The Beatles 1964 '"WORLD tour" occurred as New Zealand was undergoing a cultural shift. The values of younger New Zealanders seemed to be changing as one era passed and another emerged. From this time, New Zealand opened up to the world as never before through television and the beginning of mass air travel overseas. Television began broadcasts in 1960 AND The world crowded into more and more New Zealand lounges. In 1961, there were fewer than 5000 TELEVISION licenses; two years later there were over 80,000. The sole channel broadcast for just 50 hours a week in the mid-1960s, and much of the fare was pretty staid, but novelty value was high. 'The box' introduced many older New Zealanders to The Beatles when a TV special about the band was shown just weeks before thIS tour.
The Beatles' first stop in New Zealand was Wellington. Seven thousand screaming fans – nearly all young women – waited as the band touched down on June 21, 1964. crowds outside their hotel, the St George, were so large that the Beatles had to be taken in secretly through the bottle shop entrance of the hotel. Management rushed the band up to the third floor balcony so fans could see them and not crash the hotel. The band played two shows back to back in the Wellington Town Hall on JUNE 22 and 23.
The Beatles THEN MOVED ON TO AUCKLAND, WHERE THEY PERFORMED two back-to-back shows ON JUNE 24 and 25 at town hall. