The Beatles LOVE Celebrates 50th Anniv of The Beatles in Las Vegas
The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil cast members, Southwest Airlines and McCarran International Airport joined together yesterday to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of The Beatles’ historic Las Vegas arrival in 1964. Travelers arriving from all over the globe were treated to surprise performances from the critically acclaimed show inside McCarran’s Terminal 1 baggage claim.
In celebration of the band’s first and only visit, cast members from LOVE took the same route the Fab Four did 50 years ago by taking a Southwest flight from San Francisco to Las Vegas.
Earlier in the day cast members surprised guests at San Francisco International Airport with a special performance prior to boarding a Southwest flight to Las Vegas. During the flight, passengers were treated to in-flight giveaways as they posed for photos with the cast.
“It’s hard to believe Beatlemania swept the United States 50 years ago,” said Tim Smith, Artistic Director for LOVE. “We at LOVE are delighted to keep that spirit alive every night at The Mirage in Las Vegas. It was natural for us to want to honor The Beatles and their fans by celebrating the only way we at Cirque du Soleil know how – with exhilarating live performances that bring the music of The Beatles to life.”
“We love to create special moments onboard our flights,” said Linda Rutherford, Southwest Airlines Vice President Communication and Outreach. “Celebrating this historic flight with The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil is a fun and unique way to leave a lasting memory with our customers.”
The celebration continued at McCarran International Airport’s baggage claim as travelers were greeted with pop-up performances by the LOVE cast.
The performances featured a special arrangement of three of The Beatles’ biggest hits including “Get Back,” “Drive My Car” and “Sgt. Pepper,” with LOVE performers dancing on top of the carousels and acrobats flipping on trampolines as a vintage 1960s Volkswagen Beetle was driven through baggage claim.
The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du Soleil opened to rave reviews on June 30, 2006 and has played to more than six million audience members. LOVE is the recipient of three GRAMMY Awards. Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Bill Cody is an entertainment, technology and luxury travel reporter in Las Vegas. He reports on celebrities, events, tech, food, Las Vegas and luxury travel.