oasisblues: the Beatles in Milan

today, Grand Hotel Duomo where they stayed, beside Duomo cathedral

you can download the recording clicking here (e-mail me for the password)

From father to son. Mine also gave me many vinyls. "Mamma tonight I'm going to a Beatles concert"...can you imagine? :)

The Beatles were in Italy to play only one time, June 1965. When you're young, you think everything has a future. Then you find out that everything for sure has only a past. And so this one too: historic, unique event. The Beatles split up in 1970.

Of course Paul McCartney was in Milan other times.

The Beatles arrived in Milan 23 June 1965 at Stazione Centrale with Trans Europa Express (T.E.E.) train from Lyon, france, 3,000 fans waiting for them at n.16, but the train arrived on another railroad to avoid them. Then they were taken to Duomo hotel in via San Raffaele street on four Milan Alfa Romeo 2600 convertible sport cars (Alfa Romeo has Milan-England flag in its symbol), I have photos of my father's one, he was so cool :). Press conference, the famous photo shoot with Duomo cathedral behind, and only one place at night: the club Charlie Max near there, in via Dogana street beside piazza Diaz. For the concert at Vigorelli open air velodrome on 24 June they performed a double show, one in the afternoon (very hot at 38°C, 7,000 people, young people), one in the evening (about 20,000, more adult), lasting about 35 minutes, Paul McCartney introduced many songs speaking in Italian, and thanked the crowd in the same way. Supporter bands before their show were Italian famous singers as Peppino Di Capri, Fausto Leali, etc.

The songs were: Twist And Shout, She's A Woman, I'm A Loser, Can't Buy Me Love, Baby's In Black, I Wanna Be Your Man, A Hard Day's Night, Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby, Rock And Roll Music, I Feel Fine, Ticket To Ride (their best song according to Noel Gallagher), Long Tall Sally.

They were very elegant, and Paul had his Hofner bass, John Lennon with Rickenbacker guitar and his typical hat (see Liam Gallagher's Pretty Green hats, called Lennon), George Harrison with his Gretsch guitar, Ringo Starr behind Ludwig drums with its unmistakeable band logo.