A Day in the Life

 

A Day in the Life

By Sue Savini

With a Little Help From My Friends

January 1980 

On August 18, 1966, I went to my first and only Beatles concert. I was 12 years old and a devoted Beatles fan since they appeared on Ed Sullivan in 1964. When I heard they were coming to Suffolk Downs (a racetrack) in Boston, I went crazy! I live about 30 miles south of Boston, and I knew this would be as close as they would get to my hometown. I pleaded with my mother to take me. She knew how much I wanted to go, but she also knew what Boston is like when you don't know where you're going.  I had hysterics for 3 days while my mother tried to figure out a way to get me there. Then, she read about buses being chartered to the Beatles concert. What a perfect solution! My Aunt Cappy volunteered to take me, so about 5:00pm on August 18, we were off!

I don't remember much about the trip in or finding our seats - I guess I had my mind only on the Beatles. The show started at 8:00pm, but the Beatles didn't come on until 10:00pm. Fill-in groups tried to keep the audience occupied, but it was no use. Finally, a black limousine drove onto the track about 9:30pm, and everyone knew it was the Beatles! The crowd screamed and screamed, but I just stood there, staring at the car in shock. I couldn't believe the Beatles were actually that close to me. The car drove into the middle of the field and behind a portable partition. The excitement in the air was overpowering. No one could sit or stand still. 

At 9:55pm, the Beatles came from behind the partition and walked through the field to the wooden stage, carrying their guitars, smiling, and waving to the screaming crowd. I had my oldest brother's high-intensity binoculars so I could see their faces and expressions, even though we were pretty far back. They looked gorgeous! It was like a dream come true. I kept thinking that I was breathing the same air as Paul!

They reached the stage, climbed up the side stairs, and began to play. The first song was "Twist & Shout." John became so horse singing that song that he could hardly speak afterwards! Some other numbers they did were "If I Needed Someone" and "Yesterday." During the show, a 6-foot-tall teenage boy somehow got on the stage and chased the Beatles around, touching each one of them. The Beatles were so cute trying to run, playing their guitars, and singing all at the same time!  The boy was thrown off the stage and escorted out of the concert.  I bet it was worth it, though.

After their last song, they took their bows and then ran down the stairs, jumped into the waiting limousine, and left the track. They got off the stage and out so quickly that everyone was stunned. We all hollered for more but finally realized they were not coming back. 

The entire performance was 20 minutes long. It was short, but you have to realize they were doing one-night stands that summer, and they had to travel to another city that night. All in all, it was the most exciting 20 minutes I've ever had, and I'll never forget it. 

I'm still an incurable Beatles fan (especially Paul). In fact, in October, I went to the 2nd Annual Beatles Convention in New Haven, Conn.  It was super! I don't think I will ever get over the Beatles. Either does my husband! And, of course, our 2 young children are being brought up as avid Beatles fans, and they're loving it!