Tuesday, December 30, 2008

August 23, 1964 - Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles

Taped: Sunday 23 August 1964

18,700 people filled the Bowl, sold out four months earlier, for their concert, which was recorded for posterity by a team of engineers representing Capitol Records. Outside 600 teenagers who were unable to get tickets shrieked, shouted and pushed to get in. Police made several arrests for disturbing the peace, trespassing and destroying property. A compact car was parked alongside the stage in which the group made their getaway as the concert ended at 10pm. About 60 teenagers ran to the closest gate to see them drive off and used a photographer's car as a vantage point; the roof and bonnet of which were caved in. There was a huge traffic jam in the neighbourhood afterwards as thousands of parents converged on the Bowl to take their children home after the show. Police and firemen had set up roadblocks and closed off the whole Bowl area; local residents were given passes in order to get to their homes.

After the concert there was a private party for the movie colony in the Bei Air home of Mr & Mrs Alan Livingstone, president of Capitol Records. More than 500 attended the $25 a ticket affair which raised about $10,000 for the Haemophilia Foundation of Southern California. In the San Fernando Valley Citizen-News, Paul was photographed holding Rebel Lee Robinson, granddaughter of Edward G. Robinson.

Before the show, there was a press conference in which the group received five gold records and the key to California. When asked what they thought of Goldwater they gave a thumbs down sign. Dozens of teenage girls had managed to sneak into the conference and one of them asked Paul if he would like to learn to fly. It turned out her father had his own plane and she would be happy to teach him.

The Beatles stayed in a rented house at 356 St. Pierre Road, in Brown Canyon, Bel Air. That night, West Los Angeles police took more than 50 adolescents into technical custody for violating a 10pm curfew as over 400 fans milled around at the junction of Sunset Boulevard and Bel Air Road hoping to see The Beatles. St. Pierre Road itself was blocked by police. Over $5,000 worth of damage was done to shrubs and flowers by the fans and many residents turned on their sprinkler systems to try to ward off the teenagers, but to no avail.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

does anyone know what bands opened up for the beatles on this exact night and show?