• 🏠 Home
  • »
  • Live
  • »
  • The Beatles live: International Amphitheatre, Chicago

The Beatles live: International Amphitheatre, Chicago

The Beatles performed one concert at Chicago’s International Amphitheatre on this day. The other acts on the bill were, in order of appearance, The Bill Black Combo, The Exciters, Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry, and Jackie DeShannon.

Embed from Getty Images

There were plans to hold a civic reception for The Beatles during the day, with 100,000 people expected, but special events director Colonel Jack Reilly cancelled them saying there were insufficient police officers “for a bunch of singers”.

They arrived at Midway Airport at 4.40pm, an hour later than scheduled. Five thousand fans were waiting to see them, kept at a safe distance behind a chain link fence. The Beatles were ushered into a black limousine and taken to the Sahara O’Hare hotel at O’Hare International airport.

The Beatles' press conference at Stock Yard Inn, Chicago, 5 September 1964

Outside the amphitheatre that evening, the crowds outside were so large that the group were forced to enter through the kitchens.

Inside, 15,000 fans watched the performance. Thirty-five usherettes and 170 ushers had been carefully selected to work at the concert due to their lack of interest in The Beatles. There were also 320 Chicago police officers on duty. Fans were frisked and large signs, jelly beans and other potential projectiles were confiscated.

I was got once by a cigarette lighter. It clouted me right in the eye and closed my eye for the stay. In Chicago a purple and yellow stuffed animal, a red rubber ball and a skipping rope were plopped up on stage. I had to kick a carton of Winston cigarettes out of the way when I played.

The Beatles performed their standard 12-song set: ‘Twist And Shout’, ‘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 the concert The Beatles were driven straight back to Midway Airport, from where they flew to Detroit. They returned to the International Amphitheatre on one other occasion, for the opening date of their final tour in 1966.

The International Amphitheatre stood at 42nd Street and South Halsted. The venue suffered a decline during the 1970s and 1980s, becoming unable to attract enough large events, and was demolished in August 1999.

Last updated: 24 January 2024
The Beatles live: Milwaukee Arena, Wisconsin
The Beatles live: Olympia Stadium, Detroit
Also on this day...

Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.

Latest Comments

  1. Donna L. Mumford-Stroup Saturday 7 February 2015
  2. whiskeyhill Tuesday 2 August 2016
  3. Cloudy Rockwell Monday 22 August 2016
  4. Iris Saturday 6 May 2017
    • Ronna Tuesday 5 September 2017
  5. leslie lew Saturday 30 December 2017
  6. Steve Wednesday 5 September 2018
  7. John W Abbott Thursday 6 August 2020
    • Scott Tuesday 3 August 2021

Leave a Reply