We’re Going to See the Beatles!

February 7, 2024 9:32 AM CDT

Saturday night on WRCO, we will turn back the clock to February 1964 when the Beatles arrived in America. Author Garry Berman will be my guest. He has interviewed many that were around New York during that first visit by the Fab Four and several that saw them in concert during their tours of America from 1964 through 1966. Here is a description of his book…..

“We’re Going to See the Beatles!” presents the story of Beatlemania in America as experienced by their most devoted fans. “We’re Going to See the Beatles!” includes anecdotes from those who cheered the group as they arrived at Kennedy Airport in 1964, who kept vigil for them outside the Plaza Hotel, and who sat in the studio audience of The Ed Sullivan Show for the band’s landmark first live TV broadcast. Other fans detail what it was like to see the Beatles in one of their rare concerts at such famous venues as Shea Stadium and Candlestick Park.

We will flash back to life in February of 1964 during WRCO’s Those Were the Days on Saturday night. Since my family only picked up one TV channel in that era, it meant that CBS channel 3 from Madison, Wisconsin was what we watched. I was still too ‘wee of a Nee’ to remember that first Beatles performance on February 9th of 1964. In later years of the sixties, I do recall my mother exclaiming “Oh, Jim, look at their hair!” whenever the Beatles were on television. Although little Philip wanted his hair to grow out like John, Paul, George, or Ringo, mother made him get a crew cut.

I will be swinging back to the station after a full day of covering Richland Centers’ high school wrestling Super Regional on Saturday. After a couple of Ski soda pops, I will be swinging from the light fixtures and ready to play all of your requests from the fifties through the early nineties between six and midnight. Listen for the magic cow bell. Every time it rings, we will make someone a winner! Put on your Beatle wig and Beatle boots and get ready to dance along with Those Were the Days on WRCO FM 100.9, wrco.com, or by downloading the Civic Media app.

Philip