One Fan's Story of Chasing The Beatles in Concert Since Their Ed Sullivan Debut on February 9th, 1964

“Yesterday” - My Beatles Experience

By Lora Fies on February 9, 2014

My Beatles Bracelet From 1964

The Beatles burst into my life fifty years ago when I was just 14.  Their music was so different from anything else I had heard.  It was fun, energetic music with words that appealed to my young heart.  They had a charm about them that everyone found so appealing.  Sure their hair was a bit long for that time, but they were cute, funny and talented.  They came from Liverpool, England, had accents and seemed to be totally enjoying themselves, mugging for the camera and goofing around.  Their songwriting skills were remarkable, putting together songs about love, work, peace and people from all walks of life.

Watching them shake their mops of hair and say ooooh or yeah, yeah, yeah made me feel happy and free spirited.  Like most Beatlemaniacs, I couldn’t get enough.  They saturated my life, from my youth until now, into my sixties, and I suspect, all the way till death do us part.  I’m already thinking of which Beatles song(s) I want played at my memorial service,  perhaps “Good Day Sunshine”, one of my favorites in high school when I was with a friend driving to the lake for a fun day in the sun; or maybe, “Yesterday” for all my fond memories from the past.  There are so many great songs to consider.

Like many other families, on February 9, 1964, my Dad, stepmom and I were watching the Beatles for the first time on the Ed Sullivan Show.  My teenage friends were all talking about this awesome group from England and how they were going to be BIG!  Once the Beatles were introduced and began singing, I was hooked.  My Dad couldn’t believe how excited I was and decided to play a trick by changing the channels.  I was shocked and nearly in tears.  Once he realized how upset I was, he switched back to the show, but the damage was done.  I had been cheated.  All my friends were excited, talking about the songs, and Paul, the “cute” Beatle, George, the “quiet” one, Ringo, the drummer, and John, the married one.  I was frustrated because I had missed at least 10-15 seconds or more and felt left out.  I was determined to never miss out again.

Fast forward to today, and at age 64 (“will you still love me, when I’m 64”), I can proudly say I saw the Beatles “live” in concert six times.  In addition to those shows, I also saw Paul McCartney (my fave), his wife, Linda, and his band, Wings, perform at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, AZ on April 4, 1990 with my husband and interestingly, our babysitter, who was about 15 at the time. I was so impressed that young people were smitten with the Beatles even then.  Of course, “Band on the Run” and “Back in the USSR” had everyone standing up and boogieing to the music.  They played 31 songs, quite a contrast to the 30 minutes or so the Beatles played on tour in the sixties.  My most recent and 8th concert was in Seattle on July 19, 2013, for the “Out There” tour where McCartney played 39 songs, including a few songs with David Grohl of the Foo Fighters, formerly with Nirvana, which provided an unexpectedly great surprise finish.  Paul’s wife, Nancy, was in the crowd and he dedicated his song, “My Valentine” to her which was very sweet.  His voice is older, he’s 71 now, but he sings and moves across the stage like he was 20-30 years younger.  The passion he has for music is a great example to all current and future wannabe musicians.

I can say that I have seen Paul McCartney of the Beatles eight times in my life.  That’s a bit like his song, “Eight Days a Week” from which I will change the verse to say:

Eight times in my life

I love you,

Eight times in my life

Is not enough to show I care…..

In sharing the following memories, please keep in mind that I am now in my sixties and while some things I remember very clearly, others are a bit foggy.  Now, about those six Beatles concerts I attended in 1964, 1965, and 1966:

Concert #1: Seattle,WA | Seattle Coliseum

August 21, 1964, 8:00pm

My original ticket stub from the 1964 Beatles concert in Seattle, WA

Two of my friends and I were determined to see the Beatles play in Seattle.  We lived in Yakima, WA, about 3+ hours from Seattle.  My stepmother said she would chaperone us; otherwise we wouldn’t get to go.  We thought they would be staying at the Ben Franklin Hotel, and we got a room there.  Later we found out they would be staying at The Edgewater.  We went there along with many other fans to await their arrival.  What a crazy scene when the limo pulled in.  Fans, including one of my friends, swarmed the limo and she even ended up laying across the back.  We were so excited!  We heard they liked cake, so we bought a cake and had it say, “All Our Loving”.  We signed a note asking them to wave at us from their hotel window.  We didn’t know if they got it or not, but a hotel employee did take our cake.  Weeks later, I went to Seattle to buy a piece of the carpet from their hotel room that was being sold by a local department store.  I returned to the Edgewater and purchased a few pictures that were taken of the Beatles in their room.  One picture showed them eating cake.  I was told they received several cakes that day!

