Some Fun Tonight!: The Backstage Story of How the Beatles Rocked America - The Historic Tours of 1964-1966 Volume 2: 1965-1966

Photograph by Bob Bonis ©Not Fade Away Gallery
To Mal Evans and Neil Aspinall—the
“backbone” of every show.

SOME FUN
TONIGHT!
The Backstage Story of How the Beatles Rocked
America: The Historic Tours of 1964–1966
Volume 2: 1965–1966
Chuck Gunderson
Edited by Mark Naboshek
F O R E W O R D B Y B A R R Y T A S H I A N
I N T R O D U C T I O N B Y L A R R Y K A N E
An Imprint of Hal Leonard Corporation

ForEwOrd by Barry Tashian 6
Introduction by Larry Kane 8
Author’s Note 10
Tour Overview and supporting acts 11
August 15 New York 26
August 17 Toronto 42
August 18 Atlanta 52
August 19 Houston 62
August 20 Chicago 70
August 21 Minneapolis 82
August 22 Portland 94
August 28 San Diego 106
August 29-30 Los Angeles 118
August 31 San Francisco 132

Tour Overview and supporting acts 155
August 12 CHICAGO 168
August 13 Detroit 178
August 14 Cleveland 188
August 15 Washington D.C. 194
August 16 Philadelphia 200
August 17 Toronto 208
August 18 Boston 220
August 19 Memphis 232
August 20-21 Cincinnati 244
August 21 St. Louis 256
August 23 New York 264
August 25 Seattle 272
August 28 Los Angeles 282
August 29 San Francisco 294
hotels and venues 310
Acknowledgments 312

Introduction
The flashes of light were glimmering in the evening at Red Rocks Amphitheatre
in the Rockies outside of Denver. The screams echoed through the
rocks and the canyons as the moon and stars lit up the night. On the stage,
the boys were finishing their thirty-one minutes of vocal electricity. But
what you can never forget in this natural stage of drama is the eyes of the
boys and girls in the audience, especially the girls. Their eyes were usually
fixed on one of the boys, but they never blinked. Tears would roll down their
faces, tears of joy and love. The appeal of the boys, mixing with the power
of the music, transformed the people sitting in the seats into silent lovers,
their dreams of true connection with the Fabs so real; and the ones who
were there will never forget the stories.
For this reporter, watching the crowd night after night at sixty-six
concerts over two years was an unmatched social experience. But the real
grit of traveling in the airplanes and the cars, and sleeping doors away from
the Beatles, was discovering what they were all about.
Mere mortals? Yes. Entertaining? Beyond anything I had ever
witnessed. Intriguing? Absolutely. But the way I witnessed them went
beyond the silly headlines of “mop-tops” and the Fab Four. Because along
with just a few others in the narrow confines of a scary airplane, its turboprop
motors keeping me up late at night, I discovered the real people
behind the mask of stereotypes.
There was devilish and unpredictable John, crushing mashed potatoes
and peas into my hair. The threat of ice cubes down the back of my shirt
was always present. But the most dangerous man on the plane was young
Paul, only four months older than me, propping up a pillow, ready for an
intense pillow flight that sometimes ended in a flight of feathers across
the aisle. Ringo was quieter, but he was funny as he bounced up and down
the aisles. George, who hated flying, looked at me during an emergency
landing in Portland, Oregon, and yelled out, “Larry, remember it’s Beatles
and children first!”
They were lovely people, famous but not yet reclusive and fed up with
fame. They cared about the people surrounding them, checking on the
supporting acts (who, after all, were often shouted down by the crowds,
8 SOME FUN TONIGHT

