"Several days ago, a visitor holding a white rose went in to the exhibition hall alone. After observing every item, he laid the rose beside the white piano on the third floor. John Lennon used that white piano to record one of his most famous songs, 'Imagine'."

Chen Luying, a coordinator of the exhibition titled "The Beatles, Tomorrow" at the Lafayette Arts Center in Shanghai, tells this story that happened in the hall. She says the show is able to transport the visitors back to the 1960s. It is a tribute to all things about the best-known rock n roll band.

According to Ma Chencheng, the curator of the show from Shanghai Media Group, visitors can see 100 photos and a large number of personal items of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison as well as more than 250 newspaper and magazine articles about the Fab Four, from the time of the band's establishment until they split up.

"It's a show that you can experience with all your senses. Besides photos, there are also their posters, records, newspaper features, a reproduction of The Beatles' first US television show, Ed Sullivan Show, and the 3D scenery of their album cover, Abbey Road. In addition, we also broadcast the documentary of the Beatles."

A reproduction of The Beatles' first US television show, Ed Sullivan Show [photo: newsplusradio.cn]

The reproduction of the famous Abbey Road album cover is one of the most welcomed highlights of the show, visitors can act out that iconic scene on the most well-known zebra stripes with a little help from their friends.

Another highlight is the Beatles lifestyle area, including a live house performance every night. DJs and bands from home and abroad perform at the venue every night while snacks and drinks are served to bring The Beatles era back to life.

Compare to showcase the band's history, the curators have more ambition.

"We pay much more attention to deliver a different lifestyle to our visitors by a special designed show with rich content and connotation."

The impact of the Beatles has often been noted. The "Fab Four" from Liverpool, England, startled the ears and energized the lives of virtually all who heard them. Their arrival triggered the musical revolution of the Sixties, introducing a modern sound and viewpoint that parted ways with the world of the previous decades.

"The Beatles was a great band because of their innovation. They were real pioneers. They set an example for the following bands and the youngsters at that time. Before, the process of creation and performance were separate. It was the Beatles that first merged the two concepts together."

In a career that lasted less than a decade, the Beatles changed the course of rock and roll and popular music. After launching the British Invasion of the United States and scoring 20 Number One hits, the Beatles went on to indulge their creative energies in the studio. They have always been considered as the creative apotheosis of rock and roll, made rock music a "serious art" without losing its sense of humor.

The group continued to break new grounds before calling it quits in 1970. All of the band members, from then on, went on to successful solo careers.
In a heavy storm, fans of the Beatles would still flood into the show.

"The exhibition is very good. I love the mottos by the fab Four on the walls. And I like the idea of live performances at night."

"I am a big fan of the Beatles. Actually I know a lot about the band, but it's a different feeling to see the real photos and news reports with my own eyes."

"It takes me back to the sixties and seventies. I believe the exhibition may remind many Beatles' fans of the memory of their youth."