The Beatles performed one concert at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, on 11 September 1964. It was their only performance in the US state.
The concert was originally to have been racially segregated, but The Beatles refused to perform until they received an assurance from the promoter that the audience would be mixed.
We never play to segregated audiences and we aren’t going to start now. I’d sooner lose our appearance money.
The group had been due to fly to Jacksonville on the morning of 9 September 1964, but their aeroplane was diverted to Key West when Hurricane Dora struck. Most of Jacksonville was left without electricity for several days, but because of hurricane damage 9,000 of the 32,000 ticket holders were unable to get to the venue.
They said the hurricane had passed when we flew into Jacksonville, but it was as windy as hell and it was dark with very heavy black clouds all over. It had cleared a bit, but there were still turbulent winds, and as we were approaching we could see the devastation: palm trees fallen over and mess laying everywhere.
#OTD 11SEP1964 @thebeatles played the #GatorBowl in #Jacksonville the day after #Hurricane Dora. pic.twitter.com/fnc3BLLxhu
— George Harrison (@GeorgeHarrison) September 11, 2017
On the morning of 11 September The Beatles flew from Key West to Imeson Airport, where 150 fans were awaiting their arrival. Their aeroplane taxied to a private hangar, from where they were taken to the George Washington Hotel, accompanied by a police motorcade.
A press conference was held at the hotel, after which they attempted to depart for the Gator Bowl. Around 25 police officers tried for 15 minutes to hold back around 500 fans, to allow the group to leave the hotel’s parking garage.
Once in their car, it took 15 minutes for The Beatles to move just 25 feet, from the elevator into the car and onto the street. The police eventually formed a moving wedge of motorcycle outriders and managed to safely escort the group to the Gator Bowl by 7.15pm.
Tickets were priced at $4 and $5. The night’s support acts were, in order of appearance, The Bill Black Combo, The Exciters, Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry, and Jackie DeShannon. There were 140 police officers on duty, and 84 firefighters acting as ushers to prevent fans from charging the stage.
At the venue, The Beatles refused to take to the stage until newsreel and television cameramen had left. Eventually Derek Taylor took to the stage and told the crowd: “The Beatles are 100 feet away. They came thousands of miles to be here. The only thing preventing their appearance is cine cameramen.”
The announcement worked, and two police captains gave the orders for the filming to end. The Beatles knew that unauthorised footage would be syndicated in cinemas and on television with no royalties paid to them. Once officers removed the eight cameramen from the performance area, The Beatles’ concert began.
We’d discovered that there was a group of people following us around America, filming us, and we’d told them not to. They were in Florida and by this time we were saying, ‘Look, we told these people to bugger off and they’re here again and right out front.’ They had actually been given priority with their camera, right in front of the stage. The winds were howling and there was Mal, nailing the drum kit to the platform, about ten or twelve feet off the ground; and we were really pissed that the film crew was there, so we said that we weren’t going on. The promoters were getting stroppy with us, instead of kicking the camera people out. In the end Derek Taylor went on stage and was like Adolf Hitler up there, shouting to the crowd: ‘These camera people are not wanted, they must be removed.’ He was yelling, ‘Do you want The Beatles on this stage?’ – ‘Yeah!’ – ‘Well then, do you want to get rid of the cameras?’ – ‘Yeah!’ It was like a big Nuremberg rally, and I suppose the police and promoters thought that we were causing the trouble; but, even in those days, we knew there were some things you couldn’t control.
Anthology
The Beatles performed the standard 12-song set which they retained for most of the tour: ‘Twist And Shout’, ‘You Can’t Do That’, ‘All My Loving’, ‘She Loves You’, ‘Things We Said Today’, ‘Roll Over Beethoven’, ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’, ‘If I Fell’, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, ‘Boys’, ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, and ‘Long Tall Sally’.
During the show, Ringo Starr’s drums were secured to the stage because of winds reaching up to 45 mph.
My hair was blowing, and I thought it was weird, but the drums were tied down, so we made it, you know.
After the 30-minute show, the audience was told that The Beatles were taking a break. By the time the fans realised that the concert was over, the group were already on their way to Imeson Airport to catch a flight to Boston.
Also on this day...
