THE 2024 MARATHON FAQ IS HERE TO MELT YOUR FACE!
Before I answer these questions, I encourage anyone curious about the show, its genesis and its history before 2016, to read this incredible article.
Also here is a WSJ article by Bob Greene.
1. When is the 24 hour Beatlemania?
Sgt Peppercorn’s Marathon (the Beatles Marathon) is December 28 at the Athenaeum Theater in Columbus, Ohio. Doors are at 11 am and the show starts at 11:30. It has taken anywhere from 12-15 hours to perform, though this year we plan on it taking exactly 12 hours. Also, please don’t call it Beatlemania, this show has very little to do with the cultural phenomenon from the ’60s called “Beatlemania” but more on that later.
2. What’s the Beatles Marathon or Sgt Peppercorn’s Marathon and are they the same thing?
Sgt Peppercorn’s Marathon, otherwise known as The Beatles Marathon, is a single performance of every Beatles song (214ish songs) in consecutive chronological order. The music is played live and in person as well as (hopefully) streamed on 12-28-24. You can buy tickets online here and tickets are available also CASH ONLY at Spoonful Records, Elizabeth’s Records, Lost Weekend Records, Music Royale and Mug and Brush in Gahanna.
3. Wait wha? You don’t actually play ALL the songs, that would take forever?
Yes, we do, and yes we play Do You Want to Know a Secret, Revolution 9, You Know My Name Look Up The Number, Sie Liebt Dich, etc. It takes about 9 hours to listen to the catalog, and 12ish hours to play it.
4. How long is the show?
12-13.5 hours usually, we will be starting around 11:30am and finishing some time around midnight-ish.
5. So you play recordings? What do you mean by play live?
We play the drums, bass, guitar, piano, violin, etc. live. Every song, every chord, every vocal harmony we can hear, some harmonies we’ve added to some songs, sometimes we add a keyboard where there wasn’t one before, we try to make every song original and unique from year to year. Everything performed live and in person.
6. Can kids go?
Yes, many of us have kids of our own and we love kids (most of the time) and kids are more than welcome, but it is not an event catered to kids. Things CAN get ROWDY. There is seating though, and I try to make sure people are kind to one another. Kids get in free before noon; as the day progresses and people are drinking, please use caution and your good sense. Hearing protection is HIGHLY encouraged.
7. Are babies allowed?
Yes, ALL AGES are welcome. However, again, hearing protection is encouraged for younger guests. and please don’t let your baby cry because Phil knows that baby is crying because he used to be a piece of shit.
8. Why aren’t your social media accounts updated better? I sent you a message and you didn’t respond; I saw you didn’t update something on your FB page?
I don’t know what any of this stuff does, and I am scared. I am at Stauf’s writing this FAQ and there is a nice woman at the table next to mine telling someone how she can consult with them to make their “socials” really “connect” with “target audiences” and I just don’t want to follow that road, I would rather you all tell your friends about this. I feel bad, ’cause she seems nice and I want her to make a living, but also, as I said before, I’m scared and I have 12 hours of music to prep and I don’t want to hire someone to game algorithms.
9. Where is parking?
It is downtown Columbus on a Saturday, so there is ample street parking around the venue, as well as a parking garage right next door to the north of the building.
10. Who plays Paul? Are you John? Does the Ringo wear the right color of Sgt Pepper costume? How are your British accents?
We do not cosplay the Beatles, local fashion company PURSUIT will be dressing us with style this year. Thank you PURSUIT for making us look presentable. We have no interest in doing the Beatles tribute show where you pretend you’re the Beatles.
11. How do you choose the order of the songs?
We play them chronologically, playing the albums in their original British order, and sprinkling the non-album singles in between the albums.
12. Is there re-entry?
For most of the show, you can come and go. We reached capacity last year and so we will need to stop promised re-entry at 7 PM. You can get back in after 7, but you may have to wait in line to get back in. We can hold your spot while you get dinner, but be back before 7, otherwise we will not be able to hold your spot for you. It will be one in, one out after 7.