The piece of carpet I purchased from the Beatles' hotel room at the Edgewater

Later, that evening, we were part of a huge crowd of Beatle fans outside the Coliseum, prior to the show.  The next day, the local paper published a photo of that scene, and there we were!  Our seats were located far away from the stage.  My friends were upset because we originally had cheaper seats closer to the stage, but behind it.  During the summer, I had gone to visit my mother in Tacoma and heard about an event that RC Cola was sponsoring that involved using bottle caps to bid on Beatles concert tickets.  My friends and I in Tacoma saved bottle caps like crazy.  I ended up with quite a few.

The day finally arrived where I could bid on tickets using my bottle caps.  Up for bid came 3 tickets that were more expensive than the ones I currently held.  So I bid on those and ended up selling the existing tickets to some friends, who later told me the seats were fantastic because they were so close to the Beatles.  They didn’t get to see them from the front, but all the Beatles would turn around occasionally, so they got some nice close up views, especially of Ringo.  Unfortunately, my friends and I had to watch them from way across the Coliseum.  We did look straight at them, but they were tiny figures moving about the stage.  It was a huge disappointment, but we still screamed and went crazy like everyone else.  I doubt we heard much other than the screaming fans.  That evening, after the concert, we convinced my stepmom to go with us back to The Edgewater, hoping to see them again.  There were lots of fans there, but we did not see them again.  But I always remembered enjoying milkshakes with my friends and stepmom downtown late that evening.  Too bad my stepmom couldn’t chaperone me the following night.

Concert #2: Vancouver, BC | Empire Stadium

August 22, 1964, 8:15pm (The Next Day)

My original ticket stub from the 1964 Beatles concert in Vancouver, BC

My Dad and stepmom would never have allowed me to travel by bus to the concert in Canada.  But I had been spending most of the summer at my Mom’s place in Tacoma, WA and she had given me permission.  My memory is a bit foggy as to the details, but I believe the bus and ticket purchase were arranged through the #1 Rock and Roll radio station, KJR by Pat O’Day who was a beloved DJ in the Northwest and introduced the Beatles at the concert in Seattle.  When my Dad and stepmom found out I planned to go, they were upset and worried about my not being chaperoned.  Nothing was going to keep me from seeing the Beatles in Vancouver, and off I went, by myself, but as part of the bus group.  I was 15 years old.

I was thrilled to find out my seat was so close to the stage, on the main level.  There was a tall chain link type fence between the stage and the seating area.  The stage was very close to the fence.  During the concert, fans started running up towards the stage.  I decided to give it a try.  Oh my!  I was maybe 10 feet from my idols.  I went into a screaming frenzy.  Paul and John were laughing.  George Harrison smiled and tipped his guitar in my direction.  I tried to take a Polaroid picture, but to be honest, all I captured was the light reflecting off his guitar.  I was trembling with excitement and the idea that they could see me too.  At some point, I must have started to hyperventilate.  I tried going back to my seat, but one of the concert workers saw how disoriented I was and suggested I go to a First Aid station.

The concert eventually ended and people were leaving.  I needed to get back to the bus meeting area.  Instead, I ended up at a First Aid station where they had me drink water and calm down.  By the time I got to the bus meeting area, I was one of the last, if not the last, passenger to get on the bus.  I was given a hard time about delaying our departure, and even some of the fans on the bus seemed upset with me.  Once we were on our way, I relived my experiences from this concert and the night before in Seattle, by talking nonstop to my seatmate.  I think everyone was pretty tired and wished I would be quiet, but others were asking questions and excited to hear how close I was to the stage and the fact I had seen them the night before.  Most of them were fans that had missed out on the Seattle concert.

Over the next year, my friends and I became very serious Beatle fans.  We’d buy Teen magazines that told stories about the Beatles.  One friend and I even wrote our own stories about meeting the Beatles and how we imagined it would be.  We would pass these stories off to each other in PE class and then read them once we had free time, and share what we thought.  Just think of all the story writing skills we were attaining. They were stories we only shared with each other though.

All our spare change went to buying gum wrappers that included picture cards of the Beatles, and their latest records or albums.  I had “Introducing the Beatles” and “Meet the Beatles” and played them over and over in my room on my little record player.  I’m sure I drove my parents crazy.  However, I do recall my stepmom listening to instrumental Beatles music on the house intercom.  She said she loved their music as long as she didn’t have to hear them sing.  I was happy she at least liked some part of them, but did not agree about their singing.  In my Home Economics class, I had to make a dress.  I remember buying four beatle (the bug type) appliqués and putting them on the upper part of the dress.  I thought it was so cool, but now I can’t imagine what I was thinking.  When I went to see the movie, “Hard Day’s Night”, my friends and I brought our cameras and took pictures of the movie!  Crazy.

