Smiling for the cameras

 

Paul in Cleveland

 

Ping Pong

 May 10, 1976 - Cleveland, Ohio 

Cleveland rockers

Stop the show!

The trailer out back

These photos from Cleveland in 1966 have been posted before, but these are large and more complete.

Wrong airport

I know I posted another photo from this day taken just moments after this one.    Interesting to see the other Wings in the background.

Cleveland hotel

Dave Schwenson, the author of the book "The Beatles in Cleveland" posted this photo on his book's Facebook page last night.   Great fan shot of Paul walking by some girls in the hotel in Cleveland in 1966. 

Cleveland in color

Cleveland Rocks

When these photos from Cleveland 1966 are posted, I will have spent three out of five days in Cleveland as the winner of a grant to do research with the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame.       I thought these great photos from the crazy concert that was Cleveland 1966 was appropriate.

WHK press conference

These photos may be faded, but they still convey the personality of the Beatles.

A night to remember

The BEST concert memory of the Cleveland show comes from Joy Kilbane of MacLen magazine.  She wrote this in 1976 for the 10th anniversary of the show.    

A night to remember (round #2)

By Joy Kilbane

MacLen fanzine issue #10/11  February-April 1976

As of this writing it’s been almost 10 years since that night in Cleveland, Ohio.  I’d like to once again share my experience of the August 14^th Beatles concert.  That day was very overcast, but there wasn’t any rain, thank God!  I went to downtown Cleveland with some friends of mine.  Lynda L., Donna T., Sherry S., Nita C., Chris D. and your truly.  And all of us were on our way downtown via the rapid transit.  Once we reached Public Square – the big deal center of town, we headed toward the Cleveland Sheraton Hotel.  I wore a blue and green polka-dot mini dress with high heels.  You know, the blue and green was for Paul and John.   All over the place there were Beatle people!  It was really a beautiful and exciting experience to be a part of.  I can’t really explain how I felt then.  I’m sure all of you know the feeling.  Well, the first thing all of us did was look up at the hotel and at least in my mind I thought this was it!  The guys you’ve wanted to see in action and not on the movie or TV screen.  This was MY first concert and I still couldn’t believe I was actually going to see them in action!  Also this was the second time there were in Cleveland.  The first being September 15, 1964.  I wasn’t able to go.

We had plenty of time to kill before the concert, so Donna and I went back to the Terminal where the rapids are located.  I can’t remember the reason we went back there.  Inside the Tower, there is a decline, can’t really explain it—like a ramp, no steps you climb down, just a smooth ramp.  As I said, I wore heels and I started to slip on one of the declines.  Had this really WILD idea to scream out the guys’ names.  I just felt like doing it, just to see what would happen.  Well, I started letting go with “John! John!”  Donna picked up with yelling for George.  I had to run in order not to slip and fall on my boomer plus our yelling caused a near riot inside the building.  There were at least 200 or 300 kids running inside the building after us.  We hid, naturally.  The others stayed outside while Donna and I had our jollies.

Boarded the bus that was to take us to the stadium.  I was a nervous wreck!  The stadium came in sight and my stomach was really letting the butterflies go.  Such a Beatleful feeling it was.  Found our seats – they were directly in front of the stage but far away.  WIXY 1260 on a banner tacked n the front of the stage where the guys were going to be.  WIXY wasn’t even a year old and yet, it was them that brought the guys back!  All over the stadium were banners.  I can’t remember what all of them said but I think one said “Bernard Webb Forever” and “Give us a kiss” was another one I saw.  Too much! 

I spotted Mal Evans on the stage setting up the guys’ stuff.  I told the others who he was and we started to yell out his name just to see what he’d do.   He turned around and all of us waved like mad.  He waved back at us and then started to resume what he was doing.  Again his name was called and again he turned and  waved back at us.  We did it again and all he did was wave since he knew where we were.  Again came the beautiful feelings.  

The time passed and more kids arrived.  I spotted Brian Epstein leaning against one of the legs(??)   He wore a purple suit and I told Donna that he reminded me of a grape.  Then the guys came.  Shit! What a feeling I felt!  They got out of their limo – I saw all of them but I can’t remember what the others wore except John.  He was in all white.  Yes, that is what he wore.  It was as if by magic, when the guys arrived everyone stood right up.

