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| Performing in Paris 1964 |
Backstage Fights at the Beatles Paris Debut
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Leicester Mercury
January 17, 1964
The shaggy haired Beatle, despite a few power failures for their electric guitars and a couple of backstage fist fights, scored a rousing triumph last night in their French debut at the Olympic Music Hall in Paris.
The toast of Britain's rock and roll musicians evoked standing applause from the first night audience packed to the rafters in the 3000-seat theater. Several fights broke out backstage as photographers tried to invade the Beatles' dressing room.
During one melee, The Beatles' road manager, Mr. Malcolm Evans, threw several photographers bodily out of the dressing room. There were about 300 photographers, reporters, and hangers-on backstage before the Beatles went on. About 10 photographers tumbled to the floor when a makeshift platform on which they were standing fell down. There were no injuries, but several cameras were broken.
The Beatles were hustled onto the stage through a gauntlet of police, theater employees, and self-appointed bodyguards.
Once on stage, the four youths brought loud applause with their bobbing and weaving rock and roll delivery. Three power failures for the electric amplifiers on their guitars caused momentary pauses, but the Beatles quickly picked up their swinging beat after brief apologies in English.
The Beatles faced a much more sophisticated audience at the Olympia than they did in their Versailles tryout. The Olympia audience, many in black tie and evening dress, represented the cream of France's Cafe Society, and from the applause at the end, they registered a stunning triumph for the four lads from Liverpool.
But they had a cool press today. Le Figaro, for example, described them as "four little whippersnappers with sly looks, straying gestures, all fringes and teeth, dressed like gamekeepers and holding their guitars like watering cans."
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