Las Vegas • 4pm concert

From Los Angeles Times, August 12, 2014:

A single concert had been planned in the 700-seat Congo Room at the Sahara, but promoters — surprised by the overwhelming interest in the Fab Four — quickly booked the convention center and added a second show. Nearly 17,000 fans packed the two sold-out performances.

With a population of less than 200,000, Las Vegas was by far the smallest of the 23 U.S. cities in which John, Paul, George and Ringo performed that year.

Researchers from the Las Vegas News Bureau, the LVCVA division that curated the new exhibit, provided some interesting trivia tidbits:

— Shows were at 4 and 9 p.m. Tickets cost $2, $3, $4 and $5.

— The band received a $25,000 appearance fee plus 60% of the ticket sales.

— The Beatles eagerly greeted piano showman Liberace backstage before that evening’s performance. He then attended their concert.

— The Fab Four added “Till There Was You” to their set for the Vegas shows.

— Photos taken at the Las Vegas Convention Center graced the sleeves of the singles “She’s a Woman/I Feel Fine” and “Eight Days a Week/I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party.”

Those concerts marked the only time all four Beatles performed together in Las Vegas.

Mark Lewisohn, in The Complete Beatles Chronicle:

For one of these [Las Vegas concerts], ‘Till There Was You’ was temporarily added to the repertoire

Pending question regarding the setlist : Was “Till There Was You” played in addition to or in replacement of “Things We Said Today” ? Was it played for 1st or 2nd concert of the day ?

In the early 1960s, Vegas was a different kind of place to the one we think of today. With just a few casinos and residents, it was a minimalist scene, poles apart from what the band was used to.

Population-wise, Las Vegas was the smallest city The Beatles played on their North American 1964 tour, followed by Jacksonville, Florida. They played there not because it was a big location for them, but because they wanted to see the city – though in practice (being the way these things usually turned out for them) all they saw of it was basically their hotel room, a press room, a stage, and the airport.

After the Nevada desert, the band found themselves fishing from their hotel window at the Edgewater Inn in Seattle, on the next day of the tour. No one caught any fish, unfortunately, but a young fan did fall out of an air vent onto the floor in their dressing room, after their press conference there. When Ringo asked if she was okay, she turned around and sprinted back to the Seattle Center Coliseum without saying a word.

From The Beatles (@thebeatles) • Instagram photos and videos

Convention Hall

This was the 1st concert played at Convention Hall.

A total of 2 concerts have been played there • 1964 • Aug 20 (4pm concert)• Aug 20 (9pm concert)

Setlist for the concert

The setlist for this concert is incomplete, or we have not be able to confirm in an accurate way that this was the setlist. If you have any clue, pls let us know and leave a comment.

1. Twist And Shout

   Written by Phil Medley, Bert Russell

   Album Available on The Ultimate Live Collection Vol. 08

   Album Available on Live Anthology V (1964)

2. You Can't Do That

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   Album Available on The Ultimate Live Collection Vol. 08

   Album Available on Live Anthology V (1964)

3. All My Loving

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

4. She Loves You

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

5. Things We Said Today

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

6. Roll Over Beethoven

   Written by Chuck Berry

7. Can't Buy Me Love

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

8. If I Fell

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

9. I Want To Hold Your Hand

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

10. Boys

    Written by Luther Dixon, Wes Farrell

11. A Hard Day's Night

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

12. Long Tall Sally

    Written by Richard Penniman / Little Richard, Enotris Johnson, Robert Blackwell

See song statistics for “Summer 1964 US & Canada Tour”

Alexander • 2 years ago

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