I heard that Paul’s girlfriend, Jane Asher, made him crepes suzette.  My friend and I wanted to make them too.  I called my stepmom at work to ask if there was any rum in the house.  She told us she had imitation rum we could use.  Unfortunately, when we tried to flame the suzettes, there wasn’t enough alcohol in the imitation rum.  We were disappointed and my stepmom had a good laugh.  Several of my girlfriends gathered at one girl’s home to dance to the Beatles latest album, “Beatles ’65”.  We loved the song “Honey Don’t” sung by Ringo, and decided to set up a line dance routine.  We had hoped to perform it at school, but never did.  We sure had fun though.  I can’t imagine what my teenage years would have been like without the Beatles.  They gave us many learning opportunities and fun experiences that I will always treasure.

Concerts #3 & #4: Portland, OR | Memorial Coliseum

August 22, 1965, 3:30pm and 8:00pm

My original ticket stub from the 1965 Beatles concert (afternoon) in Portland, OR

Living in Yakima, I had heard about the Beatles' upcoming performances in Portland.  I was bound and determined to meet them in person.  I managed to get a letter from our local newspaper saying I was a teen reporter and would like to attend their press conference.  Once again, I was spending the summer in Tacoma, and my mom let me travel by train to Portland on my own.  I stayed overnight at a friend of my mom’s who also made sure I got to and from the Coliseum.  The crowds waiting for the afternoon concert were worried  because they had heard the Beatles' plane had an engine that caught fire.  This delayed the concert but the fans were just happy they made it safe and sound.  I went to the front of the line and presented my letter requesting access to the press conference.  However, they had received so many requests like this already, I was turned down.  I was devastated.  My seat was on the upper level but near the stage.  I remember looking down and seeing Paul and being so happy at how close he was.  I loved when he sang “I’m Down”, seeming happy and bouncing up and down.  It was a great concert for me because I was a year older, not quite so crazy, and was able to hear and actually enjoy the concert.

It was the evening concert that ended up having the most meaning for me in the future, though.  Once again, I showed my letter from my newspaper, but to no avail.  However, as I was entering the Coliseum with a rush of fans, two girls in front of me were running their hands along the wall and suddenly a door opened and they gasped and jumped in.  I wasn’t sure what to do, but I went in right after them.  The door must have closed after me, because no one else followed.  We went down some stairs where we found several rooms, one of which we assumed must have been the room where they had held the press conference.  One girl picked up an ashtray.  We were looking around when we heard someone approaching.  The two girls saw a tall garbage can and got inside.  I didn’t know what to do.  I didn’t want to get caught, thrown out and maybe not even see the concert.  We no longer heard anyone approaching, so I told the girls I was leaving.  They said they were staying put.  I have no idea what happened to them that day.  I peeked out the door and didn’t see anyone.  My heart was beating fast as I started walking in the direction of the main floor and passed a few security and other folks standing about. They must have thought I had a reason to be there because they did not stop me.  I just kept walking until I was inside on the main floor which was where my seat was located.  I couldn’t believe what had just happened, and was happy I was safely in my seat, but disappointed that I hadn’t stayed behind to perhaps see the Beatles up close.  My seat was in a good location and I had a great view of the concert, but it wasn’t as close as my afternoon seat.  But I didn’t care.  I was just happy to be enjoying their show again.

When I returned to Yakima, I wrote a news article about my Portland experiences which they published.  So that was my claim to fame, so I thought.  However, ten years ago, I was selling stuff on ebay to make some extra money.  I noticed there were some Beatles memorabilia, including a few ticket stubs being sold, that were getting decent bids.  I pulled out my box of keepsakes and my scrapbook where I had taped my ticket stubs.  I took pictures of them and posted them on ebay.  Wow, I was so surprised by the reaction I got.  They were getting multiple bids, and some were in the hundreds of dollars.  I sold a Beatle’s bracelet with 4 round wooden heads of the Beatles, as well as that piece of the carpet from the Edgewater.  All of my ticket stubs did very well, but one, in particular, was getting lots of attention.  It was the ticket from the Portland evening show that I had never presented, since I walked right into the Coliseum via those mysterious stairs.  It was a full intact ticket, and much sought after.

