In August of 1965, two months after my highschool commencement, essentially the most extraordinary factor occurred. A band referred to as the Beatles held one live performance in Atlanta, and I used to be there!
Atlanta Stadium was demolished years in the past, two of the band members have gone on to their rewards, and age has taken away my skill to sing and dance. However that reminiscence lives on.
This new band from throughout the pond took us all abruptly. The band members wore pointy sneakers with heels greater than most younger males had been sporting. Their hair was lengthy and never greased down, and I cherished it.
Their music was totally different than any songs on the Billboard at the moment. The 60s had been a time of change when it got here to music and all it influenced. We went from teen-throb, bobby-socks-wearing music at the start of the last decade to so-called hippy songs that blasted for days, on a bit dairy farm, close to “Woodstock” on the very finish. The Beatles made their look smack dab in the course of that decade, and life as we knew it was by no means the identical. I didn’t throw away my 45’s of Ricky Nelson, Pat Boone, the Beachboys, and naturally, Elvis! However, a brand new period had began, and I started appreciating lots of the newest and what I thought of odd teams from England.
I can’t say each music was nice, however the innocence and freshness of the Beatles’ early work captured my consideration. Participating, typically poetic, and chanting lyrics drew in my era. Mother and father, preachers, and a few educators warned youngsters about this new phenomenon. I do know first-hand that the Beatles impressed many lectures and sermons. However there was no stopping the overwhelming affect, also known as the British Invasion.
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On February 9, 1964, I used to be glued to my TV because the Beatles first carried out on the Ed Sullivan Present. For many who don’t acknowledge Ed Sullivan’s identify, I’ll take a second whilst you Google it. I couldn’t hear a lot due to the screams contained in the studio. The pouty host didn’t admire the noise and stated to his viewers, “If you happen to don’t hold quiet, I’m going to ship for a barber!” They didn’t, and he didn’t.
Somewhat over a 12 months later, the boy I used to be relationship and yours really, parted methods. It was not a nasty breakup, however I can’t say we remained shut buddies (TMI). When he referred to as and stated he had tickets to the Beatle’s live performance, our friendship took on a brand new which means. It was an enormous occasion even for a passive Beatles fan like me. I didn’t ask if I used to be the primary one he considered when he purchased the tickets. I didn’t care.
Police had been in every single place, and folks had been wired! If somebody had hiccupped earlier than the band walked onto the stage, the entire viewers would have escalated the screams to a better decibel than was already assuring future deafness.
There have been a number of opening acts, together with an amazing band from Atlanta, however nobody paid consideration to something they stated or sang.
Our seats had been approach up excessive, and I may solely see the stage and large audio system. When the band walked out throughout the sphere and up onto the stage, the already screaming viewers jumped to their toes and raised, I began to say the roof, however the stadium didn’t have one. They raised one thing. The woman, 4 seats to our left, fainted, a few folks in entrance of us had been arrested (I don’t need to know what they did), and I discovered myself screaming like the remainder.
