For the first time ever in concert, with The George Ellis Symphony Orchesta, Empire Touring is thrilled to bring you Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The songs will be performed by some of Australia’s best contemporary artists: Russell Morris, Jack Jones, Steve Balbi & Robyn Loau. They will be accompanied by a 24-piece orchestra, conducted by George Ellis, along with a 7-piece band.
Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips sat down with singer songwriter Jack Jones to chat about the upcoming Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band celebration shows and everything else that Jack is up to.
Released on 1st June 1967, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the band’s eighth album is considered one of the most important and influential albums ever made. It was an immediate commercial and critical success, spending 27 weeks at the top of the albums chart in the United Kingdom and 15 weeks at number one in the United States.
George Ellis, who will conduct the shows, is a respected conductor, compose and orchestrator. Classically trained at the doctoral level in Australian and the USA, and experiences in performing pop/rock music, George has made a career of combining symphony orchestras with popular artists. He’s very excited to be arranging the music for these shows and said “when I was 4 years old, my father brought home the album of Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. I took it straight to my bedroom and played it over and over, for hours and hours on end. It wasn’t just the songs or the Beatles themselves – but the phenomenal orchestration, in songs like A Day In the Life. It blew my mind – and more than 50 years later, it still does!”
There can be no doubting the profound impact The Beatles had on the history of music. Together for a mere 10 years, they led a musical revolution that radically transformed the sound and significance of rock & roll. Their rich, fresh sound and harmonic structure remains unequalled today.
Empire Touring have assembled an impeccable line-up of over 30 musicians to bring alive the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band classic in its entirety. This very special evening will take music lovers of all kinds on a musical journey that they won’t forget.
SATURDAY 6TH MAY 2023
Palais Theatre, Melbourne
SATURDAY 20TH MAY 2023
State Theatre, Sydney
Tickets on sale now
Tickets are available at: www.ticketmaster.com.au