who wanted only the Beatles). They soothed pain. John knew that my
mom had recently died, and he shared with me his agony at the death
of his mother. Paul offered his experiences of losing a mother during his
teenage years. In the dressing rooms, they made hundreds of fan club
members feel good about themselves. They were news and made news,
telling me they would boycott the concert in Jacksonville, Florida, if the
stadium was segregated.
The tours had tense security, wild crowds, and lots of pushing and
shoving, but the boys always made room for others. They make our
modern-day self-serving, egocentric stars look like little people with no
brains. And here’s the thing. They were living the greatest musical history
ever, but they didn’t know how big they were and they had no idea how big
they would become.
And here we are, fifty years later. Chuck Gunderson has gone where no
one else has. He followed up my book, Ticket to Ride, with a new dimension.
With his writing, artifacts, pieces of the story, superb graphics, and totally
fun reading experience, Chuck has taken you there. “There” is where I was,
lucky enough to see it. Now he relives my experience and the experiences
of young fans who are now on Medicare. This is no ordinary book. It’s big
and wide and it takes you to where a handful of people got to go—traveling
alongside the boys, and sharing in the joy.
This book is a work of art. It’s as close as you can get to being there.
Have some fun tonight with your own backstage pass. As someone who
was there, I can confirm that Chuck has done what no one else has done.
He tells the stories of three summer tours with an artistic spotlight that
brings you up front and close.
I’m honored that he asked me to help introduce it.
—Larry Kane
is the author of Ticket to Ride:
Inside the Beatles’ 1964 and 1965
Tours That Changed the World,
the New York Times best-seller Lennon Revealed,
and When They Were Boys.
1965/1966 9

August 15, 1965
Shea Stadium
8 p.m.
Shea Stadium
(below) was one of
the largest venues
the Beatles had
ever played. Their
performance here
set records. Fans
(opposite page)
try anything to
get noticed.
“Sid, do you realize Shea Stadium seats 55,000 people?” “Don’t worry, every seat will be filled.” So
went the conversation between stadium manager Jim Thompson and legendary promoter Sid Bernstein.
The concert, held on August 15, 1965, on a warm New York summer evening, did, in fact, fill every seat
of the cavernous venue and, in the process, shattered records for attendance and gross earnings. As
the Beatles bounded offstage after a spirited version of Paul’s “I’m Down,” the “Shea Concert” became
the stuff of legend. The event would serve as a template for all future rock extravaganzas, as it showed
promoters and bands alike how to present rock ’n’ roll to the masses. The concert at Shea became the
model for Woodstock, Monterey Pop, Altamont, and even worldwide events such as Live Aid.
Planning for the Shea Stadium concert actually began in early 1964. On March 31, after the Beatles’
wildly popular appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, Norman Weiss of General Artists Corporation
(GAC) signed a letter of agreement with manager
Brian Epstein to represent the Beatles in booking
dates for the upcoming 1964 North American
tour. GAC, in turn, would receive a 5 percent fee
on the gross bookings (which had been negotiated
down from 10 percent by Epstein). It was
understandable that Weiss wanted to represent
the Beatles, as the deal would entail the largest
potential grosses the GAC VP had seen in his
fifteen years in the business.
In early April, Weiss sent Epstein an initial tour
schedule for his review. In the schedule, Epstein
was given three choices for the September 13
date: play one show at Baltimore’s Civic Center
or play two shows the same day. The third choice
was a bit shocking, as Weiss had typed in the
following: “September 13—Shea Stadium. 60,000
seats.” Tickets were to be priced between $2 and
$4. Weiss estimated the gross to be $180,000
because one promoter—not Sid Bernstein, but
possibly Ron Delsener, promoter of the Beatles’ 1964 shows in Forest Hills, New York—had offered the
Beatles $50,000 and 50 percent of the gross. The Beatles would walk away with at least $90,000 if the
concert sold out. The offer was more than double the fee other promoters were willing to pay.
Shea wasn’t the only mega-concert that Weiss presented to Epstein on the 1964 tour. He also
floated a couple of other offers from promoters—one for a Beatles concert in the larger 80,000-seat
Los Angeles Coliseum and another that would be played to 200,000 people over three days at New
York City’s Freedomland. These proved to be problematic. Epstein felt that facilities this size would
26 SOME FUN TONIGHT

