreal's legendary show such as photographs and tickets to the show among others. It also features digitally cleaned Beatles' Montreal stage performance - their concert.



In one of the exhibition halls one can even become the fifth member of Beatles by singing karaoke style along with the legendary group. This participatory activity will no doubt prove to be very popular with the visitors to this exhibition, both the very young ones, as well as with those who actually took part at the Beatles' concert in September 1964.

One of the most memorable exhibits is John Lennon's Rolls-Royce that he owned between 1965-1977. On loan from the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, Canada, this car was manufactured in 1965 by Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Limited, in Crewe, Cheshire, UK. The Phantom V was fitted with a limousine body, finished in matte black, measured 19 feet long, and weighed three tons. John Lennon purchased it when he was just 24 years old. Over the years, Lennon had several modifications made to the Rolls: the rear seat was converted into a double bed, and a television, refrigerator, telephone, and sound system were added.

Growing tired of the Rolls’ all-too-classic paint job, John Lennon sought to update its appearance, looking to more daring—and even psychedelic—stylistic influence Shortly after The Beatles had made the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, Lennon and the J. P. Fallon design firm found their inspiration in a gypsy wagon, painted in a flowery style. Artist Steve Weaver was commissioned to complete the work based on the wagon’s design. The roof of the car was painted with Lennon’s zodiac sign, Libra. The newly painted Rolls-Royce was delivered to Lennon in May 1967. But the car’s radical transformation did not meet with unanimous approval. One day, in downtown London, an old woman attacked the car with her umbrella, yelling: “You swine, how dare you do this to a Rolls-Royce?” Proof that the English have a great deal of respect for this symbol of British dignity.

A short film from 1967 gives the exhibition visitors a glimpse of the Rolls, with its new paint job, driving along a country road, and shows the various transformations made to the car.

Visit the Pointe-à-Callière Museum's website for more information and opening hours.

http://pacmusee.qc.ca/en/home