Rooftop Rock: Whanganui teachers re-create legendary concert for students

Kupe Renata, Chris Donaldson, Mike Connor and Andrew Wetherall will perform a rooftop concert as Blazer. Photo / Supplied

A quartet of mature musicians has come up with a plan to cheer up members of the younger generation with a Beatlesesque rooftop concert.

"A lot of our students have had a pretty hard time during the past few months," Whanganui City College teacher Mike Connor said.

"We wanted to give them a bit of a treat or at least a laugh."

Connor, Kupe Renata, Andrew Wetherall and Chris Donaldson have donned black and white school jackets and named themselves Blazer for the occasion.

They have even posed for a photo on the St Hill St zebra crossing outside the school in a re-creation of the Beatles' Abbey Road album cover.

The Beatles' famous 1969 rooftop concert, played in London's Savile Row, cheered up many in the vicinity during their lunch breaks and Connor said he hopes the Blazer performance will do the same for Whanganui folk.

"I think the students will be impressed with Kupe's drumming.

"He played with the Black Trio and they made the finals of New Zealand's Got Talent a few years ago."

Other members of the group will be adopting the persona of their favourite Beatle for the occasion.

"I am Ringo although I wanted to be John," Connor said.

"Andrew is John, Chris is Paul and Kupe will be George, even though he's the drummer."

The Beatles' London concert, which was their final live performance, lasted for 42 minutes until noise control officers ordered them to turn down the volume.

Connor said Blazer's Upon the Roof performance at the college would be much shorter and, unlike the Beatles, they had announced the event in advance.

"Although it is for the students, we hope passersby might like to stop and listen from the street."

Upon the Roof is scheduled to start at 12.25pm today.