The Beatles Play Dallas

As a sixth-grader at Victor Hexter Elementary School in Dallas, I wasn’t too hip. If I had been, I would have invested $5.50 to see the somewhat long-haired Beatles sing, stomp and shout at Memorial Auditorium on September 18, 1964. To do so, however, required camping overnight there or at Preston Ticket Agency on Northwest Highway since all of the 10,000 tickets would be sold within two hours.

Another night, another concert

This was the second-to-last concert in their North American tour, and it had been hectic. Consider that in the previous week, the Beatles had appeared in Jacksonville, Boston, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, New Orleans and Kansas City. Their experience in Dallas was no different than in those cities, and what follow are some of the specifics.

They arrived at Love Field and were showered with gifts, including ten-gallon hats from a young woman representing the Dallas Civic Opera. After being taken by limousine to the recently built Cabana Hotel (later turned into a makeshift correctional institution) on Stemmons Expressway, they lounged in their suites on the ninth floor, never venturing out to the Olympic-size pool in the back. Teenagers, nearly all of them European-American, ringed the hotel. Others called to ask for souvenirs—anything the Fab Four had touched would do.

Liverpool lads take Dallas by storm

A press conference was held before the show, and the place was packed with 150 reporters and a few fans who had sneaked in. Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr smoked cigarettes throughout, John Lennon made off-the-cuff wisecracks, and George Harrison (“the quiet Beatle”) talked only when a question was put directly to him. Manager Brian Epstein stood behind them, beaming and trying to keep things somewhat under control. At one point, McCartney put on his cowboy hat, spoke in an exaggerated Texas accent and pretended to be riding a horse.

The Bill Black Combo, the Exciters, Clarence “Frogman” Henry and Jackie DeShannon led off, and got the obligatory tepid applause. Those kids had not come to see them but the Beatles. Before they left their dressing room, notice was given that if things (female undergarments, for example) were thrown onstage the Beatles might abruptly terminate the concert. Photos show most people seated as the music was played.

The Dallas Police Department had 200 men on duty that night, including Jesse Curry. Ten months earlier, Chief Curry had decided on a semi-public transfer of JFK-killer Lee Harvey Oswald from the city lockup to the county lockup, thus allowing Jack Ruby to come at him with a .38-caliber Colt revolver. In the aforementioned press conference, Lennon and his pals made clear that they knew of Big D’s recent tragic history.

Twelve songs and they’re gone

KLIF’s Ron Chapman—who better?—handled the introductions. “Beatlemania” was in full swing as screams from the lucky attendees rocked the arena.  After plugging in their instruments and testing the microphones, they started with “Twist and Shout,” followed by “You Can’t Do That,” “All My Loving,” “She Loves You,” “Things We Said Today,” “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.” After 30 minutes, it was over. No encore, since they had a flight to catch.

Tony Zoppi of the Dallas Morning News wrote, “It was Mardi Gras, V-E Day, the Texas-Oklahoma excitement and the Alamo all rolled into one—only louder. It was the Beatles, winding up their American tour deep in the heart of Texas. It was Dallas playing the role of uninhibited host to the hilt.”

I have a friend named Heidi who is about my age. While I was in Texas, she was in Alabama. She saw the Beatles play in Atlanta on August 18, 1965 and both of their shows in Memphis on August 19, 1966. Altogether, she called it one of the greatest experiences of her life, and undoubtedly so. Heidi was hip.