[quote=tomwed;918040]
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr Winston O Boogie jr
I don't recall ticket prices except the $5.50 that I paid to see The Beatles, from the fifth row in 1966.
Could you tell us more about the Beatles concert? [if you don't mind me asking]
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I grew up in Revere Massachusetts which abuts East Boston. Logan Airport is in East Boston. The city line between Revere and East Boston runs right through the middle of Suffolk Downs Racetrack which is where The Beatles played. Contrary to many reports I've read, they were not in the middle of the oval infield. The stage was erected at the finish line of the track. In fact a friend of mine and I went to the track that afternoon to watch them build the stage. We also helped set up chairs in front of the grandstand.
My father was on the Revere Police Department. The department was offered the best seats in the place either for nothing or a discounted price. I remember the price on the ticket was $5.50 but father got it for me so I don't know what he paid. It was fifth row center which was still not all that close to the stage. There was about thirty yards or so from the fence in front of the first row to the stage so I was about 35-40 yards back. That was about as close as anyone got.
I remember the opening acts, The Ronettes, Barry and the Remains (who I knew) Bobby Hebb, Sounds Incorporated and the Circle.
When The Beatles came on there was the loudest cheer I'd ever heard in my life. They launched into Rock and Roll Music and I almost couldn't even make it out. I heard the rest of the set very clearly and wondered what all the fuss was about with people saying that they couldn't hear them.
I found out years later that Barry Tarsian from the Remains recommended that they use a sound company in Medford Mass called Hanley Sound. Hanley had all of the latest state of the art equipment. They had two massive speaker arrays on wither side of the field. I learned afterward that John Lennon said that that was the first time they had heard themselves in a long time and that he wanted Hanley to do the rest of the tour.
A band that I was in back then used Hanley quite often and we gave them an autographed photo to hang on the wall. We always got excited when we went in there and saw our signed photo hanging on the wall next to a signed photo of The Beatles.
Anyroad, the show was great. They sounded great. I remember being disappointed that John and George were playing Epiphone Casinos. I expected to see the Rickenbacker and Gretsch that they usually played.
A kid climbed over me, jumped over the fence and got up onto the stage and touched each one of them. The cops gather him up and put him back into the audience where he was immediately assaulted by hundreds of fans who wanted to touch him.
Years later I found out something I will never forgive my father for. The chief of police in Revere was told that he could invite some of the officer's kids to come back stage and meet The Beatles. My father told him that I wouldn't be interested.
My father also worked the detail at the track that night and told me that they drove right by him on the way to their dressing room.
I don't know what else I can tell you about the concert but ask anything that you want and I'll try to answer it for you.