- 2022: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Metropolitan Opera House, Philadelphia
- 2018: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Fraze Pavilion, Kettering
- 2017: Paul McCartney live: Prudential Center, Newark
- 1993: Paul McCartney live: Earls Court Exhibition Centre, London
- 1975: Wings live: Capitol Theatre, Cardiff
- 1969: Mixing: What’s The New Mary Jane
- 1968: Recording: Glass Onion
- 1967: Filming: Magical Mystery Tour
- 1964: George Harrison buys Mornyork Ltd
- 1963: Recording: I Wanna Be Your Man, Little Child, All I’ve Got To Do, Not A Second Time, Don’t Bother Me
- 1962: Recording: PS I Love You, Love Me Do, Please Please Me
- 1961: The Beatles live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime)
- 1960: The Beatles live: Indra Club, Hamburg
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
I was at this concert. I recall the disappointment because the wind was blowing the Beatles’ hair back and their show stopping haircuts weren’t visable. I was seated on the ground, not too far from the stage. However, I could barely make out the words of any song due to the number of screaming females in the audiance. It was insane! I don’t recall the number of opening acts listed here. I only remember one and that was a female group. I wish there was a poster to commemerate this event. I lost my tickets years ago.
Hi Vicki
I am Wild Bill Miller and I was a dj on the show…
Hi Vickie
I was a DJ on the APE and introduced Jackie DeShannon on the show…
I am still in jax…Those were the daze…Wild Bill Miller
I attended the concert as well as Atlanta 65 and Memphis 66. We stayed at the GW Hotel and were leaving as baracades were being set up on the street. We waited til they arrived and were rushed into the hotel. My friend Calie Stephens and I were clearly visible it the photos of the event which appeared in the Jax Sun Times next day. I still have one of them. By the way the sound was bad at all the concerts, even Memphis which was in doors.
Hi ! For research purposes, I am looking for anyone who attended the concert in Jacksonville : please contact me beatlesjax@gmail.com
Thank you !!
Yes, I was there, along with a friend. I was 15 yrs old. It was a very emotional experience for me. My dad drove us about about 2 hours each way, on a rainy night. The fact that he was willing to do this is just a memorable as the actual concert. Wish I had kept my ticket stubs.
I was a nitetime dj at WAPE at the time. my air-name was wild bill miller. It was a wild and crazy time.
I introduced Jackie DeShannon on the show. I wish I could say I met the Beatles…but they ran to
and from the stage that nite. I did meet other stars in my days in radio.
Keep on rockin.
Bill
Holy crap! I grew up in Jacksonville and you were my favorite DJ. Listened to you every night. In fact, I had a band and we did a version of “Farmer John” substituting your name in the lyrics. We dropped it off to you at the station one day and you actually played it on air. Great memories. And, oh yeah, I was at this Beatles concert too – with my mom and little brother!
Hi Rex
If you read this leave me a message below.
Thanks
Bill
I was there.
Hi Julien
I was a dj on WAPE 690 then and introduced one of the acts. My air name was Wild Bill Miller.
Thanks.
Still have my ticket. Also annoyed fans were screaming so loud could not hear much at all. Loved the experience.
Julien, I was at the Beatles concert at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, September 11, 1964. My school buddy, Sherry, had two tickets and asked me to go with her. Such a thrill! We had seats on the grass , third row center from the stage. People started creeping up to get a closer look, so Sherry and I jumped up and ran, too. The Police had formed a line between the seats and the fence that ran in front of the stage, but we got through and clung to the fence, calling out the name of out favorite Beatle! I was almost 14 years old and felt like the luckiest girl in the world!
I attended this show, as well…remembered the breeze and especially remembered the girls all screaming (I was only 12-years old and went with my 16-year old sister…who contributed to the screams). Had my dad’s WWII binoculars, so I got a good look at them. Still have my ticket…$5 for The Beatles! Not bad. Does anyone have The Beatles’ setlist for the Jacksonville show?
Four teenagers one adult sibling attended the Beatle concert.Mom stayed at the hotel. Seats were on field in front of fence and stage. Water on my suede boots was about two inches. Water was up to side of taxi doors going and returning to our hotel. It did have power. We drove from Lake Wales. Was scheduled and last minute cancelled to present the keys to Lake Wales and JAX and an oil painting I did of the four. This was arranged by WIPC And Big WAPE jointly.Heartbroken! We took painting to the Gator Bowl anyway. Met Triangle Productions manager who led us to left of stage, called security to him, handed painting to him, told him to take it to the Beatles and report back. He also told him that he told him to run!After several minutes He came running back. He said he gave it to George and Ringo because they were in the hallway. He said, ” George said to tell you, “We got the painting. We like it very much. And thank you.”