  The acts before the guys were enough to drive you out of your mind!  The waiting. The waiting…I don’t remember all the acts except the Cyrcle and Bobby Hebb, and the Ronnettes.  If I remember correctly, the Cyrcle was the act before the guys.  The Cyrcle did pretty well—the flash from the cameras was like lightening for them.  

Then it was time.  The WIXY DJ’s all came on stage and I thought, “Oh God!  This is it!”  They started with their small talk which drove me up the wall!  Now, I was really a nervous wreck!  Then WIXY DJ’s introduced themselves and talked about the radio station.  Then began the “Give me a B (We screamed B)---give me an E (we again let the DJ’s have it)—give me an A (we did) –give me a T (again)—give me an L (ditto)—give me an E (we did)—give me as S (again)—what does it spell?  (The Monkees?  What do you think it spelled, you dumb DJ’s???).  BEATLES! (louder) BEATLES!! (louder) BEATLES!!! “Okay, here they are—the Beatles!!!!!!”

The door of the specially built trailer for their use behind the stage opened and out they came!  All the screaming and the flashes from cameras all over the stadium—what a sight that was!  The guys ran up on the stage and went right to their instruments.  I was in such a state of shock that I can’t remember the first song they did!  Whatever it was, it was beautiful!  I know they sang “Nowhere Man.”  I had this great love for “If I Needed someone”—I really adore that song very much.  It wasn’t released in the States until the summer American LP “Yesterday and Today.”  So, I was really zonked out when George started that one!  I started crying.  I just couldn’t take it anymore!

The snow fence—if you’ve ever read in any magazine about the tours, in their description of the Cleveland Stadium concert, they mention a little fence (about waist high and very flimsy which surrounds the outfield).  This  my friends is the snow fence.  The police, thinking that they were so smart and not many police would be needed for the concert since the Beatles weren’t as popular.  There weren’t many of the little blue meanie there.   George really started the gathering during “If I Needed Someone” and so it began.  A guy was able to get on the field and naturally he was cheered on.  But the police cut the trip short.  George began the beginning of “Day Tripper” and that’s when it happened!  The kids (including yours truly) started to leave their seats.  It was like magic.  I could see the fence slowly give way and the police running toward the stage since that was the only thing they could do.  The guys on stage were really enjoying all of this.  They really started to act up and motioned for us to keep coming, which we did!  Those four were really throwing themselves into that song, all the while motioning for us to keep coming.  The police couldn’t argue with thousands of kids.  Speedy here made it to the middle of the ground, my stupid heels got stuck in the mud!  Needless to say, I was able to see the men I love up close once again, only in action this time.  John was having a good time.  He kept teasing the girls that were right up to the stage with his foot.  Paul was laughing because of the girls  came with were tickling him (on his leg).  The police began throwing the kids off.  That’s no joke!  In one of the articles about the Cleveland riot, it stated that Ringo was pulled off the drums, but that’s not true.  A girl asked if she could shake his hand and he said it would be okay.  It is just that a “nice” policeman just happened to grab her while she was still hanging onto Ringo’s hand!  That’s why he was “pulled off I his drums.”

I felt like I was going to faint.  It was so hot on that field and all the kids were just shoved together which didn’t help matters.  It was bad news, but I told myself that I couldn’t let myself faint.  I watched Paul and the guys, with the help of the police leave the stage and go into the trailer rather fast, I must say.  Jack Armstrong, one of the DJ’s started yelling that we broke our promise about not mobbing the stage.  He was crying!  That’s what I said—he was crying.  Since he’s a jerk, nobody listened to him.  The field was covered for about 20 minutes but it seemed like an hour.  After a while, it was finally cleared and an English voice came over the loudspeakers and told us that if the field wasn’t cleared right away, the show wouldn’t go on.  I swear to this day that the voice belonged to George!  After the little speech, the field was cleared fast.  I remember telling Donna that we were going to really  make news because of the riot.  Well, would you believe that in one of the Cleveland papers the next day they printed just what I said?

Also before the riot I remember one of the amps weren’t working and Paul announcing a song, “Our next number will be--- our next number WON’T be…” as no sound came from the amp.  Then Mal was called on stage and with a quick flip of a knob, got it to work (good old Mal!)

