The Beatles in the USA

BBC ^ | July 18, 2011

[nuconvert]

The Fab Four made two hysteria-inducing visits to America in 1964, launching the so-called "British Invasion" of the mid-1960s.

As they visited Washington DC and Baltimore a young photographer, Mike Mitchell, snapped dozens of images of John, Paul, George and Ringo.

Now, after being filed away for nearly 50 years, these never seen before black-and-white photographs are being sold at auction at Christie's in New York.

(2min video at link)

[Do Not Make Fun Of His Ears]

Really cool.

[DManA]

When I was in China last month everyone knows Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga. No one had ever heard of the Beatles. I bet you could precisely date when China opened up if you did a survey of Chinese knowledge of US popular culture.

[ken5050]

I was at the 1965 Shea Stadium concert..girl I was dating at the time...her dad was an NYPD captain..assigned to the Stadium for the concert...he snuck us in...we were standing about 25 feet from the stage, right near one of the sound towers..noise was unreal..I thought my fillings were gonna fall out..

This was the prototype for all future stadium rock concerts..

[Ciexyz]

There was a Beatles cartoon series on Sat morning TV circa 1964-66. It's in the public domain because the owners/producers didn't renew the copyright. I got a set legitimately off the Internet for a reasonable price and am enjoying a well-made series with great graphics and all the original music from "I Want to Hold Your Hand" to Strawberry Fields and Eleanor Rigby.

[Mr. K]

DUDE~!!! You gotta write a BOOK DESCRIBING THAT DAY IN MINUTE BY MINUTE DETAIL~!!!!

[JaxLaxDad]

I’d read that Epstein hired an all girls school in New England to greet the Beatles upon landing at Idlewild (JFK).

The Stones hired the same school for their arrival later that year.

[nuconvert]

Neat memory.
They were great

[nuconvert]

I hadn’t heard that

[nuconvert]

They’ll discover the Beatles soon.

[ken5050]

He had to be there at 2 in the afternoon..to start supervising his assigned area and his cops...so we had to meet him at his precinct in Queens at noon, then he drove us out to Shea..parked in the lot reserved for the cops...we had to stay near the car..in the lot..luckily we'd brought food and drink..and books..about 30 minutes before it started, he came back to the car..along with FOUR cops...took us inside, throught the crowd, and planted us there..told us to stay put..after it was over, he'd pick us up there..and we did, and he did..

The noise, the sound..enormous...it kind of engulfed you..you could feel the vibrations thought your skin..

[JaxLaxDad]

I hadn’t heard that

...Forget where, maybe Keef’s book.

[nuconvert]

It rings a bell. I’d have to watch an episode to recall if I used to watch it.
I remember The Monkees tv show.

[ken5050]

Since we're reiminscing..MY best Memory was the year before..I was freshman at NYU..Beach Boys were just starting to get heard on the east coast...most everything on the radio was the British Invasion...the BIG NYC AM rock stations played every new Beatles record 24/7...so the Beach Boys decided to come east..for a tour..they played 2 concerts in NYC at the Academy of Music..a dump of a theater on 14th street..seated 1000 maximum..caught both shows..they were awesome..Dennis Wilson was a beast on the drums..

Never got into concerts..those were the only concerts I ever went to...later on..used to enjoy taking my then teen age daughters to the rock and roll revival shows....see the old groups

[Lazlo in PA]

That is interesting. I just learned on Pawn Stars that the Shea concert was nowhere near sold out. Lots of those original tickets are still floating around. A bunch were sold on QVC by the promoter back in the 80’s. I guess the hype was more than the reality.

I wonder what the value of those pics are? What will someone be able to do with them to make real money?

[nuconvert]

They showed a history of the Beach Boys on tv this weekend - caught some of. You forget how many hit songs they had.

[ken5050]

From my vantage point..the place was packed solid...I could just about stand and breathe..I always thought it was an attendance record for Shea..over 70K..will have to check..

[ken5050]

Just Googled it...officially it was 55k..that was the max legally, but the papers reported it as over 70k..which is probably true..the infield was packed..

[Zman516]

I was at the Denver (Red Rocks) Beatles concert August 26, 1964. Took my girlfriend cause she liked ‘em. Could barely hear a blasted thing when the Beatles were performing due to the screaming girls.

I preferred the opening acts — Righteous Brothers, Bill Black Combo, Jackie DeShannon & I forget who else.

My little brush-by with music history.

[Grammy]

August 20, 1966 (had to look it up... I’m not that nuts) the Beatles were scheduled to play in Cincinnati when a torrential rain postponed the concert. We had traveled from north of Columbus for the concert and I was crushed! My dad agreed to bring us back the next day for the concert at noon. He had a press pass so he could have gone up close to the stage and taken photos..... but he didn’t! I could be rich now if he had.