Beatles 1966 Tour

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by jwb1231970, Nov 8, 2017.

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  1. jwb1231970

    jwb1231970 Ordinary Guy Thread Starter

    Location:
    USA
    regarding their 66 tours
    Their last US show in San Francisco sold 25000 tickets though the stadium holds 42,500. Ticket sales in general had declined throughout the tour.

    Why fly all the way to Tokyo and the Philippines to do a couple of days worth of shows, it seems a bit out of the way, it wasn't like they were touring the whole of southeast Asia- these were the only shows they did. Was this Brian just pushing them to do it all without regard to how The Beatles felt, he wanting to conquer the world?

    Brian had 1966 mapped out for them including a movie to be made, the Beatles said no to the movie and ended up having 3 months off which they used to focus on recording Revolver, the extra time allowed them to experiment and learn to use the studio a bit more. We would not have Revolver as it is had Brian got his way.

    Paul was the last to accept they would not tour, the others made the decision without his agreement.
     
  2. BDC

    BDC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tacoma
    I sure hope a nice pro shot Shea stadium 1966 finds circulation, officially or unofficially.
    I always enjoy the japan 66 footage.
     
  3. Bingo Bongo

    Bingo Bongo Music gives me Eargasms

    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    They're both out on Blu ray (unofficially), with the Shea being the better of them.
     
  4. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    You mean the Shea 1965 concert; there is no pro shot footage of the Shea 1966 concert (except for maybe some very short TV news clips).
     
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  5. ajsmith

    ajsmith Senior Member

    Location:
    Glasgow
    The Beatles 1964 - 66 touring really seemed to be like one long staggered world tour, with repeat visits to the principals territories of the US and the UK. But apart from that, it was Netherlands,Aus and Hong Kong in 64, continental Europe in 65, and Germany, Manila and Japan in 66. One visit to each of these territories each.
     
  6. MelodyFair

    MelodyFair West Coast Suburban Hausfrau

    Location:
    British Columbia
    What was this movie project? Any notes or a treatment?
     
  7. humpf

    humpf Allowed to write something here.

    Location:
    Silesia
    Well, they did play Paris in 1964 as well as 1965. And they played Sweden in 1963 and 1964.
     
  8. Bingo Bongo

    Bingo Bongo Music gives me Eargasms

    Location:
    Ottawa, Canada
    And Canada.......
     
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  9. DrBeatle

    DrBeatle The Rock and Roll Chemist

    Location:
    Midwest via Boston
    Brian and Paul had discussions with Joe Orton to use his Up Against It as the next film project, but after they read it they declined (go read the synopsis of it to see why...)
     
  10. vitorbastos123

    vitorbastos123 Forum Resident

    Have no idea why they didnt made it to Latin America countries? Pretty positive that the Beatles were huge in countries like Mexico(specially) , Brazil and Argentina. Maybe they thought that Brazil and Argentina were just jungles!
     
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  11. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    A Mexico City gig was considered.

    Supposedly: In 1965, the Beatles were scheduled to play in Mexico City. Brian Epstein had planned the concert at the Palacio de los Deportes Stadium or Sports City, but Ernesto P. Uruchurtu, Head of the Federal District, would not grant permission, saying that the Fab Four were a threat to youth. The show date was then given to San Diego.
     
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2017
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  12. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    They also almost played Israel too, but the Israeli government gave Brian the thumbs down.
     
    Last edited: Dec 14, 2017
  13. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    I'm not sure when promoters started to send US or UK acts to Latin America, but it wasn't yet a feasible option for the Beatles. Another huge band in Latin America (and most of the world too) was Creedence Clearwater Revival, but they didn't tour there either in the late 1960s or early 1970s.

    Anyone know what USA or UK rock performer/band was the first to undertake a real tour of South/Central America?
     
  14. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    The $$$ must have been quite good. Of course, whatever the Beatles earned in the Philippines was taken back after their escape following the fiasco with the Marcos family. But theoretically it must have seemed "exotic" at the time.
     
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  15. vitorbastos123

    vitorbastos123 Forum Resident

    Cool info! Those teens at the time must felt pretty pissed at Ernesto! They probably still are!
     