Anyway, the show started up again and the guys played “I feel Fine.”  I just wanted to die!  That’s another one of my songs.  Oh!  Another thing I forgot to mention.  One time during the show Donna was standing on her seat and was bouncing up and down.  It seemed as though Lennon was looking in our direction or our section.  Good old Donna—she was still bouncing up and down and her half-slip fell down!  It was so funny!  And John just doubled over at that moment, laughing (strange).   Also, Lynda leaned over too far and fell right into the dugout, where some of the DJ’s were sitting along with other people and on the news that night there was a film of her display of grace.

The concert ended with “Long Tall Sally” then the guys left the stage because the filed was getting full again since everyone knew that would be their last song.  I was in total shock and I just couldn’t believe that I was actually at the concert!  All of our “gang” or most of us anyway, some  were lost in the riot, met up and started back toward the Terminal Tower.  Outside the stadium the WIXY satellite studio was playing all Beatles songs and “And I love her” was playing.

On our way back, I heard this English voice.  So the lot of us ran to see who it was.  Would you believe it was Mal? I about croaked when I saw him!  He was walking back to the hotel.  I no doubt figured that he thought nobody knew who he was so he’d be safe.  Only a few girls were with him with Donna, Bonnie, Lynda, Sherry and myself ran up to him and started to rattle off about meeting him at EMI Studios on Abbey Road that past April.  I asked him if he remembered me and he did.  He asked how I liked the concert and I told him I just loved it!  Someone asked him if it would be okay with him if we kissed him.  He said it would be okay so each of us gave him a kiss.  When it was my turn, he put his hand on my back and helped me up to him.  That man has such a soft cheek and he smelled so good!  Bonnie asked him to give John and kiss and he gave her a funny look.   I offered to do it for Mal, but he just looked at me as if to say “I just bet you would.”  Oh well. I would have been able to give John that kiss if I had a few drinks in me.  Told Mal that we saw “Help!” and we liked the part he had – you know, coming out of the water and asking Lennon if he made it to the White Cliffs of Dover.  I asked him if he was cold and he said he was.  I told him I wished I’d been there to give him a towel and he said he wished I was too.  One of his friends met up with Mal and he said that he had to go.  We begged him to let us come with him but he said there were too many of us and he was going for a drink with this other guy and we weren’t old enough.  So we gave Mal all the gum chains that we had made for the guys.  I bet he was most thrilled about that.  But he did take them from us.  I bet he threw them away from we left.  Then again maybe he didn’t—I’ll never know.  And we said goodbye to him as did the other girls.

I’ll never forget that wonderful day as long as I live.  Thanks Mal!  Indeed it was a night to remember. 

Cleveland concert memories

I saw the Beatles in concert on a rainy Sunday evening. I was 13 and my parents insisted on making it a "family outing" so there I was with my best friend, Tina, and Mom, Dad and my younger brother and sister all in tow. It was pretty embarrassing!
The rain had stopped just before the warm up acts. There were three, as I recall - Bobby Hebb ("Sunny"), The Cyrkle ("Red Rubber Ball") and the Ronettes. Nobody in the audience seemed to care. We wanted the Beatles.
There were about 25,000 people in the audience, all seated in the stands. The stage was set up on second base, so when The Beatles finally did come on, we had to use binoculars. We couldn't hear very well although we could tell what song they were singing above all the screaming (we did our share too).
I remember that The Beatles wore dark green suits and yellow shirts and we were kind of surprised that they weren't wearing ties.
The concert was very short by today's standards. They sang about 10 songs and half way through several hundred fans rushed the stage, forcing security to get The Beatles off the stage and stop the concert until everyone sat down again. We waited for what seemed an eternity for The Beatles to come back, but they finally did, and a half-hour later it was all over. We couldn't believe it -- we had really seen them!-Rozy 

