This was The Beatles’ only visit to Baltimore. They performed two shows at the Civic Center, to a total of 28,000 fans. The support acts were The Bill Black Combo, The Exciters, Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry, and Jackie DeShannon.
During the day, two girls attempted to have themselves delivered to the venue in a large box labelled ‘Beatles fan mail’. Their efforts were thwarted by a guard in charge of checking all deliveries.
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’.
The group stayed at the Holiday Inn after their second show. Police officers on horseback restrained the fans from storming the building.
Also on this day...
- 2018: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Radio City Music Hall, New York City
- 2010: Lennon handwritten note goes on sale
- 2005: US album release: Chaos And Creation In The Backyard by Paul McCartney
- 1999: Album release: Yellow Submarine Songtrack
- 1975: Wings live: Hippodrome, Birmingham
- 1969: Plastic Ono Band live: the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival festival
- 1968: Recording: Glass Onion
- 1967: Filming: Magical Mystery Tour
- 1965: Zak Starkey is born
- 1965: US single release: Yesterday
- 1963: The Beatles live: Public Hall, Preston
- 1962: The Beatles live: Riverpark Ballroom, Chester
- 1962: The Beatles live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime)
- 1961: The Beatles live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (evening)
- 1961: The Beatles live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime)
- 1960: The Beatles live: Indra Club, Hamburg
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
My grandmother went to this concert, im so jelous haha
i got to go, too! my dad took two of my friends and one of the friend’s dad to Baltimore to see the Beatles. I was 14 at the time, and i ordered the tickets thru the snail mail – they were $5.00 each and couldn’t believe when they arrived in our mailbox. we sat on the very top and last row, so they were very small on stage, but we had a speaker right above us and we could hear them like we were on the stage w/ them. needless to say, we screamed like everybody else – just couldn’t help it!! i’ll never forget that day – Sept 13, 1964.
It was 48 years ago today!
Our local radio station, WGH in Hampton, VA, got a block of tickets that they made available to their listeners at cost: $2.50. I got the maximum, 2 tickets, and a friend of mine and our moms drove to Baltimore for the Sunday afternoon show. Jackie DeShannon was the last act before the Beatles, and I remember how restless the crowd got during her set. I always thought the Beatles should start their show with A Hard Day’s Night, because of that awesome opening chord, but they had their own order of songs. It was an awesome show, despite the screams. I have always been extremely proud to say I saw the Beatles in concert. Thanks, Mom. After they dropped us off, our moms went around the back of the Civic Center and saw a lot of commotion with some guys with long hair running from the adjacent Holiday Inn into the building. Wow!
Because of the block of seats, we were surrounded by others from the Peninsula/Tidewater area of Virginia, and 2 of my cousins were sitting right behind us. They had driven up the day before and had gotten a room at the Holiday Inn. After the show we all went to visit with them – couldn’t even get into the lobby without showing a key – their room was on the floor right below the Beatles. No, guards at the doors prevented anyone from getting onto that floor. But my cousins said they could hear the Beatles practicing the night before (no, not The Night Before). My friend had a Beatles haircut; when he stood at the window facing the front of the hotel we could hear the crowds scream.
Before we drove back home, we went to dinner at the revolving restaurant on top of the hotel. This is the same restaurant that Larry Kane wrote about in his book, Ticket To Ride. The Beatles reserved it for a late dinner for the entire crew after the last concert. So one of the Beatles may have used the same dinnerware that I had used earlier!
I still have the program and ticket stub (they kept the part that had “The Beatles” on it, so all we got back really was the stub), and a picture of Ringo I bought for $3 because that was all the money I had. I was 14, and this was my first concert. In 2002, when my daughter was 14, I took her to her first concert: Paul McCartney.
You’re welcome, daughter.
do you still have the ticket for the show?
I was 10 years old at the time when my dad took me to see them at the Civic Center as it was known back then, our seats were way in the back, their first song was Twist And Shout which really made all the girls you know Twist And Shout lol, 50 years ago and now that I’m 60 years old I still kept part of the ticket stub and the program, sadly my father passed away in 1994 30 years after taking me to the Civic Center I will never forget that September day, they looked very tiny on the stage since our seating was very far away and it was quite impossible to hear them even with the Vox Amplifiers it wasn’t enough to make them hear themselves play over the screaming teenage girls. I even remember which matinee I attended, it was the afternoon show at 4:30 as I remember can’t really remember the exact time but I think it was around 4:30 cause I know that the evening show started at 8:30. Now Baltimore Civic Center today is known as The 1st Mariner Arena. All I can remember was I was so grateful for my dad giving me the opportunity to see the most greatest and most popular band in The History Of Rock N Roll The Fab Four Beatles.
