If The Beatles had reformed at Hollywood Bowl in 1978 ...

Okay here is the scenario, The Beatles reform for a one time reunion
concert at Hollywood Bowl in 1978. The show consists of three parts,
where they first wear their early suits, then Sergeant Pepper costumes,
and lastly just casual clothes circa Abbey Road.

BrianQ...

I'm sorry if I bore,
and I love the idea of "what ifs"
but I cannot see them having gotten together
to parody themselves.

Beatlemania was in full bloom at the Winter Garden
in NYC, and the Beatles would have been a joke
doing a show where they seem to imitate their imitators.

I think even talk of such a concept
would have driven at least George and John
from the table.

That being said, I'm not quite sure
they would have been ready to perform
their oldies that early.
Not that I wouldn't have loved to see
them play such a set.

My best guess is that they would
do 3-4 of their solo songs each,
would have tried to flesh out 2-3 new numbers as a group -
1 ea from JP&G,and maybe, just maybe, 2 or 3 from their catalogue.

I would have paid real money to see them trade
solos on a live 'the End' for 5 minutes.

Would they have been any good?

They'd have to have gotten together
to record studio versions of the new songs,
which in itself would have taken some
time for them to get back in synch.

Then, just as they've begun to get on each others nerves,
they put the tunes in the can,
and go their separate ways for 6 months,
with the agreement that in 6 months
they are going to lock themselves in a closet
and do NOTHING but rehearse the tunes to perfection.
NO new arrangements, no business, no ideas until after the gig,
nothing but playing in preparation for their
first real show in 12 years.

I'm sure that's as big a stretch as the costume
idea I blasted at the outset, but that's my
personal version of what it would take to do
a successful show in 1978

What would the set list be, and do you think any of them would have had
a problem singing any of the songs? I.e. could John Lennon still have
done Twist And Shout to start of the concert?

And for all those ready to jump in with "they would never done this!":
don't be boring.

Lord Buckeye...

As bizzare as you premise is, how about this scenario: They do the
Hollywood Bowl (best venue in the world) in '78 but only solo material.
What would be the setlist?