 "The date was August 14th 1966. This date is indelibly etched in my mind. On this date I saw the Beatles at Cleveland's old Municipal Stadium. The trip to Cleveland was memorable in itself. The bus we were riding in broke down on  the way to the show, on the Ohio Turnpike. I had won the tickets from KQV Radio 1410, and we just barely made it in time to see the Fab Four. We had already missed seeing the Cyrkle, but no one seemed to mind. I was on a bus full of screaming girls, I think there may have been 1 other boy on the bus, and all we wanted see was the legendary Beatles! We got there and about 10 minutes later the concert started. the Beatles were brought into the stadium in an armored car through the center field fence. The stage was set on 2nd base and 6' fences lined the field down the foul ball lines. Murray the K introduced them and then all chaos broke loose!! I have never, to this day, heard that kind of noise. The decibel level was so high that you could barely hear a word they were singing. There were people fainting and being taken out on stretchers the entire show. About 20 minutes into the show the band started to play the first notes to their famous song "Day Tripper" . A girl ran up to the 6' fence and started to climb up and almost over the fence until she was pulled back down. By that time more and more people had run up to and knocked down the fences and when it was all over 10,000 people had stormed the stage. The Beatles were taken off the stage on the same armored truck that had brought them in.  Murray the K said that if people did not go back to their seats the show would be over. About  45 minutes later the crowd got back to their seats and the concert was resumed. It's easy to see why the Beatles gave up live shows. First was the sound quality and secondly the security problem. I salute KQV for the chance to see the Beatles and as you can see, I will forever cherish the moment in time."  - George
 

3000 Beatles fans Wreck Cleveland Baseball Field

3,000 Beatles Fans Wreck Cleveland Baseball Field

Associated Press (Cleveland)

The Beatles barely missed being mobbed last night as nearly 3000 screaming teenage fans surged the stage at Municipal Stadium.  The show was halted for about half an hour as the Beatles raced into a trailer behind the stage, set by the baseball diamond.

The crowd milled around the stage for about 15 minutes before returning to their seats at the urging of police and disc jockeys.  “We’ll stop the concert unless you move back,” the disc jockey yelled into a microphone on the stage.

Stadium officials said the screaming fans caused extensive damage to the Indians’ infield.  They crushed a small fence police used to try to hold them back.  About 100 of the 150 policemen on duty at the Stadium to control the crowd of more than 24,000 rushed to the field to restore order.

The fans squealed their usual comments about the quartet – particularly about John Lennon, center of the controversy about a statement he made recently that the Beatles are more popular than Jesus.

“I love them all, especially John – he’s the brainy Beatle, you know,” said one fan.

Beatle Paul McCartney’s rendition of “Yesterday” was the only time during the concert that the fans remained quiet. 

Police reported no arrests or injuries. 

Opening up

WIXY Disc jockeys

The Remains

Bobby Hebb  with  backing band, The Remains

The Cyrkle

The Cyrkle 

There aren't a lot of photographs of the support acts on the Beatles 1966 tour performing---but here are some shots from Cleveland.

Backstage in the trailer

Much has been said about the fancy trailer that was parked back behind the stage that the Beatles used as a dressing room as well as a safe haven when fans started to jump on the stage.   It was decorated with what looks like gaudy things like zebra print couch and purple plush carpeting.   The trailer for years was seen as fairs in Ohio and for a quarter you could pay to tour the Beatles' trailer.

Beatles fan never got to 2nd base

Beatles’ fans never got to 2^nd base

By Paula Brooks

Anyone who is an avid Beatle fan as I am, understands how I felt upon receiving word that I would be representing the Beaver County Times’ Young World at the Beatles’ Press conference in Cleveland last August.   This was a dream of a teenage lifetime, to actually see the Beatles in person and possibly talk to them!  As you can imagine, I could think of nothing else form that moment on.

Unfortunately, two days before their scheduled stay in Cleveland, their manager announced that all press conferences were cancelled for the remainder of the tour.  To say I was disappointed is an understatement.  However, I recovered and decided to try to see them somehow.

I arrived at the Cleveland Sheraton early in the afternoon.  Although the sky was gray and overcast, this didn’t dampen the spirits of the many fans clustered around the hotel.  At regular intervals, a unified scream could be heard signifying that someone, possibly a Beatle, had been seen at one of the windows.

No one knew for sure if it was john, Paul, George or Ringo, but that didn’t matter to many of the girls who kept their vigilant watch all afternoon.  As long as they saw someone they thought was a Beatle, they were happy.