Corbis

Promoter, Sid
Bernstein, offered
fans the souvenir
program well ahead
of the show, and
kept them updated
with news about the
upcoming Beatles
show, along with
other shows he was
producing.
overexpose his boys, and the last thing he wanted was to present the group to half-filled venues. For
him, it made better business sense to think conservatively and choose smaller arenas and outdoor
facilities for the 1964 tour. As the year progressed and Epstein witnessed the overwhelming demand
for his group, however, he had a change of heart. Maybe there was no better time than the present
to blow the concert business out of the water. The Shea concert would be a game changer for all
involved—and for all time.
Still, the Beatles’ 1965 appearance at Shea Stadium wouldn’t have happened without legendary
promoter Sid Bernstein’s unwavering belief in the group’s popularity. Born into a traditional Jewish
household in 1918, Bernstein grew up in New York City and served in World War II. When the war ended
he looked for work, eventually settling on a career in the promotion business. After a successful stint
in the resort hotels of the Catskill Mountains, he began to manage musicians such as Esy Morales. An
appointment with his agent friend Stan Scotland of General Artists Corporation resulted in a meeting
with GAC chairman Buddy Howe, who offered him a job. He began working for the powerful New York
talent agency in the “One Night” department. With a successful run at GAC under his belt, Bernstein
realized that the promotions business was in his blood and left his job to follow his dreams.
Although he was working full-time, Bernstein also managed to continue his education. After hearing
a lecture by Dr. Max Lerner on the underpinnings of other world democracies, Bernstein decided to
focus on the United Kingdom. The promotions man would consume every U.K.-based newspaper he
could find. After reading articles in such newspapers as the London Times, the Daily Mirror, and the New
Musical Express about a pop group that was causing quite a stir, the promoter became intrigued.
One day while reading the Manchester Guardian, a headline grabbed Bernstein’s attention: “Beatlemania
is about to sweep Great Britain.” Curious, the promoter decided to contact Vic Lewis, who was in
charge of GAC’s London office, to see if he knew how to contact the group, especially their manager, Brian
Epstein. Lewis sent a reply to Bernstein, informing him that no one in America would be interested in the
28 SOME FUN TONIGHT

and. The Beatles, he wrote Bernstein, were just a
local phenomenon. With no airplay in the United
States and Epstein booking all the concert dates,
Lewis informed Bernstein that they didn’t need
GAC’s services and he should forget about it.
Undaunted, Bernstein remained determined
to make contact with Epstein. Through a chance
meeting in a hotel with Bud Halliwell, an independent
record promotion executive, he got Epstein’s
contact information. Like Vic Lewis, Halliwell
wasn’t sold on the Beatles. He told Bernstein that
he was having a difficult time selling their records
and that it was useless to pursue them.
In the fall of 1963, with number in hand,
Bernstein contacted Epstein to inquire about the
Beatles’ services. Epstein, surprised by a call from
an American promoter, hoped to burst Bernstein’s
bubble by telling him that the Beatles were
regularly making $2,000 a night for appearances
in the U.K. This was of no concern to Bernstein,
who had just paid Judy Garland a large sum for
a concert and had regularly paid $10,000 a night
for stars such as Tony Bennett. Bernstein called
Epstein’s bluff and offered the manager $6,500
for two shows at New York’s famed Carnegie
Hall, to be held the following February. Giddy,
Epstein verbally accepted Bernstein’s offer, but
with one caveat—the Beatles would need some
major American airplay or the contract could not
be formalized. Epstein, as promised, eventually
signed a performance contract for the two shows
after “I Want to Hold Your Hand” hit number one
in the United States.
History has proven how well it all worked
out. On February 12, 1964, the Beatles played
two back-to-back sold-out shows on the venue’s
storied stage—all thanks to Bernstein. He also
tried to book the group for a February 19 show at
the old Madison Square Garden, located on 52nd
Street in New York. The Beatles’ schedule certainly
would have allowed the performance, as they
were not due back in England until February 22.
A press pass (far
left) for the show
issued by Bernstein’s
organization. The
Beatles stayed
at the Warwick
Hotel (left), still
open today. A rare
handbill (below left),
listed the Beatles’
show and other
upcoming acts.
1965 29

