Beatlemania in Toronto 1966

According to this first-hand account, they wore the striped suits during the evening show and the green ones in the afternoon (opposite of what I have always thought)

 

Tonight I am sharing a letter sent to the " New Beatles Fan Club" from an anonymous fan who was fortunate enough to see both the afternoon and evening Beatles concerts in Toronto in 1966.   This letter was written shortly after she went to the shows and was published in 1976 in the "New Beatles Fan Club" newsletter.

    At 5:20, the Ronettes were done, and then there was a 10 Minute intermission. I was just sitting there, looking calm, aging 10 years for every two minutes that went by. Then Jungle Jay, the Emcee for the show, came out again, and 15,000 people were screaming hysterically. The house lights were on, but then he announced the ---I can't remember their names, oh yes, the Beatles. The Beatles!!!!

     They had their green suits on and looked just gorgeous. They'd had about 10 hours sleep and they'd just eaten, so they were in great spirits and looking healthy, and they'd all had a haircut --even George!  I had binoculars, but I was shaking so much I couldn't hold them still. The flash bulbs were blinding. Usually they don't bother me, but because I was on the floor, they were brighter. Everyone in the floor seats was standing on their chairs, but the cops were sitting everyone down in the first 10 or so rows. But being in the 30th I was still on my chair, and stayed there throughout the show.

     I hadn't planned on screaming because I didn't think I'd have to, and when I got in my seat, there was a boy on either side of me, so I was positive I wouldn't, but when they came on, I looked at Paul and melted. I just sort of kept saying "Paul... Paul..." to myself. Then I'd get brave and whisper it. He was just so darling and charming and captivating. I stood on my toes, which is pretty hard to do on a folding chair, and was so stunned by the view of him and just how handsome he really is. He is so alive!

     I didn't scream. I didn't cry or sob. I just got wrapped up in the whole thing. It was a wonderful feeling to know that he was so close, right in front of me.  I could really enjoy the half hour of The Beatles and Paul. 

    Paul really was the star of the show. He just drove everyone nuts. He'd look at his side of the Gardens and smile or laugh and then wave, and the kids would just fall over. He was really enjoying himself, and the more kids he drove nuts, the more he liked it. He was really out to kill!

     I didn't watch George too much, but when he introduced a song, he seemed very suave. His face seemed so hollow. At least he had a haircut and looked very slim. 

    John wasn't as nutty as usual. That was Paul's part. He wasn't snobbish, though, as he can be. One time, he was going to scratch his head, changed his mind, and waved to a section.  Pandemonium!

     Ringo was just Ringo, not too happy and not really sad. He just gave a good show. 

    While they were on, one girl got onto the stage and ran for Ringo. She didn't make it to him because a crew of cops and other security men got her and carried her out. Then a boy came from the seats right behind Ringo, crawled through the wire fencing, and hung from the balcony about five feet behind and 10 feet above Ringo. The cops waited until he fell, caught him, and carried him out. There were more kids running to the stage, but I can't remember the details of any more. It was wild, to say the least.

     Now, for the second show-- after I got in, I went right to the floor again, and when the guy ushered me to my seat, I nearly died. I saw  I was 20 feet away, even closer than I thought I would be. I couldn't believe it, and my seat was right in front of Paul's mic. What great luck!

     Jungle Jay came out again after the Ronettes went off again, and there was a 15-minute intermission this time. I couldn't stand it! Then Jay came out again, and I could feel my stomach being tied in knots. He was up there for a minute. The house lights went out, and then the Beatles!  Everyone stood up, and I was shaking so much! I was taking pictures a mile a minute, and Paul was right in front of me. Unbelievable!! I took 11 pictures right away, shoved the camera into my purse, and generally went berserk. 

    We were still standing, and the cops were making those of us in the front 15 rows sit, but they hadn't gotten to us yet. Judy and I had our thumbs up, the Beatles version of victory, if you remember, and we were waving to them like nuts. Paul was right in front. So we figured we would try to get his attention (like 17,000 other people.)  He looked in our direction and laughed. Then, for a split second, while he was changing chords, he put his thumb up!  We went crazy, to say the least. Anyway, he saw us. Every so often, he'd look our way, see our thumbs and the idiot who belonged to them, and laugh. We died!

     When he sang "Yesterday", as I said, he was out to kill and he did a good job. He was at the lead mic, and he just laid it on so thick. Unlike Cleveland or some of the other stops, you couldn't hear a thing, especially not "Yesterday." That was the noisiest one, because almost everybody likes Paul the best. And the way he was laying it on, it made it impossible to keep quiet. 

    They had on wild suits for this show, pink jackets with gray pin-stripes. The pants were dark gray, and the shirts were pink and violet, red paisleys with no tie. 

    They did the same song as always, "Rock and Roll Music," "She's a Woman," "If I Needed Someone,"  "Day Tripper", "Baby's in Black," "I Feel Fine," "Yesterday," "I Want to Be Your Man", "Nowhere Man", "Paperback Writer" and "Long Tall Sally." When Paul announced that they were going to sing the last song, everyone yelled "No! No!" and he put on a very sympathetic face, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "I'm sorry. What can I do? I'm sorry." He really belted the song "Long Tall Sally" and a girl from some seat behind me ran past me, and the cops got her, but not before she kicked, beat, and scratched for all she was worth. It was really pandemonium.

     I kept saying, "No, no", they just couldn't leave in two minutes. Everyone was throwing everything in sight, and someone threw a big wad of paper that hit Paul right below the belt. He instantly made the same face as that bit in "Help!" during "Another Girl" only with a little bit of pain. If you could imagine that. After they ran off, I had to sit for a minute, just for a rest. I was completely soaked, and my legs were getting sore from all the jumping up and down. My voice was hoarse, and I was, in general, a big mess. On the way out, there were a lot of kids going hysterical or in a state of shock. It was scary.