As I stepped off the elevator on the parlor floor where the Beatles suite was located, I was really excited.  The security guard read my letter of introduction, but told me he was very sorry but no member of the press was permitted to see the Beatles except the few reporters who were traveling with the tour.  It was rather frustrating to be so very close to them, just down the hall from their rooms, and not be able to see them.  The security guard told me I should talk to some of the people traveling with them.  I saw two British disc jockeys in the lobby, but they too said they were very sorry but there was nothing they could do to help me.

Again I took the elevator up to the parlor floor.  This time the guard permitted me, along with four other girls who had press passes, to stand at the end of the hall and wait in case any of the Beatles came out of their rooms.  One girl told me that about two minutes before I arrived there, they had seen John Lennon walk down the hall.  Before he went in another room, he waved and called hello.  While I stood there I did see Brian Epstein, their manager.  He was friendly but was too busy to stop and answer any questions.

The security guard would only let us stay there for about 15 minutes at a time, and he told us we should come up one at a time.  I made a total of seven trips up the elevator that afternoon.  Although I did not see the Beatles it was an experience I will never forget, and I feel fortunate that was able to get even this close.

On my way to the Cleveland Stadium for the concert, I noticed a large crowd around the back exit of the hotel.  This, along with two limousines, and two police cars could mean only one thing—the Beatles were going to leave by this exit.

After waiting for over half an hour, I figured they must be leaving by another exit.  Since the concert was to start in two minutes, I decided I’d better leave.  No sooner had I walked to the end of the block, when a scream went up that I knew signaled the Beatles departure.

Never have I run so fast as I did back up that street.  First came a police car, to clear the way.  Next came a limo.  Thinking it was the Beatles; I rushed up and took a picture of it.  It turned out to be a decoy car.

The next thing I knew, there was George Harrison right in front of me with only the car window between!  The car was moving pretty fast, but I also had a glimpse of John Lennon.

The concert was as wonderful as I expected it would be.  The only incident that marred it was the mobbing of the stage by 3000 fans.  One girl jumped the fence during the third song and ran toward the stage, which was set up on second base.  The police caught her and carried her off the field.

However, this started a chain reaction and before the police could stop them, fans began pouring onto the field.  Some girls even climbed onto the stage.  The police escorted them into the mobile home set up behind the stage, which served as a dressing room.

The DJ’s from radio station WIXY, who sponsored the show, warned the fans that the show would not continue until everyone sat down again.  After one half hour, everyone had returned to their seats.

The performance continued without further interruption. 

  All four of the Beatles gave a good performance, especially Paul.  He showed a great deal of personality and animation and would wave to the audience during songs, causing the already deafening screams to become even louder.

During the last number, the fans again rushed the stage.  As soon as the song was over, the four Beatles were whisked into the waiting limousine and rushed back to the hotel 

Bad comparison?

In both of these newspaper article I found about the Beatles in Cleveland in 1966, the fans rushing the stage are compared to racial riots that occurred a few weeks earlier in Cleveland  in the Hough neighborhood.   Now I know that I am looking through this with the glasses of 2016 and not 1966 and times were different, but it just seems like a terrible comparison.    People died and were seriously injured in the Hough riots.    No one was seriously hurt in the Beatles "riot."      And the guy that said that both groups rioted because they had nothing better to do just made me cringe!   Yikes!      I don't think today or back then anyone did something that others would call a "riot" out of boredom.    Anyhow---I am posting these stories as they were printing in newspapers in August of 1966.

Beatle Fans go Wild again:  Worse than riot police say

Associated Press (Cleveland)

Between 2000 and 3000 screaming teenage Beatle fans rushed onto the field to Cleveland Stadium Sunday night in an attempt to mob the famed quartet, halting the show for about a half hour.

The young fans leaped a small fence and raced past police to the stage during the concert.  The Beatles finished their song and raced to a small trailer behind the stage set up on second base of the baseball diamond.

A local disc-jockey helping to coordinate the show ran to the stage and yelled over the microphone, “We’ll stop the concert unless you move back.  Hold it.  Move back.”

About 100 of the 150 policemen on duty were on the field during the fifteen minutes of rebellion.

Stadium officials said the infield of the Indians baseball diamond was extensively damaged by the rampage.   “I thought I was going to get trampled,” said one of the officers.

