Beatlemania comes to Sandusky Library
The Sandusky Library is hosting a program at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 on the Beatles' 1964 and 1966 visits to Cleveland. The event is the 45th anniversary of the band's first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
If you are old enough to remember who Ed Sullivan was, then perhaps you can remember the excitement created by The Beatles when they led the "British invasion" of rock bands in the 1960s, establishing a beachhead in the U.S. for the Rolling Stones, The Who, etc.
Summary
Take a magical journey back to yesterdayand the 1960’s. JFK was President, Mercury Astronauts were rocket jockeys launched into space, and school children were taught to hide under desks in case Cold War tensions ended with ‘The Big One.’ Following assassination in Dallas, the Baby-Boomer Generation found a needed distraction when Ed Sullivan introduced The Beatles. For teenagers, the world changed from black & white to color and nothing would ever the same again.
The Beatles’ 1964 tour filled auditoriums with screams of delight and excitement - and in some cases, full-blown fan hysteria. This was the case in Cleveland, Ohio where police stopped the show, ordered the Beatles off stage and banned them from the city now home to The Rock’n Roll Hall of Fame.
In August 1966, the group launched their final tour, but the innocence from two years earlier was missing as controversy over John Lennon's remarks about Christianity made safety more of a concern than ever before. A scheduling change brought them to Cleveland Stadium where results were the same, but on a much larger scale. As thousands of fans crashed through police, it was obvious The Beatles could no longer be protected and Lennon was overheard saying for the first time that it would be the last tour.
The Beatles In Cleveland brings to life two of the wildest, out-of-control concerts in Beatles - and rock - history. Follow behind the scenes dealings to bring John, Paul, George and Ringo to the city, then grab a front row seat for backstage and on stage excitement through eyewitness accounts and rare, never-before published photos. A concert by The Beatles was not just about the music, but also the emotions stirred by the most influential group in the history of popular music.
About the Author
Dave Schwensen is an award-winning humor columnist, entertainment journalist, college instructor, corporate trainer and radio host. His credits include Talent Coordinator for the television show A&E's An Evening At The Improv in Los Angeles and New York, and consultant for programs such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Late Night with David Letterman, Comedy Central, HBO and many others. As a nationally recognized comedy and business coach, he has been featured on PBS Television and Radio, Chicago Tribune, Hollywood Reporter, Ohio Magazine and others.
Dave has designed and instructs courses in public speaking and business communication skills for Cleveland State University and other "halls of higher learning" - which means he really can be called The Nutty Professor! He is also host of the weekly one hour New York and Cleveland based radio show, What's So Funny!
Dave attended The Beatles' 1966 concert at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.
