The Beatles at Shea Stadium

50th Anniversary of The Beatles in America. The Beatles’ performance at New York’s Shea Stadium on August 15, 1965 is one of the most exciting and important concert events in the history of popular music. Produced by Sid Bernstein and introduced on stage by television legend Ed Sullivan, John, Paul, George and Ringo played, sang, sweated and laughed for a record crowd of 55,600 fans. It was the height of Beatlemania and launched the modern era of outdoor stadium shows. “The Beatles At Shea Stadium” tells the story of this concert through researched commentary and exclusive interviews with Beatles insiders, friends and fans. The story begins in 1963 with Bernstein scheduling the then-unknown group for two concerts at Carnegie Hall and the first wave of U.S. Beatlemania. Follow events leading up to the concert as the Beatles arrive in New York, film “The Ed Sullivan Show,” and attend a never-before revealed dinner at Rockefeller Center. Then go backstage as they nervously prepare to face their largest live audience. The concert and excitement surrounding their performance are described in detail based on unedited live recordings and eyewitness accounts, and gives new insights into making the television special, secret recording session to overdub the live audio for network broadcast, and subsequent restoration of the classic film. Book includes rare photos, memorabilia, and never-before published correspondence, documents and production notes. Reviews: “The concert and excitement surrounding the performance is described in amazing detail based on unedited live recordings and eyewitness accounts which appear throughout the book, including hundreds of little-known facts about the TV special produced by Ed Sullivan which aired on ABC, as well as the secret recording session to overdub the live audio for network broadcast.” – Queens Gazette “In this new book, author Dave Schwensen focuses solely on this Beatles concert and the history surrounding it. What follows is a fascinating book that chronicles the entire life cycle of this legendary show, from its inception to its execution and aftermath.” – The Rock and Roll Chemist “The book reveals everything one would want to know about the historic concert, from the weather to the songs to the sound system and marketing. ‘The Beatles at Shea Stadium: The Story Behind Their Greatest Concert’ makes a welcome addition to any Beatle fan’s library, as it fills in a significant knowledge gap.”- Something Else! Reviews “‘The Beatles At Shea Stadium’ offers multiple and valuable perspectives. Recollections from audience members, the concert photographer, a reporter and DJs put the reader at the scene, effectively presenting a complete picture of the sights and sounds of the humid New York night. Schwensen wisely stands aside and lets his subjects tell their stories… These figures reveal small moments such as Ringo Starr sitting alone on a bench signing autographs, and George Harrison anxiously peeking out onto the stage to witness the ecstatic crowd.” – Beatlefan Magazine

Author Biography

Dave Schwensen is an entertainment journalist, award-winning humor columnist, pop culture historian and author of six books including “The Beatles In Cleveland.”