A snowstorm hit the New York area on Tuesday 11th February, 1964 - at the same time as The Beatles had been set to fly to Washington DC for one of the busiest days in their two-week schedule. They had to get there for their first concert in America - at the Washington Coliseum - but they also had promised a pre-show press conference and post-show party at the British Embassy.
With conditions now too precarious for flight travel, Brian Epstein and his team hastily co-ordinated with the railroad, arranging for an old luxury sleeper to be added to the end of a regular NYC-to-Washington DC train. Scheduled to arrive in the early afternoon, it meant that the band didn't have to change their itinerary after all.
In the end, the journey itself became another Beatles triumph over the press.
Ringo: "Being cheeky chappies saved our arses on many occasions, especially then, on the train to Washington, because the guys from the press had come to bury us. These reporters, being New Yorkers, would yell at us, but we just yelled back. When we got to know some of them they said, 'We came here to kill you, but you just started shouting back at us - we couldn't believe it.' Up until then pop groups had been milk and honey with the press: 'No, I don't smoke,' that kind of thing. And here we were, smoking and drinking and shouting at them. That's what endeared us to them."
Click through to the website to read and see much more about this date in 1964 - The Beatles first live US concert at the Washington Coliseum, more about the train journey and their press conference at the stadium before the show: http://gnikn.us/Mv28wS
A snowstorm hit the New York area on Tuesday 11th February, 1964 - at the same time as The Beatles had been set to fly to Washington DC for one of the busiest days in their two-week schedule. They had to get there for their first concert in America - at the Washington Coliseum - but they also had promised a pre-show press conference and post-show party at the British Embassy.
With conditions now too precarious for flight travel, Brian Epstein and his team hastily co-ordinated with the railroad, arranging for an old luxury sleeper to be added to the end of a regular NYC-to-Washington DC train. Scheduled to arrive in the early afternoon, it meant that the band didn't have to change their itinerary after all.
In the end, the journey itself became another Beatles triumph over the press.
Ringo: "Being cheeky chappies saved our arses on many occasions, especially then, on the train to Washington, because the guys from the press had come to bury us. These reporters, being New Yorkers, would yell at us, but we just yelled back. When we got to know some of them they said, 'We came here to kill you, but you just started shouting back at us - we couldn't believe it.' Up until then pop groups had been milk and honey with the press: 'No, I don't smoke,' that kind of thing. And here we were, smoking and drinking and shouting at them. That's what endeared us to them."
Click through to the website to read and see much more about this date in 1964 - The Beatles first live US concert at the Washington Coliseum, more about the train journey and their press conference at the stadium before the show: http://gnikn.us/Mv28wS