13. Will you live stream the show?
That is the plan, WE ARE TRYING TO STREAM IT. Unfortunately, there are a lot of variables with streaming a live concert for 13 hours, and we are trying to ensure that if we put in the work and time, that it will all work. With all that said, 2024 IS GOING TO BE THE MOST BITCHING STREAM WE HAVE EVER DONE. Check www.peppercornmarathon.com for the stream info.
14. Well I don’t wanna stand there for 13 hours. What do you think of that?
Fortunately, there is ample seating at the Athenaeum and you will be able to enjoy the hell out of the show in a century-old chair.
15. Well, I don’t wanna be there for 13 hours, how’s that for ya?
You can come and go as you please up until 7 PM. After 7, it may be one in, one out, we shall see.
16. Have you thought about dividing the show up so it is not so long?
What is the fun of that? This is like church or a sweat tent, we reach new heights of consciousness and understanding by playing for hours on end. Also, let’s be real, nobody in the band wants to haul their gear more than once for this show.
17. Will there be food and drinks available to purchase at the show?
Oh most definitely, Donatos will be selling pizza and there will be selections from the venue’s menu. We will try and make sure all your needs are met to the best of our abilities.
18. Are kids still free?
Yes! Until noon, if you want to take the family for cheap, we are trying to ensure that it is still possible.
19. What’s the cutoff age for free kids?
18ish I guess, but if you have the means and want to buy a ticket for your kid, please do and we appreciate the support, but otherwise, we know how expensive it is to do shit with your kids and how literally everything now has a cover charge. This is not a grift, we want you to feel something for what seems like a bargain in the end.
20. Who’s better, The Beatles or Stones?
The Kinks.
21. Did you guys intentionally book a day when the Buckeyes were not playing? Does this mean you are huge Buckeye fans?
It was a happy accident, not because we would be sad to miss the game, but it would make us sad to see all of you crying in the audience if and when they lose.
22. What’s the poster a reference to?
Glass Onion! See if you can pick out the references!!!!!
23. Does it make you angry when people don’t like the Beatles?
No, it just makes me sad. I get it, maybe it is not for everyone, but it should be.
24. Who is your favorite Beatle?
Paul McCartney! I mean John Lennon! I mean, that’s a hard one. Ironically, not Pete Best.
25. Did Paul McCartney really send you a video endorsing the show?
Yes he did! Here is what he said: “Hi everyone, welcome to the Beatles Marathon, hey Amy I got your letter thank you very much and hey band, ok guys! I think it’s a great idea I wish you good luck and good stamina and now I’m gonna kick you off with our first recording, and then you have to carry on, forever, and ever and ever, Love love me do, carry on!” I just wrote that from memory, so it may not be exact but I have watched that video maybe four hundred times.
26. Is Ringo ever gonna send you a video?
He did! Last year! It’s on our Instagram page! Thank you to Lisa Jenkins for making it happen!
27. Do you guys ever think about doing solo songs from the Beatles?
Yes! We pick new solo songs every year to perform at the show, we even did All Things Must Pass one year! THIS Year we are stripping it down to the core catalog and letting ourselves have time to do Grateful Dead/Santana jams.
28. This is a later date than usual right?
No, our show has been as early as December 4 and as late as December 31 (the Covid live stream show) and it really is basically whatever ends up working for our schedules in the year. We are all musicians first, but all of us maintain other jobs. It’s more difficult than you would imagine to schedule around this time with kids and everything, but we think it’s worth making it work. We will NEVER do the day after Christmas again though, good lord that was rough.
29. How did you think of this idea?
I was in a weird place, having just turned 30, and feeling a bit aimless in life after becoming a parent. My son was in the backseat of my car, 1 1/2 years old, singing along to She Loves You. My friend, Andyman, with whom I had shared many Beatles singalongs, most memorably tumbling through Abbey Road together in 2006, had passed away a few months earlier. I was going to originally play the entire White Album, and then with two weeks until the show, I decided to play the whole catalog. It was a strange time of looking back and looking forward and I really reconnected with this music that saved my life as an adolescent.
30. Is this $30 show better than the $3000 Taylor Swift show?
Absolutely it is, come at me.
31. Is this for charity?
No.
32. Do you guys have other music?
Oh yeah, we have some incredible original music. Columbus has incredible talent oozing out of its pores. Please check out our bands if you can.