Australian Events in the News

Beatles Here! The News - 12 June 1964 Adelaide; News Limited Newspaper, 410 x 300 mm Location : State Library of South Australia - view catalogue entry This item is reproduced courtesy of Advertiser Newspapers Ltd. It may be printed or saved for personal research or study. Use for any other purpose requires written permission from Advertiser Newspapers Ltd and the State Library of South Australia. Further information may be found at the State Library's Permission to publish page.

Adelaide was not included in the original itinerary for the Beatles' tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1964. However, after much lobbying from Adelaide fans, in which Bob Francis of 5AD played a prominent part, and after John Martin's had accepted promotional and financial responsibilities for their appearances, the Beatles arrived in Adelaide, on 12 June 1964, to the biggest reception they would ever receive. The crowd of an estimated 300,000 people, about a third of South Australia’s population, lined the streets from the airport to the city and assembled outside the Southern Australian Hotel where the band were staying. Ringo Starr was unwell with tonsillitis and remained in a London hospital. He was replaced by session drummer Jimmy Nicol. The Beatles played four shows over two nights (at 6 pm and 8 pm) at Centennial Hall. Ringo joined the rest of the band in Melbourne on 14 June for the remainder of the Beatles’ Australian tour.

Further reading

• Baker, Glenn A. with Roger Dilernia, The Beatles down under, Glebe, N.S.W.: Wild and Woolley, c1982.
• Lewisohn, Mark. The Beatles live!, London: Pavilion, 1986.
• A Special madness: celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Beatles in Australia / Performing Arts Museum. Melbourne, Vic.: Victoria Press, 1993

Links

• ABC ‘Dimensions in Time’: interview with Bob Francis
• Diary of The Beatles’ 1964 Australian tour

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