Live from Abbey Road is a 12-part, one-hour performance series/documentary that began filming its first season during 2006 at Abbey Road Studios in London. Season 2 was filmed between 2007 and 2008, season 3 was filmed in 2009 and Season 4 was filmed in 2011. The series features a total of 128 musical artists to date (about 32 per Season) -- usually two or three per show, performing up to five songs per session. The sessions are recorded without a live audience. Shot in HD video 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".
Broadcast licenses
The series began broadcasting on Channel 4 / More 4 in the United Kingdom in January 2007 under a license from Channel 4. Since season 2 the series has been licensed for broadcast in 27 countries around the world, including: ZDF KULTUR (Germany) EBS (South Korea) Sundance Channel (United States) Metro TV (Indonesia) TV2 (Malaysia) NHK (Japan) HOT Family (Israel) STAR World (Asia) RÚV (Iceland) Creative Networks (Italy) Okto (Singapore) Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (Canada) Canvas (Belgium) Sony Entertainment Television (Latin America) IntraCommunications (Russia) Kanal 5 (Sweden) Dream TV (Turkey) Once TV (Mexico) Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia) Animax (Latin America)
The series is distributed for broadcast by Fremantle Media. The series is licensed to 112 territories in total.
Production
Live from Abbey Road Limited is an independent production company formed by the series' producer, Michael Gleason. The series is produced under a multi year license from EMI, owner of Abbey Road Studios. The second half of Season 4 aired in the UK from November 2011.
Musicians
The first 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.
Series 1
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 Goo Goo Dolls
Natasha Bedingfield, Gipsy Kings and Iron Maiden
John Mayer, Richard Ashcroft and Norah Jones
Series 2
The 2nd series was broadcast in the UK between 27 June 2008 and 13 September 2008. 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
Series 3
The third series began airing in the UK on 11 October 2009.