Inside the Beatles’ First North American Tour—and the 32 Shows That Changed Concert History

The Beatles were more than surprised by the reaction when they first touched down in America. They had no way of knowing the pure pandemonium that would ensue once they crossed the Atlantic.

“All we knew was that a couple of the records had done well in the States,” Cynthia Lennon once said. “We believed there was still a huge mountain to climb if The Beatles were really to make it there.”

That notion was quickly dispelled once they got to America and realized the impact their music had. Their first tour in the U.S., which kicked off 62 years ago today, made it clear that Beatlemania was well underway. Learn more about the crazed reaction to their first tour stop below.

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The Beatles’ First U.S. Tour

The band embarked on their first North American tour in 1964, a few months after they took the U.S. by storm by appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show. Getting to and from shows was a nightmare for the band, given the intense reaction their fans were already showing so early in their careers.

“In America, the police would be directing the traffic,” George Harrison once said. “They’d drive ahead of the motorcade; they’d come to a crossroads, put both hands up and blow their whistles. Then another bike would pass and go to the next link, but they’d all try to be flash, going in and out and racing up the road.”

Even from the very first date, which sold out 17,130 tickets in San Francisco, it was clear this tour wasn’t anything anyone had experienced before.

The Set

The Beatles appeared alongside The Bill Black Combo, The Exciters, The Righteous Brothers, and Jackie DeShannon. It was an enticing bill for everyone in attendance. But as stacked as the lineup was, it was The Beatles everyone was there for.  

The band played “Twist And Shout”, “You Can’t Do That”, “All My Loving”, “She Loves You”, “Till There Was You”, “Roll Over Beethoven”, “Can’t Buy Me Love”, “If I Fell”, “I Want To Hold Your Hand”, “‘Boys”, “A Hard Day’s Night”, and “Long Tall Sally”. Reading that setlist feels almost impossible, given how many of those songs would go on to become classics.

The show was rife with screaming fans. They were impassioned to the point of injury. Nineteen girls required first aid and two fans were arrested. Others tried to rush the stage, presenting a challenge for The Beatles playing live that would follow them until they decided to stop touring.

“We just can’t get out on our own – but we had seventeen years of being able to walk to the shops,” John Lennon once said of the reaction in America. As successful as this tour stop was, it also meant the end of any semblance of a normal life for The Beatles.

(Photo by Mirrorpix via Getty Images)