Monday, August 15, 2016

Fans remember the Beatles in Washington D. C. (and some not correctly)




I attended the August, 1966, Beatles concert at D.C. Stadium.
Being only eleven at the time and having screamed all the way through it, my memories are somewhat vague.  I do remember having to buy the tickets through the mail, at $5.00 each for fifth row seats.
Somewhere, I still have my program and possibly my ticket stub.
I remember, most vividly, the opening riff of “If I needed someone,” as “Yesterday and Today” had just been released.  To this day I get goosebumps when I hear that song.
Bobby Hebb (“Sunny”) and The Cyrkle opened the show.
--Jennifer D.

This concert was one of the last of their last tour, and it was in what is now RFK Stadium in downtown Washington D.C.  They were one of about twelve other acts, including The Cyrkle (“Red Rubber Ball) and Bobby Hebb (“Sunny).  They played for about forty-five minutes to a very excited, flashbulb-happy, screaming crowd.
The most memorable part of the sow came when someone, enraged by the then-recent John Lennon statement that The Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ, broke past security, ran up to the stage and began pummeling John.  In the tumult that followed, Ringo jumped down from his drum kit and pulled the attacker off.  The crowd, needless to say, was taken aback by this, but the show went on.  - anonymous 

I was there to see the BEATLES I was 10 years old and tagged along with my older brother and his girl friend. It was a life time memory all for 3 dollars and 50 cents.George was on our side and I recall someone getting by the cops and he ran up on stage and touched John,Paul and George. I still have the ticket stub !  - Wayne


I was there too..I was 15 yrs old and had won the trip to see them along with about 30 other kids on a local radio station. I remember we had pretty good seats…right at first base if i recall, but, I couldn’t hear anything for the screaming. I remember thinking how dumb all those girls were. I was there to hear as well as see them…but, I did get to ‘see’ Paul..one of the girls had binoculars so that made it a little better to be able to see him up close even if I couldn’t hear a thing! I wish I had been able to afford a program, I would have loved to have that souvenir. – Teresa



I was at this concert, too! I was 15 and so thrilled that I could buy a ticket for myself and my older brother, who “chaperoned” me. We were sitting right behind the dugout that the Beatles came out of, in the second row, and when Paul came out, turned around, and waved to the crowd…….I about fell out of my seat!   -- Francie

We had front row tickets for, I think, $3.75. The guy who ran on stage was with us. His name is Gerry Canning, and he was the drummer in our little garage group. -  Richard

I was there also. I was only 8 years old at the time. I and my two older sisters talked our parents into taking us as our family vacation. We traveled from North Carolina to see them. I still have my ticket stub. It cost $5 dollars…$25 for my entire family. We were pretty much “in the rafters” of the stadium and could only hear an occasional note that would make it through the constant screaming. – K.


I was at that concert. I had just dropped out of college and was about to enlist in the Air Force. I sat a few rows behind the third base dugout and watched the opening act, Cyrkle, sing a few of their hits. My memory is hazy but I think four different limos drove on the field from the bullpen and the Beatles got out. The stage was set up on second base. At one point, a guy sitting in front of me jumped to his feet, hopped on to the roof of the dugout and then bolted for the stage. The cops out there were watching the Beatles and didn't see the guy coming. He climbed up on the stage and shook hands with each of them. They never missed a beat. He then dove into the arms of dozens of cops who arrested him only to release him the next day. I remember thinking, "Why didn't I think of that?"  -anyonmous

5 comments:

  1. I drove from N.C. with 2 musician friends just see if they sounded as good in person . . Well their Amps were no match for the screaming girls! The stadium concerts the Beatles performed, gave birth to sound companies such as Marshall, Hiwatt etc, to build more powerful amps. So by 1969, Jimi, Led Zep, ZZ Top, Cream, Sabbath, Aerosmith & too many to name, changed live concerts forever and in the process, changed the guitar sounds.. the distortion created by turning the volume up on those Old amps that had power tubes back then..Think about it..NO "Purple Haze" NO "La Grange" NO " Walk this Way" ..think about it ..so many song's the Beatles paved the way for the world to enjoy . . . . "Think about it" Barry

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    1. I flew up from Greensboro with about 20 contest winners. WCOG & McDonalds sponsored. Great concert. Wells

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  2. now THESE are the stories I love...64fan

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  3. I was there with my friend whose mother told her father she was at the dentist. The people around us were yelling for jobs, and the lady next to me said "I wish someone would yell for paul" I then stood up and yelled Paul's name as loud as I could, and a photographer for the "Evening Star" newspaper started snapping our picture, in the paper the next day and my friend was busted by father. It was a great time!!

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  4. The next time Paul played RFK Stadium was July 4, 1990. Sang the Happy Birthday song to the audience in honor of the day, then launched into Birthday. Saw it all from the 2nd row.

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