The manager said you gave it to them so go sit down. We went to our sloggy seats.
Next the screaming started louder than before the film crews left. I heard, “Will the girl with the painting come pick up her autographs.” My 20 year old sister would not let me go because she did not hear that announcement. So I never got my autographs.
Concert was awesome. Sound was still good in spite of wind and screaming. We stood on our chairs to see better and get out of water. We have 8mm fin too. It was worth all the trouble and a pair of suede boots!
Driving back the hurricane turned and was headed back to The Atlantic from Tallahassee. We were an hour or so South of JAX and saw several drenched young men kneeling on the side of the road in torrential rain. They were begging to be picked up. Our 1963 Pontiac was full of six riders but mom stopped. They sat on our laps! I have no idea where we dropped them off. I .just have been asleep.
Hi Betty
My name is Bill Miller and was a DJ on the APE then…I would love to see film
of the event…My email is williethekidx@gmail.com…Please contact me…
In the Summer of 1964 I was stationed at Ft Rucker Alabama..In the small base exchange I saw an album for sale , ” The Beatles live at Jacksonville ” .. I wish I’d bought it .. I’ve never seen a reference to it nor spoken to anyone who had heard of it ..
You can bet your bottom dollar that “Boot-Leg” album didn’t stay in circulation very long, like maybe one pressing and that’s it! Too bad it all was a bad experience with the hurricane and all, no deep sea fishing trips nothing.
I was there! I lived in Ft. Lauderdale and we drove up the state to go to this concert. I remember the Ike and Tina Turner Revue were also at this event. Does anyone else remember that? I cannot find any evidence to back me up on that but it is what I remember. It was an amazing time for a young teen.
This was interesting to read…I have an unused mint condition ticket from this concert, I found it mixed in with a bunch of love letters to & from my Mom and Dad from 1964 as well. My Mom said she she won one ticket from the “the big ape” radio show. She said she didn’t go cause she was to young to go to jacksonville alone, and she was more into my Dad than the Beatles. 🙂 I also have the mint condition envelope the ‘the big ape’ radio station mail it to her in. Pretty cool!
I remember listening to “The Big Ape” WAPE radio station. It was WAPE, “the Mighty Six Ninety”, 690 on the AM dial. They always did a Tarzan-like jungle call after saying “the Big Ape.”
A few of my friends and I won a trip up to Jacksonville from WQAM radio in Miami. We flew up with the DJs (the day after the hurricane), ate boxed lunch fried chicken on the plane, took a bus from the airport, and had seats on the very soggy field. I remember a really long wait ( but have absolutely no memory of any opening acts). The wind was blowing, it was a very short indecipherable concert – maybe 25 minutes tops . Could barely see the boys … or hear them over all the screaming. But… we were there! Best night of my young life! 🙂
I’m the other Donna on the WQAM trip. Are you Donna W? That would be so funny, after all these years! If so, thank you so much for subbing for me on that Fourth of July, so many years ago, when they called my name on air for the ticket and I had five minutes to claim it. Oh the anxiety as I stood on the sidewalk with my transistor radio pressed to my ear, as they went to a news break and I didn’t know if you had called in, pretending to be me! Talk about angst! Sept 11 , 1964 was the best night of my young life, too! This is exactly how I remember it, as well… except the DJ (jimmy Dunlap?) claimed the chicken was “fried possum.” I heard almost nothing of the actual concert from our seats on the field, except the horrible sound system, a few out of tune notes from John, the winds blowing, and my friend Brenda screaming in my ear the entire time. They left the stage after about 25 mins and never came back… In retrospect it sounds anticlimactic, but it was amazing to have been there, after months of anticipation and a very fickle hurricane! What a fun memory!
I was there screaming and crying and stilling my feet!! Incredible!!!!!!!! Concert!!!!!!
I was there. My poor mother took 7 teenage girls and 1 guy from Gainesville to Jacksonville for the concert.
It was unreal for a 14 year old to attend that kind of show
My best friend and I came from Atlanta by car and were worried about the weather and if the show would be cancelled. We skipped school (our Senior year) and also went to the New Orleans concert days later. We were not given permission to be away from school and caused our Principal to decide if we could graduate or not. All turned out well….but it was risky. Everyone knew we were going to see the Beatles no matter what! It was worth the trips and the risk. Saw them again in Atlanta in 65 where they were played the old Atlanta Stadium even before the Braves used it. I now know why the guys hated touring….what ordeals they endured. It was madness everywhere they went and you could not hear a thing until Atlanta (where at least you could hear them) Still the best concerts for sheer excitement of being there. No regrets and no apologies for going!
