The diary of a 15 year old Beatlemaniac after the Shea concert

The time is 8:10pm.  The Remains come on and everyone screams for the Beatles.  They sing “Money” and everyone is mad because, I think, it is generally thought of as a Beatles song.  All the deejays take turns introducing each other.  Then they introduce Bobby Hebb, who sings his hit, “Sunny.”  Again, come on all the deejays, this time to introduce the Cyrkle.  When they mention Brian Epstein as a manager, everyone screams.  Everyone loves the Cyrkle – they are really terrific.  They sing their two hits, among others, but play it smart and don’t sing any Beatles songs.   After them come the Ronettes.  They sing “Shout” (with their other big hits) and we almost boo them off.     Finally, Cousin Bruice gets on and says, “Now here’s what you’ve all been waiting for.”  And the screams come.  The time is 9:17pm.  Here they come.  First George, then John, Ringo and Paul, in their brown and beige chalk-striped suits with regular shoes, not boots.   They begin – so does the roar.  At first, I can’t tell what they are singing, then I hear “Rock and Roll music” and I scream.   I realize I can’t see Ringo.  I go into the big dividing aisle  and run down to the center – almost directly above the dugout.  Then I slip under a guard and run forward to the front.  I still can’t see, so I stand up on the metal railings between the seats.  I am leaning on a girl’s head, but I don’t think she feels anything.  She just keeps sobbing one word over and over:  Ringo.  From where I am, I can hear every last word, every golden note.  Every time Paul comes to the mike, he says, “Happy Anniversary, John.”  After a while, I think John gets a little annoyed.   The program follows:  Rock and Roll Music – John, She’s a woman – Paul, If I needed someone – George.  He just stands there most of the night.  Paul and John are giving most of the action.  Day Tripper – John and Paul.  John introduces it.  He says something like, “We’re going to sing a song that we wrote way back in 1948.  We think you’ll remember it.  It’s called ‘Dear Chipper.’   Baby’s in Black – John and Paul, “I Feel Fine,”- John.  He tries to get that funny buzzing effect they get on the record.  He almost succeeds.  “Yesterday” – Paul.  A sort of hush falls over us.  It is so beautiful.   “I wanna be your man” – Ringo.  His mike goes out several times he hits quite a few flat notes.  So do all of them, for that matter.  Especially John.  I don’t care thought because I love him anyway.  George, standing right near Ringo, is giving him the funniest looks.   “Nowhere Man” –John.  It comes out so gorgeous.  He doesn’t hit one flat.  I think it’s better than “Yesterday.”  The funniest thing is during the part where they play a few bars without singing; Paul comes all the way over to the end of the stage and flirts with everyone on our side.  All of a sudden, he remembers that he has to get back to the mike to sing, and half-runs, half-skips back to his place.  “Paperback Writer,” -Paul.  He is so cute, so human and so tired.  You can hear him taking breaths between phrases.  This concert finally makes me realize something that I guess I’ve known all along – that they are just people.  “Long Tall Sally”- Paul “Our last song tonight” says John.  They bow—I run back to my seat.  They go off in a car—I yell.  They wave from the car and we wave back.   Hundreds of girls leave in hopes of catching them departing.  Later I find one girl in a trance.  I ask her what is the matter and she replies, “I touched the truck.”  It’s a small thing like that that keeps the feeling alive.  The time is 11:39pm.  A plane lifts off from Kennedy Airport.  They will be back next year.  I know that. – Sue (15 years old and written directly after the concert)