I was 17 and my best friend and I went to the evening show. Our tickets were $2.50 each and we sat in the upper concourse at the very back of the arena, as far away from the stage as possible. I don’t remember how we got the tickets. The sound was not good. No one wanted to be bothered with the opening acts (sadly for them, they were great, but everyone was there to see the Beatles). We were halfway up the concourse. When the Beatles started playing, a young girl with a reel to reel tape recorder attempted to rush down the steps to the front to get closer to tape. She tripped in her excitement and the tape recorder went tumbling down the concrete steps in front of her. Sad. You really couldn’t hear much but screaming though. It was difficult to determine what song they were even playing. I just found my ticket stub in a souvenirs box yesterday and looked online to see if it had any value. I’ve been offered $50 for it. Not sure if I’ll take it. Does that sound fair? I’m not a collector, so it has relatively little value to me. I’m 67 and will always remember being there. I’m also a musician and have always fully appreciated the quality of the Beatles music.
If I were you, I would keep the ticket stub. I have a stub from Led Zeppelin, Chicago 77 I was recently offered $50 from a guy at work. I said “No thanks”?
Original photos of Beatles Baltimore performance taken by Morton Tadder – Baltimore are being released in a limited edition….Tadder was with them all day & photographed the performance as well. Paul, George, John & Ringo individual portrait photos, Group shots, stage, and location…All being released FOR SALE. All inqiries to Tadder’s Baltimore Rep at: agenttadder@gmail.com
As a 14 year old, I attended the afternoon concert with friends Bruce, Barbara and Vicki. Upper balcony, so thrilled to be there. The preceding acts were great. The Layfayettes played “Life’s Too Short”. The Beatles opened with Twist and Shout. The flash bulbs, screamin’ and stompin’ intensified until they closed with Long Tall Sally. As a lifer musician, I’ll drop this anecdote in public, any time I hear a Beatles tune. (I have found listening to the Beatles is the antidote for the toxic world.) PEACE
I was there..totally by luck. I was in my third year of college and went to Ocean City to party, and of course, to meet girls. It was there that I met Peggy Reel from Bel Aire ,Md. We got to talking about music and she asked me if I liked the Beatles. I certainly did! She asked me to be her date for the show which I gladly accepted. Thank you, Peggy…wherever you are.
I was 10 years old when my sister took me to this show. I still remember the screaming girls, and their music.
I was serving in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Decoy we were in Baltimore to March in a parade which was to be hosted by Bob Hope but bad weather was to postpone the parade but we were given Tickets to attend the concert to be in amongst the American audience was a privilege and the show was great. I am approaching my 73 birthday but still have my ticket and my memories. Whilst in America we were guard ship for the America’s Cup and berthed in Newport Rhode Island.From Baltimore we visited Washington and toured the White House.From one happy sailor thank you America.
I was 11 years old when the Beatles came to Baltimore. My father worked for the civic center and he got 5th row seat tickets for 3 of my sister and myself! From the beginning of the concert everyone stood on the seats the whole concert! They did not stop screaming the whole concert and were crying out Paul, Paul while sobbing! Honestly I didn’t understand why they were crying! I decided that day that Ringo would be my favorite since he was the only one I could see! It wasn’t till I grew up that I realized how lucky I was to be at that Concert!
My Dad got tickets from a friend of his that worked at the Civic Center. The bands limo stopped at his gas station, the Sinclair station on Pratt street near Paca.
I was there as an 8 year old with older bro and Mom. Dad got the tickets and knew better than to come himself. I most remember the screaming girls. Have loved the band since.
I was there! 9 years old with Mom and older brother. All I remember is the screaming girls.
1964 I was 12 and my friend and I went to Baltimore concert. Seems like yesterday..not much on stage compared to what Bands have now to do a concert..no caneea..no programs no posters no t shirts all I have is my stub and Baltimore Civic Center envelope ticket cake in..I just wanted to be able to say I was there. Then 1992 and 2001 flew to GB due to pen pal lived in Wales..saw all Beatles sites homes etc.so glad I went..here I am 72 and still Beatle crazy..