the Beatles' 1964 world tour
{{Short description|1964 concert tour by the Beatles}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox concert
| concert_tour_name = The Beatles 1964 world tour
| image =
| image_caption =
| artist = the Beatles
| location = {{hlist|Europe|Oceania|Asia}}
| start_date = 4 June 1964
| end_date = 16 August 1964
| number_of_legs = 2
| number_of_shows = 30
| chronology = The Beatles concert chronology
| last_tour = 1964 UK tour
| this_tour = The Beatles' 1964 world tour
| next_tour = The Beatles' 1964 North American tour
}}
The Beatles 1964 world tour was the Beatles' first world tour, launched after their 1964 UK tour. The reception was enthusiastic, with The Spectator describing it as "hysterical". It was followed by their subsequent North American tour in August of that year.
==Tour history==
Negotiations for an Australasian tour started in October 1963, and Epstein signed in January 1964 (a month before the Beatles’ American tour). The price had increased from £1500 a week to £2500 a week plus airfares and excess baggage for drums and amps. The negotiations between Robert Kerridge of Kerridge Odeon in Auckland, Aztec Services (Kenn Brodziak) in Melbourne, their London agent Cyril Berlin of The Grade Organisation and Brian Epstein were by telegram (many reproduced in the 2024 book).
The Beatles were stated to have made £250,000 from their Australasian tour. [https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19640710.2.185?end_date=01-08-1964&items_per_page=10&query=Beatles+Lake&snippet=true&start_date=01-07-1964 The Press (Christchurh), 10 July]
=Jimmie Nicol temporarily replaces Ringo=
On the morning of 3 June 1964, the day before the tour was to begin, Ringo Starr fell ill during a photo session. He fainted and was taken to hospital with a strong fever, where he was diagnosed with severe tonsillitis and hospitalized for a few days in London.{{Cite web |date=23 October 2023 |title=Jimmy Nicol |url=https://www.beatlesbible.com/people/jimmie-nicol/ |website=beatlesbible.com |language=}}
The Beatles, especially George Harrison, wanted to postpone the tour, but manager Brian Epstein and producer George Martin decided to use drummer Jimmie Nicol to temporarily replace Starr.{{sfn|Armstrong|Neill | 2024 |pp= 85-91 }} When Ringo heard this, he was convinced he was about to be permanently replaced.
During rehearsals, when the Beatles asked Nicol how he was doing, his answer was always "It's getting better"; this phrase later inspired McCartney's song "Getting Better" from the 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Years later, Nicols said that he would have done the tour for free, but Epstein offered him £2,500 per performance and a £2,500 bonus. "I couldn't sleep that night, I was one of the fucking Beatles!" he said in a 1988 interview.{{fact|date=October 2023}}
The tour began on 4 June 1964 in Copenhagen, Denmark; Nicol played nine shows across six cities until Starr rejoined the band in Melbourne, Australia, on 14 June.{{sfn|Armstrong|Neill | 2024 |pp= 157,167 }} Nicol, a very shy person, did not say goodbye to the group and left at night while they were sleeping. At the airport, Brian Epstein gave him £500 and a gold watch with the inscription "From The Beatles and Brian Epstein to Jimmie - with appreciation and gratitude". On the return journey on the plane he was very sad, feeling "like a bastard child rejected by his new family".{{Cite web |date=23 April 2014 |title=Het mysterieuze verhaal van Beatles-invaldrummer Jimmie Nicol |trans-title=The mysterious story of Beatles substitute drummer Jimmie Nicol |url=https://3voor12.vpro.nl/lokaal/noord-holland/artikelen/overzicht/achtergrond/2014/the-beatles-in-blokker-1.html |website=3voor12.vpro |language=nl}}
Tour dates
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
! width="200"| Date ! width="200"| City ! width="150"| Country ! width="300"| Venue | |||
| colspan="4"| Europe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 June 1964{{Efn|As Ringo Starr was hospitalized in the UK, Jimmie Nicol was temporarily hired to stand in for Ringo as a drummer for the shows from 4–13 June until Ringo rejoined the group in Melbourne.}} | Copenhagen | Denmark | K.B. Hallen |
| 5 June 1964{{Efn|As Ringo Starr was hospitalized in the UK, Jimmie Nicol was temporarily hired to stand in for Ringo as a drummer for the shows from 4–13 June until Ringo rejoined the group in Melbourne.}} | Hillegom | rowspan="2"|Netherlands | Treslong. TV appearance for VARA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.beatlesbible.com/1964/06/05/live-treslong-hillegom-netherlands/|title = The Beatles Bible - Television: Treslong, Hillegom, Netherlands|date = 5 June 1964}} |
| 6 June 1964{{Efn|As Ringo Starr was hospitalized in the UK, Jimmie Nicol was temporarily hired to stand in for Ringo as a drummer for the shows from 4–13 June until Ringo rejoined the group in Melbourne.}} | Blokker | VeilinghallenOn 5 June 1964 VARA organized a Beatles concert in Café Restaurant Treslong in Hillegom as part of their three day visit to the Netherlands as part of their world tour, which got a television registration. On 8 June 1964 a complete summary of the Beatles' visit to the Netherlands was broadcast. The visualization of the three day visit showed: * arrival at Schiphol Airport – young women wearing Volendam folk costumes welcoming, offering tulips and traditional Dutch hats. * the concert at Treslong. * a roundtrip by boat through the canals of Amsterdam. The Beatles visiting the red light district De Wallen was not shown. * arrival at De Doelen Hotel in Amsterdam. * the concert at the Veilinghallen in Blokker. * Waving goodbye while entering an airplane at Schiphol Airport heading for the next destination Hongkong. | |
