The Beatles - Melbourne 15/16/17 Juni 1964

On Sunday June 14th 1964 the Beatles arrived in Melbourne for a 3 night concert engagement at Festival Hall with 2 shows each night. 

 There were chaotic scenes outside the Southern Cross Hotel (on the corner of Bourke and Exhibition Streets) when the Beatles appeared on the balcony just above street level. Exhibition Street was blocked by an estimated 20,000 screaming fans. (Only Melbourne)

                                               "You Can't Do That"

About 45,000 people saw the six performances, and the last show was taped for television by Channel 9 and broadcast in Australia on 1st July from 7:30 to 8:30. Brian Epstein had originally agreed to 10 minutes being broadcast, but after he had seen a preview he was so pleased with it he allowed 22 minutes (the rest of the broadcast was made up with Australian music acts).

                                           "All My Loving",

The performances included, "I Saw Her Standing There", "You Can't Do That", "All My Loving", "She Loves You", "Till There Was You", Roll Over Beethoven", Can't Buy Me Love", Twist And Shout" and "Long Tall Sally".

                                                                 "She Loves You"

Inside the hotel the Beatles were reunited with Ringo who had flown in with Brian Epstein that morning. Jimmy Nicol packed his bag and left the next day.

                                                                  Can't Buy Me Love"

Also, an E.M.I. reception was held at the Southern Cross Hotel the following day and John Lennon flew into a rage when he saw the altered Australian cover for the "With The Beatles" album. 

                                                              Twist And Shout"
                                             

 Australian entrepreneur Kenn Brodziak had booked the group 12 months earlier, just before the eruption of Beatlemania, for an unbelievable £2500 ($5000) per week.

                                                    Long Tall Sally 
 During Long Tall Sally a young audience member, Brent McCausland, leapt up on the stage and shook Lennon’s hand.

 But it wasn’t all short shows and screaming girls. On the afternoon of the Beatles’ last day in Melbourne, George Harrison borrowed a red MG and drove through the eastern suburbs along Whitehorse Rd — Box Hill, Blackburn, Mitcham and Ringwood — and up the Mt Dandenong Tourist Road to Olinda stopping at the Kenloch tea rooms for a sandwich. A picture of him outside hung there for many years.

                                     The Beatles with didgeridoos during their 1964 Australian tour.