You could go back in time to see one Beatles' concert. Which of these would it be?

Roof Top

 

Cavern

I'd go with portable equipment to film and record the gigs in full

 

I'm just reading (being reminded) about how Buffalo NY could have staged the first North American concert, instead of Washington DC, for for the paltry sum of $3500.
But... I digress.
My choice: The Cavern, especially after Mr. Lewisohn's description of the odours found within.
Runner-up: 09 February 1964, The Ed Sullivan Shoo.

 

She was named for Exene Cervenka from X.

 

Wonder what Johnny Ringo and the Colts were like

 

Nice!
I didn’t realize there would be 5 other bands on the bill! So the Fabs set was generally short there?

 

Ok I had to look her up on Wikipedia- disappointed that she wasn't christened Exene though

 

Maybe 1 hour at the most?

 

+1

 

WaitAMinute!

If I see an Ed Sullivan show, do I get to stay and watch the magician, hand puppet and animal act, also....?

That’s the tie-breaker for me!!!

 

Cavern (with Ringo), then DC, then rooftop.

 

Rooftop for me. The final years, (68'-'70) have always been the period that's intrigued me most.
Add to that the fact that right up until the last minute this concert almost didn't take place, it just adds to the aura to witness their special magic one last time.

 

The Beatles and Topo Gigio on the same bill!!

 

You'll get to see Davy Jones perform as the Artful Dodger, long before his Monkee days!

 

Probably Cavern. The set list was not superb and probably had a lot of covers like their early albums did, but it would be great to see them full of energy before the post-Beatlemania burnout. I think they probably played a lot longer back then too. A lot of the concerts I have heard have shows that are maybe 25-30 minutes, tops.

Didn't George once say their early shows were crazy? Something like "John would dance around like a gorilla and Paul and I would knock our heads together." I would love to see The Fabs acting like that, sounds like a real riot.

 

Topo Gigio!!!

 

Thanks. I didn't think that they served beer. It was already insane enough down in the Cavern. But adding in a couple of hundred drunk patrons would have been infinitely crazier.

 

They did not. I believe the strongest libations you could get there were coca-cola and tea.

 

Great minds...must be a Collingswood thing.

 

For me it would be their secret Fillmore East New Year’s Eve show on 12/31/69 that nobody ever talks about!

 

One of the theater gigs when they shared the bill with Roy Orbison in 1963 would be another good show. To see Roy and The Beatles would indeed be a treat:

 

Well, I know way more who didn't. So there!!

 

Rooftop for me, not even a close consideration.

 

Around 1990, I saw an Exene Cervenka show with Clive Gregson & Christine Collister opening.
Collister joined Cervenka onstage for the final encore, prompting Exene to stage-whisper "now we've got two Christines."