One policeman, who said he was the first to the stage when the fans surged forward, said the wild fifteen minutes was like the recent rioting in Cleveland’s East Side Negro Hough area.  “I got it worse in this than I did in Hough,” another officer said, as he rubbed his arm.  “But this was worse than Hough because there you could fight back.” 

“Oh, they’re the greatest,” the fans screamed.

“They’re great musicians, especially John,” one fan said.

“I love them all, especially John—he’s the brainy Beatle, you know, “ said another.

The only quiet part of the concert was when Paul McCartney sang “Yesterday.”

Earlier in the day, Lennon said he was sorry for the way people took his statement about the Beatles being more popular than Jesus.  He said the statement was taken out of context   “In England, they take what we say with a a pinch of salt,” Lennon said, “They say, ‘well, he thinks that way and I don’t.’  If you are asked about things, you can say, ‘no comment.’”

Riot made Reporter wish he hadn’t said a thing

By Jack Hartman

Norwalk Reflector

August 15, 1966

I wish I never said it!  I wish I had never told the policeman behind the snow fence that reporters and photographers would like to have a little mob action for news purposes.

When I saw the little blonde climb over the wall  back to her seat, her hair disheveled and face red with tears—I wish I had never seen it.  Let alone said it.   She had been trampled and she was hurt.  I wondered if she had just touched the shoe top of one of the Beatles if she would still feel pain.

Fortunately, Sandy Bunn and Kathie Sanders, the Reflector Beatles contest winners stayed put, but I wondered how they felt.

The concert left me with one basic question—what makes the Beatles so popular? What makes so many people go wild?  A group that barely says a word between songs.   If even repeated itself saying, “We’ll carry on now with…” between several of their songs.

What makes a group of four teenage singers from Indiana  called The Ravens come all the way here to see them perform?  What makes one of the four say, “I would give anything just to shake hands and meet Ringo?”

What leaves teenage girls with “I love George” buttons fastened proudly to their blouse sitting and crying after the concert’s over?

What makes teenagers risk their next by running in front of the limo carrying the Fab Four out of the concert?

The mob action reminded me of the recent Hough riots and both occurred, I believe for similar reasons.  The Negro population erupted because it had nothing to do while the kids swarmed the Beatles because they had nothing better to do.

Sandy, always fighting to keep her composure, broke down and cried at her father’s side during the disturbance.

I am sure that for as long as Jerry G., disc-jockey in Cleveland is on the air, Sandy will be listening.  I cornered him on the track in front of the stands during the preliminary acts and asked him to say “hello” to Sandy .  He responded without hesitation.  He climbed into the stands without hesitation and sat down beside her.

They talked while I fired away with a camera.  At least he talked.  Sandy was probably too excited to say a thing.

Cleveland Reference

We have already established that I am obsessed with the Beatles 1966 North American tour.  One of the two concerts that interests me the most is the one in Cleveland, Ohio on August 14, 2016.   I like to think about the fans that rushed the stage and wonder what it must have been like to have been there that night.


There are two great books that focus on the Beatles in Cleveland, and have great stories that go along with the 1966 tour.

The first book is Dave Schwenson's book "the Beatles in Cleveland" and the second book is Confessions of a Beatlemaniac by Dee Elias.

Beatles Traveling: Report of my trip to Cleveland, Ohio

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame photo taken by Sara Schmidt

Last week my mom and I went to Cleveland, Ohio for a short trip.    The main purpose of the trip was to go into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame library and archives so I could do some research for my book.    However, I wanted to make sure that you all knew what Beatles stuff is currently in Cleveland if you want to take a trip of your own, or if you live too far away and would just like to know what is there.

Here I am at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame library.  Photo taken by Coral Schmidt

My first stop was the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame library and archives.   This is not located where the museum is and you will need to drive there or take a cab.  (Side note do NOT use Yellow cabs of Cleveland---I know Paul used them in 1976, but they are terrible!!!).    Anyone can go inside and read the books.   There are so many Beatles books!   Shelves upon shelves.   It was really, really neat to see the books that friends such as Chuck Gunderson, Robert Rodriguez, Bruce Spizer, Candy Leonard and many others have written and are on the shelves there.     To see the archives, you have to make an appointment ahead of time.  They will issue you a library card and you have to watch a short  powerpoint about handling the materials.     The archives are awesome.   You wouldn't believe all of the Beatles' news clippings, never before seen photos (I saw some from Detroit 1966 that I just LOVED!), Bob Bonis' paper archives, Rolling Stone's archives...all about the Beatles.    What is sad to me, is that many of the newspaper clipping are deteriorating and are in bad shape.   They aren't organized or anything.  Just a bunch of clippings in a manilla folder.    I wish I could have a job organizing these documents.   Wouldn't that be awesome?

