Seattle • Thursday, August 25, 1966 • 3pm show

About

The Beatles took a day off in Los Angeles the day before their concerts in Seattle. At 10 am on August 25, 1966, they flew to Seattle and landed at 1:40 pm. They were then taken directly to the Seattle Center Coliseum for their first concert of the day at 3 pm. Only 8,000 of the 15,000 available tickets had been sold for the early show.

After the first show, the Beatles held a press conference at the Edgewater Inn. The main subject was the rumour that Paul McCartney was about to marry Jane Asher after the evening concert. Additionally, the band received honorary Washington citizenship.

The Beatles then returned to the Seattle Center Coliseum for their second show at 8 pm, which was in front of a full audience of 15,000.

The support acts for the Seattle shows were The Remains, Bobby Hebb, The Cyrkle, and The Ronettes, as they had been for the other dates of the tour.

In Seattle, Paul was questioned by journalists over a rumour that he was about to get married. Gossip had spread through the city suggesting that Jane was due to fly in to join Paul. The word was that a wedding cake had been ordered and a bridal suite reserved at a local hotel. A reporter said: ‘Mr McCartney, would you please confirm or deny reports that you plan to marry Jane Asher here in Seattle this evening.’ Playing along at first, Paul grinned broadly and said: ‘It’s tonight, yeah!’ Then he added more seriously: ‘No, she’s not coming in tonight, as far as I know. I do hope it’s not true. I’m going back to Los Angeles tonight so if Jane flies in I’m not even going to see her, let alone marry her!’

Tony Barrow – From “John, Paul, George, Ringo & me: the real Beatles story“, 2006

Seattle was gray and overcast, but presented a delightful sky-and-sea-line as we drove by the waterfront and up to the Center where the World’s Fair had been set up. The Seattle Center was a lovely new facility, and once again we were allotted our own little press room, which came in handy for another private taping session. The Beatles’ dressing room was just across the hall, and the press conference was held between shows in the hall itself.

The first show was another blast, except that one of the microphones kept swinging around and wouldn’t stay put. Paul finally gave up and went where the microphone went, sometimes singing with his back to the audience, sometimes on tiptoe… the hazards of show biz!

The big highlight of the Seattle trip was the rumor that Paul would meet Jane Asher in Seattle and marry her there. Hotel reservations had been made, a cake had been ordered—all in the name of a mysterious Mr. Bartholomew— and the whole thing was one big mistake. But, the rumor drew a lot of attention to the Seattle performance, and gave the Seattle press several questions for the conference.

Judith Sims – From TeenSet Magazine – Quoted in “Ticket To ride – The Extraordinary Diary of The Beatles’ Last Tour” by Barry Tashian

From HistoryLink.org:

On August 25, 1966. The Beatles play two concerts – one in the afternoon, one in the evening – at the Seattle Center Coliseum. The two shows draw in a gross take of $118,071, at the time the largest single-day’s gross income for any entertainment show in Seattle history.

Ticket to Ride

The Beatles flew out of Hollywood on a chartered jet early in the morning and landed at Sea-Tac airport at 1:40 p.m. The weather was wet and cold, and only 33 fans stood a quarter-mile away as the plane landed. Three lucky girls, friends or relatives of Port of Seattle security officers, were on the field. One of them, Marsha Michaelson, received autographs from both John Lennon and Paul McCartney. She screamed, of course.

The four musicians were escorted to a black limousine for transit to the Seattle Center Coliseum. Nearby was the Port of Seattle’s Fire Truck Number 6. “Ooh, how ripping!” exclaimed Ringo Starr “A fire truck in our honor?” The limousine, escorted by three King County Sheriff’s cars and six motorcycle patrolmen, left for Seattle.

Do You Want To Know A Secret?

Throughout the day, rumors flew around the city that Paul McCartney would marry Jane Asher after the evening show. McCartney had been dating the English actress for more than a year and was questioned about this at the press conference. “I just got in today and found out I was getting married,” pondered a perplexed Paul. “How did it all start, does anybody know?”

Meanwhile, John Lennon was grilled about comments he had made to England’s Datebook magazine in March, claiming that the Beatles were “more popular than Jesus.” The comment received little reaction in England, but outraged devout Christians throughout the United States. Lennon denied that he wanted to stir up controversy and insisted that what he’d said had been taken out of context.

When a reporter read a charge by gospel singer Fague Springmann that the Beatles were attempting to profit from a religious figure “they despised,” the Beatles bristled. “That’s not very Christian, now,” said Lennon. “He couldn’t have been listening,” said McCartney. “He needs his mind straightened,” said George Harrison. Ringo said nothing, and smiled unhappily.

The rest of the questions were light-hearted and were answered drolly. Afterward, the Beatles were presented with a certificate signed by Washington Secretary of State Lud Kramer, making them honorary state citizens. They returned to their dressing room and prepared for the first of two concerts.

Twist and Shout

Before the Fab Four took to the stage, 8,200 fans listened to warm-up acts by The Remains, Bobby Hebb, The Cyrkle, and the Ronettes — all introduced by KJR radio personalities Pat O’Day and Lan Roberts. The acts received only polite applause, although hit songs like The Cyrkle’s “Red Rubber Ball,” drew a more enthusiastic response.

Fans were saving their praise for the Lads from Liverpool. When the four finally came out and greeted the audience, screams and shouts filled the Coliseum. The Beatles played 10 songs, including “Day Tripper,” “Yesterday,” “Nowhere Man,” and “Paperback Writer.” The lyrics were barely audible over the din of the crowd. No one seemed to mind. […]

Honour for Beatles

Washington authorities have bowed to the wishes of five teenage fans of the Beatles and agreed to make them honorary citizens of the State when they play in Seattle on August 25th during their North American tour.

