Derek Taylor was very thankful and asked Johnny what he could do to repay him. All Johnny wanted was his photograph taken with the four Beatles and he got that request filled.
To the joy of the fans, Ringo was well enough to begin singing on stage again! Ringo was back to belting out "Boys" and driving the girls crazy whenever he shook his mop hair.
Here are memories of fans in Wellington that were found on various webpages online
"I was there at the Beatles Wellington concert 50 years ago -
a screaming, sort of hysterical 15 year old. Actually, I don't recall too much
about the concert apart from screaming myself hoarse, along with all the
others.
But I do remember being a part of the crowd that blocked off
the intersection of Willis & Manners Streets when the Beatles came out onto
the balcony of the St George Hotel. I remember me & my friend racing
through Suzies Coffee Bar and out onto the veranda, walking along that (it extended
right to the corner of Boulcott St back then), just so that we could be that
much closer to our heroes. There were quite a few of us that did that.
Afterwards, my Dad, who had driven me & my friend into
the city to see the Beatles, said that he was really worried that the verandah
would collapse under the weight of the people who were up there.
Of course I never gave that a thought. All I could think of
was that I was that little bit closer to the Fab Four - especially Paul who was
the one I loved best."- Jenny B.
"I was lucky enough to see the Beatles in Wellington – The
first 6 o’clock shows it must have been. My sister and I had been suffering
whooping cough and were not allowed to go to school for six weeks. We
just about drove each other, and our parents mad. At the end of the six
week isolation we were given the all clear to return to school , and for
enduring each other’s company for so long, our parents bought us tickets to see
the fab four. I was 12, little sister was almost 10.
I don’t remember too much of the opening acts, only that
there was some confusion when Sounds Incorporated took to the stage. Many
young girls in the audience thought they were the main act and ran forward to
get as close to the action as possible.
I remember thinking to myself, there is no way we’ll see
anything if we remain in our seats.
When the Beatles finally did make an appearance, the noise
was deafening. It was Ringo’s first performance after suffering
tonsillitis in Australia, and he did sing “Boys.” In fact, I only heard
two lines in the show; Ringo singing “I been told when a boy kiss a
girl.” And Paul McCartney with the opening line to All My Loving.
“Close your eyes and I’ll kiss you” - the rest of the 25 minute long set was
completely obliterated by the screams of those around us.
OK I screamed too, and as I did I remember this older girl,
she must have been 18 or 19, looking daggers at me. She told me to stop
screaming so she could hear the show, and I told her “If you can’t beat them,
join them.”
I think that screaming was definitely part of the enjoyment
of being there. It wasn’t a concert, it was more an expression of teenage
rebellion.
We couldn’t hear the Beatles, but we could see them alright
and they all looked to be enjoying themselves, except for John Lennon who
looked more and more pissed off as the set went on.
Did I enjoy the show? I was the only one in my class
at school who went, so what do you think? Bragging rights were far more
important than actually hearing anything." - Jimmy
"My then girlfriend and I went to the early concert on the
second night they played in Wellington, ie the third of four. During the
concert I had to go to the loo and saw gaps in the security you could drive a
tank through.
Went home, had a couple of drinks, rang my teenage girl
cousins and said that if they could get their parents permission, I was pretty
sure I could get them into the sold out last concert. They managed to get this
permission, I picked them up and headed back to town.
Before entering the Town Hall I told them to absolutely
ignore anybody calling after them and to head right on into the actual hall.
The warm up act, Johnny Devlin was in full flight. The security guards,
all looking as if they'd been conscripted from the RSA, and all thinking their
job was finished for the evening, were far away from the double lot of double
doors leading into the hall proper.
We all marched up the steps, across the foyer, with me at
the rear. By the time the security got to me all three girls were inside. The
guard ask where my ticket was, I said "my girlfriend has the tickets, do
you want to see them"? He said "yes" so I said "I'll get
them", and promptly disappeared inside.
The fact that it was a sold out performance mattered not and
we ended up standing on seats 4 rows from the front.
There was one really funny moment during Johnny Devlin's
performance. His electric guitar cord fed back through the curtain which
was his backdrop. One time as he gyrated to one side, the cord got caught up
with the curtain. This pulled the curtain aside, exposing Ringo's drums,
resplendent with "The Beatles" painted on. The crowd
erupted and I could just imagine Johnny thinking "I don't know what I just
did but I'd better add it to my repertoire."- Rufus C
"I lived in Foxton and was only able to attend the Beatles
concert in Wellington because a friend's parents let her buy 2 tickets and were
prepared to drive us down to make the 6p.m. concert.
We were not exactly wealthy so I had to pay for my own
ticket, from memory 30 shillings, which was a lot of money to a 13 year old.
We left straight after school and what a great experience.
Seats were second row from front and we were in "heaven". Have
vivid memories of the screaming and do remember wishing the fans could be a bit
quieter so I could actually hear the music! Still a fan and have always had a
soft spot for Paul"
- Christine B
"I attended the Wellington concert as a Nelson 18 year old.
Somebody, I have no idea who, organised a charter flight from Nelson. I think
the aircraft was a Friendship - and it was full. Can't remember the price of
the trip and concert ticket but on a £7.15 a week wage a fair bit of saving
must have been done. It was to be a same day return after the concert.. Concert
experience, of course, was great (and my memory says Paul asked for quiet for
one song - and got it) . However, the weather that night in Wellington was so
bad that the return flight was abandoned. Result was a plane-load of Beatles
fans bunked down for the night in the old Wellington Airport terminal. The high
after the concert was such that I doubt anyone minded a bit. Late to work the
next day - well worth it." - Chris R.
"I went to the first show on Monday and I had front row tickets -A13- and there was a row of policemen in front of me with all their helmets under the seats. Being in the front row we could actually hear it. The music was good, just like on the records. The guitar was good and you could hear the words. I remember John Lennon saying "Shuddop" and the crowd gradually quieted down. It was quite quiet at one stage, the crowd must have screamed themselves out and George must have done a few little dance steps, and the crowd went berserk! Just because he acutely moved! Ringo sang a song too - Boys--and that brought the house down!" -Damien O'Shaughnessy
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