Rock and Roll at the Hollywood Bowl

Here is a wonderful first hand account of seeing the Beatles in concert at the Hollywood Bowl in 1965. It was written by Sherry Lutz right after the concert and kept all of these years. I love reading things that were written at the time and not in retrospect, so I thought you all would enjoy it as well.


 https://letterpile.com/creative-writing/The_Beatles_at_Hollywood_Bowl_1965 

Sue and Linda were here at about 4:30 with Mrs. Willoughby driving. Sue had a blue tartan clothe A-line dress with wide white lace around the neckline and sleeves. Linda had on a pink mohair dress, Carol [my sister] a white dress with an embroidered sweater, and I wore a gray print with white cuffs and collar and buttons half-way down the front.

There was a lot of traffic on the freeway, and it took us an hour to get to the Hollywood Bowl. On the freeway we watched the people driving. There was some weird ones so we had something to exclaim over.

None of us actually believed we were going to see the Beatles for real. Ever since May 8 when we mailed our money order special delivery for the tickets at 12:06 at night right at the post office on Santa Fe we have been waiting for this day. Our first disappointment come when we did not get $7 seats like we sent in for, but $6 seats.They do not have enough first class seats for all the $7 orders so they gave you the next available by postmark and gave you a refund. After a while, though, the disappointment wore off, just a little, because many people we knew were getting $5 and $4 seats.

They were not letting anyone in when we got there so we got in line to wait. Many of the girls had on mod school dresses. Lots had hats on. There wasn't too many bell bottoms and long dresses like one excepted. There weren't too many boys either, mostly girls. People were selling Beatle buttons, posters, newspapers and glossy photos.

Sue wanted to put on some makeup so I went with her while Linda and Carol stood in line. We walked a couple of blocks to a gas station. A house we passed had pictures and signs saying "I love you Ringo". We met four girls at the station and they did not like the Rolling Stones! One girl liked Paul the best, another liked George. Sue said she liked Brian Jones and all we got was groans. One girl said she doesn't like the Rolling Stones but she likes Brian Jones. That makes a lot of sense!

Will got blisters on the way up the hill, so I told her to take off her shoes so she'd stop complaining. Linda and Carol were not at the entrance when we got there; they had already gone in. We had to show our tickets or they wouldn't even let us up the hill to the Bowl. At the gates we bought two programs each. I bought an extra one for Eileen and Sue bought one for a friend in Pennsylvania. We looked for Linda and Carol, couldn't find them and decided to go up, because they were probably at our seats.

The programs are great, better than any of the other ones we have. The Beatles have the best, because they are the best. The whole thing is pictures.

Our seats were really far away, but after they came on we forgot about that; it really was worth the $6.

We just sat there for over an hour and a half waiting for the show to begin. Oh, it was a long time. There were three girls behind us who had been there last year too. Policemen were all over on the hills, so kids wouldn't be making trouble who did not have tickets. A helicopter flew around with a lighted sign that said "Boss radio KHJ welcomes the Beatles to Boss Angeles", or something like that, right over a KRLA presentation.

Finally, it began. First King Curtis (who's he), then some corny dancers, Cannibal and the Head Hunters and Brenda Hollaway.

Then all the KRLA DJs came out with British flags and introduced the Beatles. All of a sudden they were out there playing Twist and Shout! Almost everyone was screaming. I spent the whole thing on the edge of the bench. They wore black pants and beige Hitler-like jackets with black buttons. John had a corduroy hat on. George's and Ringo's hair looked too long. After their first song they took the lowest bow, like they were enjoying every minute. I wish I could remember all that they said but I can't.

Paul sang She's A Woman then they did I Feel Fine. Before Dizzy Miss Lizzy John said something like it was from one of their albums. I'm sure everyone there knew that anyway.

They were great when they played Ticket to Ride. Ringo just drums away. He is so good! He smiled a lot.

George came up then and said something and then sang Everbody's Trying To Be My Baby. Paul sort of waltzed back to an amplifier and turned a button or something. After the song a guy came out and did something too. (Can't even work his own equipment.)

Paul asked us to join in on the next song Can't Buy Me Love. Everyone just screamed. Sue and I sang. A girl behind me was really screaming Paul! Paul!

In Baby's In Black Paul and John were singing and in one part Paul turned and they pointed the necks of their guitars at each other.

One time John went up to the pool and pointed to it, looked at Paul and George and then at us. I wonder if he wanted someone to jump in. Then he made a jumping motion like he was going to leap in.

Ringo got to sing I Want to Be Your Man. I don't see how he can sing and play the drums at the same time. When he was finished George, John and Paul raised their hands to him. He was on a platform and Ringo took a bow.

During A Hard's Day Night and Help! Sue and I sang along we were in sort of an ecstasy. George would wave once and awhile when a rest in his lead part would allow it, and everyone would scream louder.

Towards the end on Help! kids started running down the aisles and some were waving their arms. The guards and policemen started running around blocking girls. One jumped in the pool, but all she accomplished was a good soaking.

John put down his guitar and fixed the mike in front of the organ, and they started I'm Down. Everyone knew that was the last song, because Dave Hull gave us the information on the radio. John played with his elbow on the organ, then all of a sudden they were leaving. A guy ran on stage and shook their hands, we don't know who it was. Then they were gone. Sue was yelling "They're gone!" I think I was saying something of the same.

Girls were jumping in the pool, heck if I know why, they were gone. They probably wanted to touch their equipment. A man came on the loud speaker and said the Beatles were gone and on the freeway just a minute after they left.

We stayed around for awhile because it was only 10:00 and Sue's mom wouldn't be there till 11:00. We saw the guy with the long blond hair, who we had taken the picture of at the Rolling Stone's concert. (He looks like Ringo.) He was signing autographs and we showed him the picture (Linda had it) and he remembered it and smiled. We also saw the guy who gave me his seat at the Dave Clark Five Concert.

People were still trying to sell things, half price now on most. One guy was selling pillows and he told us to go away because we were bugging him. He thought we were bugging him? That's a larf.

On the way home we heard Yesterday, the Beatles new song. Paul sings and there's no guitars or drums but a string quartet. It's one of the most beautiful songs they have ever done.

I do not think we will ever forget this night for as long as we live.