Joe, here’s a clip apparently containing some very distant footage of the concert.
I attended the concert and took about three to five minutes of 8mm movie film. It was in color but no sound. I still have the original film today.
Hello Larry
I also attended the Gator Bowl concert of the Beatles. Would you be interested in talking about your home movie you took. I took some of them in Chicago on their last tour and often think about getting people together that also took movies. Could care less about quality. They are all exciting regardless.
Just a thought.
Wally Watson
I was at the Jacksonville, FL September 11, 1964 Beatles show. September 1st was my 14th birthday and I was a 100% Beatles fan. My parents floored me by buying me 4 tickets for the show. My friend (Alice Mathewson’s) Mom drove Alice, me (Saundra Meeks), Debbie Hernandez and Mary Ann Fortier to the show. Mary Ann snapped a few photos of us before the show.
Our seats were on the floor! but we couldn’t get 4 seats together, so we had to split up. Two of us were in Section C 47th row. When we got to where row 47 should have been, there were only 46 rows. The Usher told us to go to the Ticket office and tell them about the problem. They asked if the replacement seats would be ok – Section C, Row 20 !!! You bet they did! We were so close I could actually hear them over the screaming crowd. It was windy, wild and wonderful.
We waited a long time to see them. I remember some guys walking throughout the crowd looking like the Beatles – boots, suits, the long hair, etc. They caused quite a panic everywhere they went.
The warm up bands I remember are Roy Orbison, Jacky Dushanon, Lou Christie.
It was a night I will never forget.
Hi Sondra
I was a dj on WAPE Orbison an Christie were not there…
Jackie DeShannon was I… introduced her…
Wild Bill Miller
I was there thanks to a giveaway in Orlando (WLOF). 40 of us went by bus. . .it was windy and wonderful to be there. We saw their limo later and grabbed cigarette butts because they had smoked them and we were rabid fans!
You have a factual error in the piece. It was Hurricane Dora not Isabell that hit Jacksonville and created such havoc. I lived on St Simons Island and attended the concert. The drive down to JAX was awful with debris all over the roads. We had to stop on more than one occasion to clear the road so we could get through. There were spray painted signs on destroyed buildings saying, “Dora Done It.” A marque on a destroyed drive in theater read “Gone With The Wind.”
Several blocks of beach front homes on St Simons vanished during the storm. President Johnson came to the island and I had the choice of staying to meet him or going to see the Beatles–LOL I think I made the right choice.
Thanks Elaine! I’ve corrected the article.
There are several messages on here with bad data. I was there as a dj on the ape.
the Beatles set was short and the weather was horrible. The girls screams were
ear-piercing! I was with the ape from 1963 to 1965 and then in 1966. My first air
name was wild bill miller. In 1966 I also jocked nites and was Rob Robbins.
Thanks Rex for listening. If any others are still out there who were tuned in as
we laid down the sounds let me know please.
Thanks
Wild Bill Miller
Wild Bill, you still on-line? I have an album from my childhood days in Jax. It is the Souvenir LP Album from the 1964 Gator Bowl concert. I wanted to ask if you remember the Brylcreem Wild Root contest, when WBAP gave away a new skateboard to the winner who mailed in their rendition of a wild root?
Thanks, John
Hi John
I did not know of an album of the concert…WPAP? I was on WAPE…
Bill
Hi, thanks. Yes, I won the skateboard for the Brylecreem promo. I was only 10 years old. My grandma and I rode the bus to the Big Ape radio station to pick it up. Also, I still have the live souvenir album from the 64 Gator Bowl concert.
A little dab did ya!
Good story, nice memory.
You say it was the only concert they played in the state, but they played in February 1964 in Miami at the Deauville Hotel for the Ed Sullivan show. Of course this performance is recorded on your site.
I attended the concert. I was only 13 and my father & mother let me go with the
WALT radio Beatle special that sponsored a train trip from Tampa for $10 to Jacksonville. The tickets for the concert were five dollars. I still have my train ticket and my concert ticket plus my I love Paul pin. My seat was in section a row 32 seats 17. I only sat in my seat until the Beatles took the stage and I was at the fence that surround the stage as close to Paul McCartney as I could get. I lost my voice and could not speak for a week afterwards to share the story of my most memorable first concert. I’ve seen Paul McCartney many times since in concert. I am a true beautiful and I would be so honored to meet him in person.