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  16. BDC

    BDC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tacoma
    No 66 Shea video circulates in which I know of, but it's hard to believe it wasn't captured in it's entirety, being a concert of around 30 minutes.

    The Beatles carefully controlled released content, and Shea 65 video releases had overdubs. I've had arguments with fans on this.
    Recording: overdubs for The Beatles At Shea Stadium

    Too bad 66 Beatles live didn't have more 66 material
     
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  17. notesfrom

    notesfrom Forum Resident

    Location:
    NC USA
    There was this one Beatles book - probably from the 80s - that claimed that the largest audience The Beatles ever played for was in Mexico City. Not sure how that 'fact' got into that particular book.
     
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  18. The Elephant Man

    The Elephant Man Forum Resident

    The played Beirut, Lebanon. The American University of Beirut hosted the event.
     
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  19. notesfrom

    notesfrom Forum Resident

    Location:
    NC USA
    What 1966 Beatles concert (or double-header) would you like to have seen?

    I'd probably pick their Philippines shows. Beatlemania in a most extreme setting. Huge crowds. Junta military as security.

    Runner up: Shea Stadium '66 - I could visit my parents and older sister after the show!
    2nd Runner up: NME Pollwinners Concert.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  20. RockRoom

    RockRoom I Love My Dog

    Location:
    Upstate
    I'd go with the June 24th Germany Circus-Krone concerts because you could hear em and they played pretty well.

    Or...the NME show because pictures of the performance look excellent!
     
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  21. BDC

    BDC Forum Resident

    Location:
    Tacoma
    I'd love to see all of that. Philipines.......Good call.......
    The darkness of the 66 experience is intriguing to me..
    To me 66 film would still be eclipsed by the darkness of the Let it be sessions, a lot of boot video exists, and this is even more telling than the official film.
    I know the editing can't be done to include complete live performances,
    but I still think a great a documentary is there to be made.
    Realistically my hope is more for unofficial releases, warts and all.
    Again I think a great doc is there to be made without getting too heavy into rehashing record burnings.. Maybe too many insiders have kicked the bucket...Sure wish Mal would of weighed in publically ....
     
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  22. notesfrom

    notesfrom Forum Resident

    Location:
    NC USA
    The Let It Be film is so dark and down. Those colorful spotlights at the beginning that light the Twickenham soundstage contrast with a sepia-toned, dulled-down band that just want to pack up and go home. A band that has seen and done it all. The only thing they haven't done at that point is completely break up - which would be next on the menu. It's still a fascinating enough period, though. It's as if the film caught them at the absolutely worst time, and, in some ways, that is the appeal of the film altogether.

    At least a '66 film would show a band on the move - still on the run. Trying to dodge bible thumpers, angry junta henchmen, revisiting the places from their formative years (Germany), doing one last stadium tour of the States. Maybe they don't have the dynamic energy anymore, compared to Beatles cartoon characters, but it would be a knockout cinema verite documentary if a cameraman had been following them.

    1970 would have been a good spot for them to play some last shows - maybe a farewell residency at the Royal Albert Hall. Isle of Wight? It doesn't make sense that George supposedly didn't want to play live during this period. Was he just opposed to touring? Or he didn't want to play with The Beatles live again? He jumped at the chance to get onstage with Delaney and Bonnie. It's very contradictory purported behavior on his part. I can see him not wanting to do another stadium tour anywhere, but certainly he would be down with theaters or the occasional festival. In that regard, he contributed as much to breaking up the Beatles as anyone.
     
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  23. skydropco

    skydropco Rock 'n Roll Nurse

    The 1966 NME pollwinners concert..I'd love to see that..but the holy grail for me would've been anything from the Dec '65 UK tour.
     
  24. Dr. Robert

    Dr. Robert Forum Reconstructor

    Location:
    Curitiba, Brazil
    The Rolling Stones had planned to tour south/central America in 1975, but it ended up not working out. I think the first "big" acts down here were the ones that played the first Rock in Rio in 1985, other than that, not one I can remember.
     
  25. Dr. Robert

    Dr. Robert Forum Reconstructor

    Location:
    Curitiba, Brazil
    Which includes, of course, Queen in 1981-ish
     
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