On a crisp fall night in 1964, thousands of Beatles fans swarmed City Park Stadium in an ecstatic frenzy to catch a glimpse of their heroes in the first and only all-star show here in New Orleans. Fifty years ago to the day, fans returned to Tad Gormley Stadium in City Park dressed in 1960s attire to relive that night of Beatlemania.
The walk down memory lane began as VIP partygoers entered WYES studio and were greeted by cartoon cutouts of John, Paul, George and Ringo in front of a blown-up black-and-white hallway photo of screaming fans from the original concert. A classic photobooth by Mobile Memories Photo Booth featured a black-and-white vintage concert background. Toulouse Gourmet Catering and Pigéon Caterers provided an array of seafood, meat, vegetables and petite sweets for revelers. The specialty cocktail, the “Yellow Submartini,” was a hit with the crowd. Lori Murphy chaired the VIP reception.
WYES Board Chairman Marc Leunissen welcomed and thanked guests for their support and introduced “Ed Sullivan” and The Fab Four, a Beatles tribute band, who teased the concert and were available for photos with guests. Some original 1964 concertgoers who were in attendance at the reception posed for a photo together in front of a Sgt. Pepper replica drum with the updated drumhead slogan “It Was Fifty Years Ago Today.”
Following the reception, guests were transported down the street to the concert stadium in buses from Big Easy Limos and Hotard. Walker Volkswagen and Volkswagen of Mandeville had four Volkswagen Beetles on-site, welcoming guests to “Meet the Beetles” and Saint Arnold Brewing Company, the designated official beer of the VIP reception and concert, presented their tie-dyed Beetle. The rainy night didn’t dampen the spirits of the crowd, who danced and sang along to their favorite Beatles tunes performed by The Fab Four. The rain subsided by the second song of the night.
EVENT AT A GLANCE
What: WYES Beatles Tribute
When: Tuesday, September 16
Where: WYES studio and Tad Gormley Stadium in City Park