The Library of Congress
But the lure of the warm Miami sun was far more
appealing, so Epstein rejected the idea. Incredibly,
given his interest in the group, Bernstein didn’t
promote a single show on the historic 1964 North
American tour. The group played several dates in
the New York metro and New Jersey areas, but
the savvy promoter wasn’t involved. Bernstein
would wait until 1965 and 1966 to secure his place
in pop music by promoting the boys’ appearances
at Shea Stadium.
In late October 1964, after seeing the success
of the recent summer tour, Bernstein hatched an
idea that would transform the concert industry
forever. He placed a call to Jim Thompson,
manager at the newly opened William A. Shea
Municipal Stadium, and proposed a concert by
the Beatles. Thompson was agreeable, but only
if five conditions were met. The first was finding
a date when the Mets baseball team was out
of town. Another stipulated that a stage would
need to be built and supplied by Bernstein. Also,
insurance would have to be taken out and extra
security provided. Finally, the stadium manager
wanted a $50,000 guarantee plus a percentage
of the gate. Bernstein wisely talked Thompson
down to $25,000 and secured the venue. All the
negotiations involving leasing the stadium took
place before Bernstein even contacted Epstein to
see if he was interested!
Soon after, Bernstein placed a call to Epstein
to discuss the possibility of the Beatles playing
at Shea at the end of the following summer.
Initially skeptical, Epstein listened to what the
promoter had to say and became intrigued by
the possibilities. Bernstein guaranteed him that
the show would be a sellout and even offered the
manager $10 for every unsold seat. A deal was
struck for Bernstein to pay NEMS Enterprises
an $85,000 guarantee, plus a percentage of
the gate receipts over $167,000. When Epstein
asked for $25,000 up front, Bernstein, knowing
he didn’t have the cash on hand, asked for some
time to gather the funds. Epstein agreed. He
told Bernstein that he would be at New York’s
Waldorf Astoria on January 10 to conduct business
and that the $25,000 deposit could be
paid at that time. Bernstein told Epstein he’d be
there with the money.
The negotiations with Bernstein perhaps
inspired Epstein to broaden his horizon and do
as GAC had proposed—select larger venues for
the 1965 tour. Bernstein asked Epstein if he could
advertise the show to begin generating ticket
An armored
truck was hired
to transport the
Beatles from the
World’s Fair site
to nearby Shea
Stadium. They had
taken a helicopter
from the Wall
Street Heliport
in Manhattan to
Flushing Meadows.
1965 31

Chaos backstage, as
John, George, and
Paul fight their way
through the crush of
people to the stage.
©George Orsino (2)
sales, but was informed he could not. The ultimate promotions man had to come up with a plan to
generate ticket sales in order to pay Epstein by the due date. Using a somewhat unorthodox method,
Bernstein simply told a few kids that the Beatles were coming back to New York for a summer concert
and shared the ticket prices with them. Word of an impending Beatles visit spread quickly, and soon
post office box 21 (which Bernstein had set up for the event) was inundated with letters stuffed with
money for tickets. Bernstein lugged three duffel bags filled with ticket requests to his home and hired
eight girls to process orders there. The girls worked five days a week for a few months and, true to his
word, the concert was a sellout. With very little PR effort on his part, he collected $304,000 and was
able to give Epstein the full $85,000 during his visit in January.
With the concert now secured, Bernstein went to work having a stage built. The original $10,000
construction estimate soon swelled to $25,000. The $10,000 insurance estimate also escalated, as
Lloyd’s of London was the only agency the promoter could find to insure the event.
The Beatles’ plane landed at New York’s JFK International Airport on Friday, August 13, 1965, taxiing
to a remote spot far removed from the fans assembled to greet them. Both road manager-chauffeur Alf
Bicknell and press officer Tony Barrow sensed the Beatles’ frustrations at having to land so far from their
fans. This had been an ongoing issue during the 1964 tour, but at the time of their arrival in New York
in 1965, America was in crisis mode as riots erupted in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. All the
country needed was another riot.
From the airport, it was off to midtown Manhattan. The group was scheduled to tape an appearance
on The Ed Sullivan Show the next day (which would air on September 12) and then kick off the summer
tour at Shea Stadium on Sunday. Instead of staying at the Plaza Hotel, management decided to book
the group at another landmark New York hotel—the Warwick. The hotel, built by publishing tycoon
William Randolph Hearst, opened in 1926 at a cost of $5 million and has hosted many celebrities
32 SOME FUN TONIGHT