The Beatles’ third tour of north America was nearly a year in the planning. By late 1964 manager Brian Epstein knew that they were not only the biggest act in his stable: they had become the biggest act on earth. America worshipped them. Somewhere different for the start of this tour, in New York – somewhere appropriately massive – had to be found. It was: a baseball stadium in Flushing, Queens. On 15 August 1965 The Beatles played the concert of their lives there. This is that story. Here also are the huge strides in writing, musicianship and recording the group made in the 12 months or so up to Shea Stadium. Some of this was played at the gig but little above the screams was heard. The Beatles at Shea 50 years ago remains, nonetheless, a watershed 1960s moment: the climax in the live career of the greatest quartet the world has known.
The Author:
James Woodall has published books about flamenco, writer Jorge Luis Borges and Brazilian pop. His 1997 biography of John Lennon and Yoko Ono, in German, was translated into over a dozen languages. His first Kindle Single (2014) was about The Beatles’ last year together.