All you need is...the Beatles

Lots of talk about the Beatles first US tour these days. Those of us who were around then can generally agree it signaled a revolution in the popular music world.  I was living in DC then while my dad was stationed at the Pentagon.  The Beatles actually did their first US concert in DC two days after their record-breaking appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show (reportedly watched by 73 million viewers).  The DC concert was short and sweet, about 30 minutes, but it was performed in the round to a relatively small crowd of 8,000, so they turned the stage (by hand) every few songs in order to face everyone in the hall at one time or another. They never left the east coast during their February visit.  There wasn’t even a tour guide for the handful of concerts.

Then in August, the dam burst. Their cross country tour, with a major stop in Seattle, set the precedent for all rock concerts to come. Big stadiums and venues, wild audiences and buzz that would make your ears hurt. For the next three years, the Beatles toured America. From Shea Stadium to Candlestick Park, it was a tsunami of rock & roll that has never been matched since. Not a stage show.  Not a huge production.  No dancers.  No special effects. Just exciting, novel and witty music from a group of young chums. I often think of John’s great understatement in the television Beatles Anthology, “The Beatles were just a band that made it very, very big, that’s all.”

This is the period of time when Jane and I first met and our high school sweethearts story began. One of our first big dates was to see the Beatles at DC Stadium.  We both lived with our parents in the Virginia suburbs. It was a hot August night (that’s right, Neil) and we got to the stadium early.  The Ku Klux Klan was out in full force with the Imperial Grand Dragon protesting John Lennon’s comment about the Beatles being more popular than Jesus. All I can say is that his robes and pointed head..er hat were very colorful. That little distraction didn’t last too long and before we knew it we were inside with over 30,000 other fans revved up for the Fab Four.

The only warm-up act I remember was the Cyrkle of “Red Rubber Ball” fame…trust me, that was the song. The stage sat on the pitcher’s mound and it was a long way from the stands.  Because it was such a special evening, I sprang for the high-priced $5 seats. It amazes me today that you could go to a world-shaking concert for $3…go figure. We had a great view mid-way between 3^rd base and home plate, in the box seats. By that time, the group had their entrances down to a science. Slowly two big black limos backed out onto the field and pulled up to the stage with the screams from the crowd building to a crescendo. The doors opened and out came the roadies, as the Beatles ran onto the field, carrying their instruments and waving to the stands all the way. We’d been perfectly punked.

The sound system was good but it still couldn’t quite standout above the screaming fans. The 30-minute set moved quickly with a little bit of relief coming when Paul sang “Yesterday”…I think many of the screamers were losing their voices by then. The boys left in the limos and suddenly, it was over.  A night to remember…and even better because it’s a memory that Jane and I share.

Our parents liked the Beatles…except for the long hair, which strangely doesn’t look long at all now. They had Glenn Miller and Frank Sinatra. Then Rock & Roll began its run with Chuck Berry and Elvis.  But the Beatles belong to us. We grew up with them during a time of great transition. The Space Age was propelling us into the future and we were facing adulthood. I bought every one of their albums on the day it was released. I’ve met Paul and Ringo in person.  I know where I was when John and George died. Their music is in my head every day. My memories include souvenirs like the official tour guide programs and one-of-a-kind albums pictured here. There are many great artists out there but none have turned the world of popular music upside down the way the Beatles did. Our lives are influenced by many things. That hot August night in DC will always have a very special meaning to me.

There are places I'll remember

All my life, though some have changed

Some forever, not for better

Some have gone and some remain

All these places have their moments

With lovers and friends I still can recall

Some are dead and some are living

In my life, I've loved them all