| colspan="4"| Asia | |||
| 9 June 1964 {{Efn|As Ringo Starr was hospitalized in the UK, Jimmie Nicol was temporarily hired to stand in for Ringo as a drummer for the shows from 4–13 June until Ringo rejoined the group in Melbourne.}}{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day; 7.30 and 9.30 pm. Backing for the 7.30 pm show was by the Maori Hi Five and Sounds Incorporated. Tickets wrongly said 10 June and were overstamped 9 June. }} | Kowloon | British Hong Kong | Princess Theatre |
| colspan="4"| Australasia | |||
| 12 June 1964{{Efn|As Ringo Starr was hospitalized in the UK, Jimmie Nicol was temporarily hired to stand in for Ringo as a drummer for the shows from 4–13 June until Ringo rejoined the group in Melbourne.}}{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | rowspan="2" |Adelaide | rowspan="8"|Australia | rowspan="2"|Centennial Hall |
| 13 June 1964{{Efn|As Ringo Starr was hospitalized in the UK, Jimmie Nicol was temporarily hired to stand in for Ringo as a drummer for the shows from 4–13 June until Ringo rejoined the group in Melbourne.}}{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | |||
| 15 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | rowspan="3" |Melbourne | rowspan="3"|Festival Hall | |
| 16 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | |||
| 17 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | |||
| 18 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | rowspan="3" |Sydney | rowspan="3"|Sydney Stadium | |
| 19 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | |||
| 20 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | |||
| 22 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | rowspan="2" |Wellington | rowspan="6"|New Zealand | rowspan="2"|Wellington Town Hall |
| 23 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | |||
| 24 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | rowspan="2" |Auckland | rowspan="2"|Auckland Town Hall | |
| 25 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | |||
| 26 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | Dunedin | Dunedin Town Hall | |
| 27 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | Christchurch | Majestic Theatre | |
| 29 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | rowspan="2" |Brisbane | rowspan="2"|Australia | rowspan="2"|Brisbane Festival Hall |
| 30 June 1964{{Efn|Two shows were staged on this day.}} | |||
| colspan="4"| Europe | |||
| 12 July 1964 | Brighton | rowspan="4"|England | Hippodrome Theatre |
| 19 July 1964 | Blackpool | ABC Cinema | |
| 23 July 1964 | London | London Palladium | |
| 26 July 1964 | Blackpool | Blackpool Opera House | |
| 28 July 1964 | rowspan="2"|Stockholm | rowspan="2"|Sweden | rowspan="2"|Johanneshovs Isstadion |
| 29 July 1964 | |||
| 2 August 1964 | Bournemouth | rowspan="3"|England | Gaumont |
| 9 August 1964 | Scarborough | Futurist Theatre | |
| 16 August 1964 | Blackpool | Blackpool Opera House |
Typical set list
The typical set list for the shows was as follows (with lead singers noted):
- "I Saw Her Standing There" (Paul McCartney)
- "I Want To Hold Your Hand" (John Lennon and Paul McCartney) or "You Can't Do That" (John Lennon){{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTiV0OJ0GdA | title=The Beatles - You Can't do That [Festival Hall, Melbourne, Australia] | website=YouTube }}
- "All My Loving" (Paul McCartney)
- "She Loves You" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison)
- "Till There Was You" (Paul McCartney)
- "Roll Over Beethoven" (George Harrison)
- "Can't Buy Me Love" (Paul McCartney)
- "This Boy" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison)
- "Twist and Shout" (John Lennon)
- "Long Tall Sally" (Paul McCartney)
See also
Notes
{{Notes}}
External links
- The Beatles tour New Zealand.{{cite web|url=http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/beatles|title=The Beatles in New Zealand|publisher=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage| access-date= 2 April 2008 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080312112339/http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/culture/beatles| archive-date= 12 March 2008| url-status= live}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Sources
- [https://books.google.com/books?id=hyU-AQAAIAAJ&q=%22beatles+world+tour%22+1964 The Spectator, Volume 213, 1964]
- {{Cite book |last=Armstrong |first=Greg |title=When We Was Fab: Inside the Beatles Australasian Tour 1964 |last2=Neill |first2=Andy |publisher= Woodslane Press, Warriewood NSW, Australia |date=2024 |isbn=978-1-922800-68-8 }}
- {{cite book |last=Baker |first=Glenn A |title=The Beatles Down Under: the 1964 Australia & New Zealand tour |year=1982 |publisher=Wild & Woolley |location=Glebe, NSW Australia}}
- {{cite book |last= Baker |first= Glenn A |title= The Beatles Down Under: the 1964 Australia & New Zealand tour |url= https://archive.org/details/beatlesdownunder0000bake |url-access= registration |edition= 2 |year= 1985 |publisher= Pierian Press |location= Ann Arbour, Michigan |isbn= 0-87650-186-2 }}
- {{cite book |last= Hutchins |first= Graham |title= Eight Days a Week:the Beatles' tour of New Zealand 1964 |year= 2004 |publisher= Exisle |location= Auckland, NZ |isbn= 0-908988-55-9 }}
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Category:Concert tours of Australia
Category:Concert tours of New Zealand