TRIVIA: The Beatles played their first U.S. concert at the Washington Coliseum in Washington, D.C. 50 years ago today (Tuesday).
Today’s question: In which city did they play their last U.S. concert, two-and-a-half years later?
ANSWER: San Francisco
ANNIVERSARIES:
2008 - Paul McCartney and Heather Mills’s divorce trial gets under way in London.
2007 - Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Peter Frampton and Donald Fagen are among the winners at the 49th annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The Police reunite to open the show with “Roxanne.”
2007 – The Police kick off their reunion by performing “Roxanne” to open the Grammy Awards.
2005 - Brian Wilson is honored as the 15th annual MusiCares Person of the Year in L-A. Among those who pay tribute by doing his songs are Jeff Beck, Earth Wind & Fire, Michael McDonald, Billy Preston, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Neil Young.
1999 - Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band begin their first winter tour in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
1998 - Aerosmith postpone the last show of their Nine Lives tour because Steven Tyler has laryngitis.
1994 - The Ramones play their two-thousandth live show, in Tokyo, Japan.
1976 – Bachman Turner Overdrive, Foghat & Pretty Things rock Public Hall.
1975 – Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers form from the seeds of the disbanded Mudcrutch. The lineup: Tom Petty (vocals, guitar), Mike Campbell (guitar), Benmont Tench (keyboards), Ron Blair (bass), Stan Lynch (drums).
1975 – Eric Burdon Band & Paragon perform at the Agora Ballroom.
1974 – Spooky Tooth & January Review play the Agora Ballroom.
1972 – America hits #1 with “A Horse With No Name”.
1964 – Simon & Garfunkel’s debut, ‘Wednesday Morning 3 A.M.’, is released.
1964 – With The Beatles booked to play in Washington, D.C., snowy weather hit the nation’s capitol. That forced a change in travel plans. With most air flights canceled, The Beatles decided to leave New York instead by train. Once in D.C., they were greeting by thousands of teenagers at Union Station, held a press conference, and visited WWDC — considered the first radio station to regularly play The Beatles. After a brief stop at the Shoreham Hotel, it was off to the sell-out show at the Coliseum with Tommy Roe and The Chiffons opening for them. And it was again pandemonium as 8,000 Washington fans were as enthusiastic as those in New York.
After the show, a reception held for the Beatles at the British Embassy in Washington went sour. The rock and rollers and the aristocrats didn’t mesh well. The Beatles were treated rudely, one person even snipped off small piece of Ringo’s hair. John Lennon, especially, lost his cool.
1956 – Julia, John Lennon’s mother, bought him his first guitar through a mail order ad. His incessant playing prompts John’s Aunt Mimi to say, “The guitar’s all very well as a hobby, John, but you’ll never make a living out of it.” John forms his first group, the Quarrymen.
