The Beatles’ flight from Auckland to Dunedin was marred by a bomb scare before take-off. An anonymous tip-off suggested a ‘germ bomb’ had been placed on board the aeroplane, causing an anxious flight for the passengers.
Fortunately there were no problems, and their aeroplane was greeted by thousands of fans at Dunedin International Airport. One again, however, the police presence was inadequate for coping with The Beatles’ popularity, with only three officers allocated to the New City Hotel where they were staying.
The police had left just a three-foot hole in the barrier outside the hotel, and The Beatles only managed to escape from the fans thanks to the assistance of their road crew Neil Aspinall and Mal Evans. John Lennon lost a clump of hair in the struggle and Paul McCartney’s face was scratched.
Once, in New Zealand, it was a bit rough, too, and I thought a big clump of my hair had definitely gone; and I don’t mean just a bit. I was halfway on the ground and I thought, ‘Hello, it must be like a raid when you get crushed.’ They’d put about three policemen on patrol for about three or four thousand kids and refused to put any more on: ‘We’ve had all sorts here. We’ve seen them all.’ And they did see them all – as we crashed to the ground!
Anthology
In the evening The Beatles performed two concerts at Dunedin’s Town Hall, each of which was seen by 4,000 fans. They were The Beatles’ only live shows in the city.
Also on this day...
- 2023: Paul McCartney attends Eyes Of The Storm exhibition launch
- 2010: Paul McCartney live: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
- 2009: Paul McCartney pays tribute to Michael Jackson
- 2004: Paul McCartney live: Glastonbury Festival
- 1968: Recording: Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey
- 1968: George Harrison produces Jackie Lomax’s Sour Milk Sea
- 1967: Recording, mixing: All You Need Is Love
- 1966: Live: Ernst Merck Halle, Hamburg
- 1965: Live: Palazzo dello Sport, Genoa, Italy
- 1964: US album release: A Hard Day’s Night
- 1963: Live: Majestic Ballroom, Newcastle
- 1961: Live: Top Ten Club, Hamburg
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
I was there – in the Dunedin Town Hall, right up by the stage with only a row of policemen between us and the Beatles! A truly unforgettable night!
https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/day-beatles-rocked-staid-dunedin
Dunedin was a pretty conservative place back then and the audience looks pretty quiet compared to some places but I can tell you it was LOUD. A lot are even sitting down according to these photos but it didn’t seem that way. I was standing right up in the front somewhere face to face with the policemen, so I got a fantastic view.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/former-police-officer-tells-of-wild-crowd-at-dunedin-beatles-concert/7B2NSCRRAYTD4PX3IVSJVIQDJY/
Photos taken with girls sitting down surprise me. For sure, Dunedin, New Zealand was a staid place in the 1960s but I suspect they were taken before the Beatles came on stage, because in my memory everyone was on their feet and the upholstered seats were ruined by girls in high heels standing on them. But also, friends of mine, like me, actually wanted to listen to them and just absorb every moment because we might never see them again.
I do recall feeling I’d be crushed to death in the crowd that gathered in front of their Dunedin hotel. The whole intersection was blocked and we were yelling for them to appear on the balcony, which they did. I could hardly breathe. The police simply underestimated what it would be like and there were not enough of them by any means.