Beatlemania swept through Cincinnati 60 years ago, leaving 14K fans starstruck
Beatlemania struck Cincinnati 60 years ago as fans got the chance of a lifetime to see The Beatles perform live at Cincinnati Gardens on Aug. 27, 1964.
Based on news reports of the day, Cincinnati didn’t quite know how to handle it all. The Enquirer reported that authorities were bracing for “teen-age massteria,” with the level of preparations usually reserved for presidential visits.
The frenzy had been building for months, since the Fab Four – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – made their American debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on Feb. 9 before 73 million television viewers.
The lads from Liverpool, England, scored nine top-10 songs already that year, and in April had held the top five spots on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time. Their film “A Hard Day’s Night" just released in theaters. This was the height of Beatlemania, and The Beatles were coming to Cincinnati. Teenage fans hold up signs to grab The Beatles' attention outside Cincinnati Gardens before the concert on Aug. 27, 1964.
Source: cincinnati.com