True Beatles fan
My dad worked for Seaboard Coasrline Railroad in Tampa and was the Account Rep in charge of running the special train from Tampa to Jax for the Beatles show in the Gator Bowl in 1964. I was 11 at the time and of course wore my beatles wig and shoes. We were treated like VIPs for the show and sat inside the fenced area close to the stage. I still remember being afraid that the 10ft fence was going to come down because of the girls climbing on it trying to get to the Beatles. I was amazed at how many of the girls had cried so much and clawed at their faces till they bled! After the show on the train ride home my dad told the girls on the train that he shook hands with each of the Beatles and they all freaked out wanting to touch and kiss his hands!
My two sisters, friend Ricky and I were dropped off in front of the Gator Bowl. I was 13 and my sisters were (Linda) 11 and (Sherri) 10. I clearly remember the demand by the Beatle press agent that the cameramen move and the implied threat of cancelling the event. The crowd yelled for them to move and they did. I recall the girls going wild, particularly when Ringo began to sing (you couldn’t hear him sing). I was shocked that my sisters were yelling. The concert was short, windy, and exciting to attend. We didn’t know the concert would have historic significance in ending segregation at stadiums.
Wow it’s so cool reading all these accounts of the show in Jacksonville. I’m a life long native of Jacksonville and was 10 years old when Dora and then the Beatles hit town. My mother took my older brother and I to the concert. Before the concert she had arranged for us to sneak into the GW to see them up close. The owners of the GW were our neighbors on the river in Lakewood who arranged for us and several of the other kids in the neighborhood to stand in a hallway when the Beatles walked by. Of course we were forbidden to say anything to the band. We thought we were so cool! That was an amazing time as we got blasted by Dora leaving us with no electricity ( no baths), no school for almost two weeks, trees down everywhere to play in and rescue orphaned animals ( we had two orphaned baby flying squirrels we adopted and raised for about 6 weeks until my mother made us turn them loose having grown weary of them soaring all over the house and chewing up the furniture) and got to see the most famous group in the world.
I was nearly 10 years old when my mother evacuated Jacksonville Beach and we were staying at the GW Hotel my brother was down in the lobby I got into a elevator to go down to the lobby as there were supposed to be kids activities down there. As I was riding the elevator it stopped on a lower floor three guys got in, this shy nine-year-old was afraid to even look up at them but I remembered that they had unusual haircuts and clothing and very strange accents. One of them addressed me as they came into the elevator and I huddled in the corner I wasn’t sure what he said but I think it was ello love. I could barely understand anything they were mumbling to one another ….they got off on the floor just above the lobby and went to the right I heard a Stairway door open and shut and before the elevator door had closed, a group of teenage girls ran screaming in front of the elevator towards them. I had no idea who they were and when I got to the lobby it was filled with screaming girls and my brother told me that this famous bands from England the Beatles were staying there. I became a big Beatles fan later but to this day I don’t know which three it was in that elevator.
I was there and my sister farted heavily through out the show, that stuck to my mind
I was 12 years old. My mom and dad bought tickets for my family (sister two brother, myself and them) and two extra tickets, one for a friend of my sister and I’m assuming one for my cousin. WQXI Radio station in Atlanta was having a contest to win tickets and as it turns out my sisters friend won them, so we had two extra tickets as my cousin wasn’t allowed to go. My Aunt and Uncle lived in Valdosta so we drove from Atlanta and stayed with them. I can remember standing outside the stadium waiting to get in. We had horrible seats to the left of the stage in the nose bleed section so we didn’t see a lot. If we strained hard looking through the one pair of binoculars we had we could make out the side of their faces. But that was okay because we were at the Beatles concert. The things that stand out most in my memory was the music of course but there was an older black lady sitting in front of us and she swayed and sang the entire concert. After the concert we got up to leave and there was a teenage girl in front of us going down the many stairs, she would go down a couple of stairs and then yell George!! through her many tears and did this all the way down as I remember (maybe not). I don’t remember the storm but I do think it was raining on the way back to Valdosta, we had all fallen asleep in the backseat but I do remember waking up to my dad picking up a hitch hiker (Naval Soldier) but did not wake up when he dropped him off, next thing I knew we were back and my Aunt and Uncles house. Years later as my mo was cleaning out all the items she had saved for us over the years she still had those tickets and gave both to my sister. My sister held on to them for several years and decided to auction them off. Love that my mom and dad did that for us such a great memory.