The teenagers, girls from nearby Tumwater, thought they could meet the Beatles in person if they had something official to present to them — such as State Citizenship Certificates.

Mr. Lud Kramer. Washington’s Secretary of State, and the father of four children — all Beatles fans — agreed to have the girls make the presentation.

From Evening Sentinel – June 11, 1966

Beatles Alight in Seattle to Rumors Paul Will Wed After Evening Show

SEATTLE (AP) — The Beatles flew in here Thursday amid a flurry of rumors Paul McCartney, the only single member of the group, planned to wed secretly after their evening performance. The Beatles’ press agent, Tony Barrow, denied the reports.

The rumors, circulating both here and in Vancouver, B.C., 130 miles north, were that McCartney would marry Jane Asher, who was flying in from London.

Canadian sources said they understood a waiver had been given here in the usual three-day waiting period.

A Seattle radio station (KJR) said it had learned from an “unimpeachable source” that McCartney planned to marry Miss Asher and spend the honeymoon night in the bridal suite of the Olympia Hotel, Seattle’s largest. The hotel denied it had any reservation for McCartney, either under his own or an assumed name.

The county clerk’s office, where McCartney and Miss Asher would have to appear in person for a marriage license application, said shortly before closing time they had not been there. A waiver of the state’s required three-day waiting period would have to be granted by a superior (county) court judge. None could be found who had.

The four mop-tops arrived by chartered plane from Los Angeles at 2:15 p.m. and were whisked directly to the 14. 000-seat Seattle Coliseum for a 3 p.m. concert, and another this evening. Both are sell-outs.

There were no incidents at the airport 16 miles south of the city where about 35 teenage girls had waited, many since last night, for a glimpse of their singing idols.

The gate at the rear of the field where the jet plane was parked was kept locked. A security guard, A. D. Barker, said last year “there were 1.500 kids by that gate waiting to see the Beatles.”

From Independent – August 26, 1966

Beatlemania Returns To Puget Sound Area

Beatlemania returned to Seattle today with the second visit of the incomparable Beatles — John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

The four British entertainers, who have broken all records for crowds, welcomes, tie-up merchandising, ticket sales and recordings, appear to be as hot as ever as an attraction today — despite a recent controversy touched off by the commentary of the literary Beatle, Lennon.

Lennon, who made an offhand comparison of the Beatles with Jesus, said he was misunderstood. It now appears that his millions of teen-age fans all over the world are agreeing with him, for they are buying tickets and records as in the peak year of the Beatles’ popularity.

AS A RESULT, Lennon’s remarks are now being studied in a new light. By pinpointing the fact that worship and church attendance have fallen off everywhere in the world, the performer shocked millions of persons into recognizing the alarming status of international morality.

At any rate, there can be no doubt the Beatles are making a comeback. By mid-day, their evening appearance was sold out and their matinee pushing toward the three-quarter mark. This is in contrast to a single show in their first appearance here in 1964.

Secrecy shrouded the time of arrival of the famous foursome. Guesses ranged from noon to 3 o’clock showtime, or later. Whatever the time, the Beatles’ manager was keeping silent about all except the fact that arrival will be by plane. A private plane, that is.

IT WAS ALSO reported that the Beatles will not stay in Seattle overnight, thus removing the possibility of a repeat performance of 1964’s souvenir-bedsheet episode.

In the meantime, the editors of The Post-Intelligencer reported they were going all-out in coverage of the Beatles’ visit. They also announced they had scheduled a contest for the best letter by a teenager on the question: “What do you think of the Beatles now?” Prizes will include electric-eye movie cameras. Winning letters will be published in The P-I in ensuing weeks.

From Seattle Post-Intelligencer, August 25, 1966

HONORARY WASHINGTON CITIZENS—These four long-haired troubadours, the Beatles, were named honorary Washington citizens Thursday by Secretary of State A. L. Kramer. Mary Ellen Shogren, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert E. Shogren of Tumwater, presented the certificates at a news conference. The Beatles are (from left) Ringo Starr, John Lennon, George Harrison and Paul McCartney.—/P Wirephoto.

Beatles Pick Off $73,717 In Seattle

SEATTLE AP—Amid rumors and pickets and the usual mob of screaming teenagers the mop-topped Beatles picked off a record $73,717.81 as their cut of the gate Thursday night.

Rumors that Beatle Paul McCartney would marry British actress Jane Asher after their singing performance beat the Beatles into town but proved unfounded — just as McCartney and his fellow songsters said they would.

“Yeah, I’ve heard of her,” McCartney said when asked at a news conference if he knew Miss Asher. “It’s a joke. How did it start — does anybody know?” “Absolutely untrue,” said press agent Tony Barrow.

Noisy as it was, this was a fairly calm evening for the Beatles. Their stage was 10 feet high and a fence used to hold back hockey fans served similar duty against Beatle lovers.

Zollie M. Volchok of Northwest Releasing, the sponsor, said the gross take of $118,071 was the largest in Seattle entertainment history. Shortly before midnight, as both rumors and teen-agers faded away, the Beatles boarded a plane for the return trip to Hollywood, Calif., from whence they had come.

From The Tacoma News Tribune, August 26, 1966

Last updated on September 20, 2023

Seattle Center Coliseum

This was the 3rd concert played at Seattle Center Coliseum.

A total of 3 concerts have been played there • 1964 • Aug 21st • 1966 • Aug 25th (8pm show) • Aug 25th (3pm show)

Setlist for the concert