Video: 'The Beatles Live At The Public Auditorium, Cleveland, USA (Tuesday 15th September 1964)'
(Tuesday, September 15, 1964, approximately 9:45 p.m. EDT during The Beatles’ 1964 North American tour) — The Beatles’ highly anticipated performance at Cleveland’s Public Auditorium was briefly stopped tonight after fans broke through a police line and rushed the stage, forcing local authorities to intervene for safety concerns.
The iconic British band, currently on their first North American tour, was in the middle of performing “All My Loving” when chaos ensued, causing a 10-minute delay in the concert.
The Fab Four had arrived in Cleveland the night before, staying at the Sheraton-Cleveland hotel, where a series of fan-related incidents unfolded.
Despite a police cordon around the hotel, fans were relentless. An 11-year-old girl arrived with a stolen key, a boy hid in a packing case to get closer to the band, and others tried various stunts to infiltrate the hotel.
Video: 'BEATLES 1964 TOUR : CLEVELAND part 1'
To deceive the crowd gathered outside, police used a decoy riot bus multiple times, though The Beatles eventually made their way to the venue undiscovered.
Once at the Public Auditorium, a police force of over 100 officers struggled to maintain control. Fans slowly pushed through the barriers, and as a few climbed onto the stage, the concert was halted by Deputy Inspector Carl Bare and Inspector Michael Blackwell, who both took to the microphone, requesting the band stop playing.
John Lennon, visibly frustrated by the interruption, later told KYW radio’s Art Schreiber backstage, “This has never happened to us before. We have never had a show stopped. These policemen are a bunch of amateurs.”
Beatles manager Brian Epstein, however, sided with the police, admitting, “The police were absolutely right. The enthusiasm of the crowd was building much too early.”
Video: 'INTERVIEW WITH BEATLES MANAGER BRIAN EPSTEIN CLEVELAND 1964 Beatlemania'
After a brief break, officials warned the crowd that the show would only continue if they remained seated. Morning hosts from KYW, Specs Howard and Harry Martin, were brought onstage to help calm the audience, and the performance resumed.
The Beatles powered through their 12-song set, performing hits like “Twist and Shout,” “She Loves You,” and “A Hard Day’s Night.” Despite the earlier disruption, the show ended without further incident.
When the concert concluded, The Beatles made a swift exit, once again utilizing the decoy riot bus to distract fans. They were driven directly to Cleveland Hopkins Airport, where they boarded a flight to New Orleans for the next stop on their tour.
Inspector Blackwell defended the decision to halt the concert, saying, “If we hadn’t stopped it, there would have been serious injury. One little girl was knocked down in the charge, and there were 300 others ready to trample her.”