My fully intact ticket stub from when I snuck into the Beatles show
at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, OR in 1965

I remember sitting at my computer watching the final bidding take place.  The bids were over $1000, and kept going higher, and my jaw hit the floor when it sold for over $1700!  I was living in CA at the time, and the purchaser met me at a local café with a cashiers check.  He was thrilled to have the rare ticket, and I was happy to be paid for it and perhaps have my ticket be a part of future Beatles memorabilia.  He hoped to put together a book with fully intact tickets from all the concerts and present it to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  I don’t know if that ever happened, but I’m sure my ticket will show up somewhere, sometime.  Just knowing I am a part of the Beatle’s historical invasion of America makes me proud.

Concerts #5 & #6: Seattle, WA | Seattle Coliseum

August 25, 1966, 3:00pm and 8:00pm

My original ticket stub from the 1966 Beatles concert (afternoon) in Seattle, WA

Who would have believed this would be the last time the Beatles would appear in Seattle, and just days later, that they would perform their final concert in the US forever.  I wish I had known, because my memory is foggiest about these concerts.  I had heard that Jane Asher was flying into Seattle and that Paul was going to marry her.  It was a rumor and did not happen which I’m sure many girls were thankful for, including me.  I read everything I could about Jane Asher since Paul was my favorite and I wanted to be like Jane, since he was in love with her.  I was staying with a friend in Seattle and prior to the concert, I remember ironing my long hair at the ironing board, so I could have long, straight hair like Jane’s.  My seats for both concerts were way better than the ones I had at their original Seattle concert in 1964.  For once, I was able to take pictures of them where you could clearly see them.  I wasn’t close-up, but close enough.

My original ticket stub from the 1966 Beatles concert (evening) in Seattle, WA

In the year following these last concerts, the Beatles spent more time working on their music and released “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band” which was a departure from their earlier albums.  It includes my favorite song for this year, “When I’m 64”.  My friends and I were curious about this new psychedelic rock music which was so unique.  We talked about George Harrison and his love of Indian music and his friendship with Ravi Shankar and we tried to be more philosophical.

I graduated from high school, moved on to college and focused more on college life.  It was a slow transition from being totally saturated with the Beatles to beginning to live the life of a young adult and college student.  I enjoyed listening to music by the Doors, Grateful Dead, and Jefferson Airplane.  I wasn’t always listening to Beatle’s music.  I was confused by the actions of John and Yoko but liked their slogan, “Give peace a chance”.  When “Hey Jude” was released, it was wonderful to hear all the positive comments.  The White Album with “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” was one I really enjoyed because of how upbeat it was.  It continues to perk me up on a slow day.

When Paul married Linda in 1969, I was happy for him.  I remember following the birth of their children and listening to music from their band, Wings.  We were living in Scottsdale, AZ while Paul and Linda had their ranch in Tucson.  I was tempted to take a drive to their ranch in hopes of possibly seeing them, but my husband wasn’t keen on the idea.  A few years later, Linda died of breast cancer, and my heart ached for Paul’s sadness.  I always thought it was interesting how Paul has flitted in and out of my life over the years.  I, like many fans, always hoped for a Beatles reunion, but it wasn’t to be.  I was horrified by John’s death in 1980 and sad when George passed of cancer in 2001.  When my son was small, he used to watch TV replays of Ringo narrating Thomas the Tank Engine.  Except for the rare appearance of Paul and Ringo together, the Fab Four faded away.

All the Beatles have had an impact on my life to this day.  I have several friends who are Beatles fans and I recently found out that one of them actually met the Beatles in a hotel managed by her father back in 1964.  She said she and her friend weren’t really Beatles fans but were interested in meeting them.  They met in their hotel room and outside there was a crowd of screaming girls hoping for a glimpse of the boys.  She asked Paul what he thought of all the screaming.  Paul said to my friend, “Watch this” and then he kissed her and the fans went nuts.  When she told me this story, I was that 15 year old girl back in 1964 and felt so jealous.  Here was someone who wasn’t as crazy a fan as me, and she got to kiss Paul!  Wow.

Another friend, originally from CT, whose mother is British has shared her copies of videos and cassettes with me and knows every song inside and out.  She was only 6 years old when she saw them on Ed Sullivan, and says her parents banned their music after they saw those long haired boys perform.  Another close friend of nearly 40 years says she was also at that first Seattle concert in 1964 with two of her friends, too.  I think she and her friends can be seen in the same newspaper picture that my friends and I are in. Interesting how Beatles fans are here, there and everywhere.

Like many Beatles fans, I will be watching the special Grammy tribute of the Beatles, with Paul and Ringo, on TV on February 9th, 2014.  I’ll be reliving all those cherished memories and shaking my head, saying, “Has it really been 50 years?”