Yellow Sub things at the Cleveland Hard Rock Cafe  Photo taken by Sara Schmidt

After spending the afternoon as the library, we had diner at my favorite vacation restaurant, the Hard Rock Cafe.    There isn't a whole lot of Beatles stuff in this Hard Rock.  Just some Yellow Submarine things on one wall.   But the food was good, as always.


The next day was a full day for us.   The first thing we did was go see the "Christmas Story" house and museum.   Since that isn't Beatles related in any way, I won't go into details about it.  But if you like the movie "The Christmas Story," then you really need to go to the house and museum.  It was fun!

The it was straight to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame museum.   I had been there in 2001, but things have changed since then.  #1 being Ringo has been inducted into the Hall of Fame just this year!  That made it pretty exciting!    After getting our tickets, we went down to find Ringo Starr's suit from "Goodnight Vienna."   Now that was amazing!!!

My mom, (Ringo's #1 fan) next to the Ringo display.   Photo taken by Sara Schmidt

We quickly realized that we just wanted to see the Beatles things and we weren't going to focus on any of the other displays until we saw the Beatles stuff.  So we went off and found it.   I was really amazed by all of the items on display.    And it really hit me---I spend a lot of my time doing Beatles things, and I would guess that the readers of this blog do as well.   The Beatles are just part of my life.  But here was their stuff preserved under glass and being stared at by all of these people.   The Beatles aren't just MY thing---they are everyone's thing!   To me seeing John Lennon's Sgt. Pepper suit in person is incredibly cool because I have seen all of the photos, but there it was under glass because it has historical importance.   I don't know, it just struck me.   Here are some of the amazing Beatles things on display currently at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

John's guitar from 1965 with setlist still taped on it.  Photo by Sara Schmidt

John's All you need is love jacket.  Photo by Sara Schmidt

John's Sgt. Pepper suit.  Photo by Sara Schmidt

John's "You are Here" t-shirt from 1972.   Photo by Sara Schmidt

The mellotron used on Strawberry Fields Forever.  Photo by Sara Schmidt

My mom with Ringo's drums.  Photo by Sara Schmidt

Ringo's jacket worn in the Strawberry Fields promo.  Photo by Sara Schmidt

John's "Rock n Roll" jacket.  Photo by Coral Schmidt

John's "rooftop" guitar.  Photo by Coral Schmidt

The orange suit George wore to the Yellow Submarine premiere.  Photo by Coral Schmidt

As you see---lots of Beatles stuff on display.   But which Beatle was missing?   Yes....where's the Paul clothing?   The only Paul item on display was a Grammy award given to Wings.  I understand that Paul still uses his guitars, but really---can't he find one of those knitted sweater vests to give to the museum?   It just stood out to me that Paul doesn't have really anything there.


Of course there is much more to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame museum than the Beatles.  There are several films that you can watch about the induction and who is in the rock hall.   However, these are older films.  You do see clips of Paul, George and Ringo.   The one that goes year by year does not have 2015 in it yet.    But in the room as the video, there is a wall of "signatures" of everyone who is inducted.  This is the only place where I found anything about Brian Epstein.

photo taken by Sara Schmidt

I enjoyed the display about radio and was happy to listen to the MC of Beatlefest, Terri Hemmert on the headphones.   I also got a kick out of the Murrary the K shirt.  The Rolling Stone magazine exhibit was really neat as well.

photo taken  by Sara Schmidt

If you have a chance to see the things in the Rock n Roll hall of fame, it is well worth it for Beatle fans.   They have some great Beatles items available at the gift shop as well.   Speaking of the gift shop, be on the looking out soon for a contest where you can win some souvenirs I picked up at the gift shop just for this blog!