From Our Rooftop to the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger: A Beatles Tribute to Remember

Today, on Paul McCartney’s 84th birthday, we are delighted to share a special highlight from our school community.

Our recent Beatles rooftop tribute has attracted attention far beyond our school and was recently featured in the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.

Recreating a Historic Musical Moment

Inspired by the announcement that Savile Row 3 — the site of The Beatles’ legendary final rooftop performance — will be transformed into a fully immersive museum in 2027, three Cologne International School students set out to recreate this iconic moment on the roof of our school building. Under the guidance of Music Teacher Rob Keane, the students carefully recreated the atmosphere, look, and sound of the original performance.

Attention to Detail

The project paid tribute not only to one of the most famous live performances in music history but also to the creativity, dedication, and musicianship of our students. The performers paid close attention to the visual and musical details of the original rooftop concert. Their outfits reflected the colour scheme of the historic performance, helping to recreate its instantly recognisable appearance.

Musically, the tribute remained faithful to the original setup, with a Höfner violin bass and Gibson ES-335 contributing to a sound that closely echoed the iconic rooftop performance. While the absence of keyboards, one of the original guitar arrangements, and a Ludwig drum kit meant that some elements differed slightly from the original, the overall atmosphere and energy of the concert were recreated with remarkable authenticity.

From the School Rooftop to the Local Press

The performance captured the spirit of Peter Jackson’s acclaimed documentary Get Back, bringing a historic musical moment to life for a new generation. The original setlist was largely preserved, with one special adaptation: “God Save the Queen” was replaced by “Happy Birthday” as a tribute to Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr on their birthdays and in anticipation of Global Beatles Day on 25 June.

We are especially pleased that this project was featured in the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, highlighting the creativity and engagement of our students beyond the school community.

Read the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger article: Kölner Schüler spielen legendäres Beatles-Konzert nach

Watch the full rooftop concert on YouTube: Beatles Tribute: Rooftop Concert

Congratulations to our student performers and to Music Teacher Rob Keane for bringing this memorable project to life.

And in the spirit of it all — time to Get Back to where it once belonged, and will forevermore.

Musical background and performance notes provided by Music Teacher Rob Keane.

Tatjana Zaric
Marketing & Communications
Cologne International School