For Craig Martin and Andrew Burashko, the last few days have been a bit hectic and stressful, but it all seems to have come together.

And on Saturday night, both Martin and Burashko will see their work pay off in their own respective ways -- when each brings The Beatles' Abbey Road album to life, celebrating to the day the 40th anniversary of the release.

As founder of Classic Albums Live, Martin and his 17-piece band are recreating the album note-for-note at Massey Hall.

Meanwhile, Burashko and the Art Of Time Ensemble are re-imagining the album at the Enwave Theatre with various pop and rock vocalists including Kevin Hearn, Steven Page, Raine Maida and Sarah Slean, among others.

Burashko says the Art Of Time's Abbey Road concert -- which is soldout -- has been an exciting process.

"The spirit of those songs, some tried to remain very true to the album," Burashko says en route to another rehearsal.

"But the instrumentation is so different. Unlike the album, which was a studio record with a million overdubs, this is a 12-piece almost chamber orchestra.

"For example, at the very end with the big drum solo (in the song The End) and the guitars where they all take turns soloing, that had to be rethought.

"Others just went way, way out in rethinking those songs and somehow found an incredible balance."

In the case of Classic Albums Live, Martin says ticket sales have been going well, with just under 2,000 sold as of Wednesday afternoon.

The only problem for Martin might be getting the musicians to not over-analyze the numerous intricacies and studio tricks found deep within the album.

"We were into the minutiae of this to ridiculous lengths," Martin says with a laugh.

"I like to do everything organically. We don't use samplers or anything like that. And in Octopus's Garden they have these bubble sounds, so how are we going to make bubble sounds?

"So we've been blowing bubbles into everything -- carafes, glasses, Big Gulps -- we're trying to get the right tonality of the bubbles ... We found these Tiki carafes that work. It's like a Fellini film sometimes, the rehearsals."

As for a favourite selection from his concert, Burashko doesn't choose one "out of respect to the arrangers" but says the entire performance is very strong.

"We're doing it without a conductor, and the bigger a band grows the exponentially difficult the issues of ensemble become," he says. "It's all falling into place. The singers are really comfortable, so yeah it's all working."

In Martin's opinion, he's looking forward to the second side of the album following the "very intense, dark and macabre" Side 1 closer I Want You (She's So Heavy).

"Side 2 opens with Here Comes The Sun," Martin says. "It's just so beautiful, and from then on it's so up and happy. That whole side of the album is the greatest rock and roll music that's ever been. That's the height of heights for rock. I don't think there's anything better than that."

The performance is also extra special for Martin, as Classic Albums Live takes to Massey Hall's stage for the first time. The series debuted in April 2003 at the Phoenix Concert Theatre and had a monthly residence that lasted well into last year. His musicians now perform classic rock albums on tours and one-offs across North America.

"I think it's a dream come true, I'm pinching myself," Martin, a son of Scarborough, says of playing Massey Hall.

"It's going to be a very emotional night for me. My friends and family are going to be there.

"It's going to be an amazing experience."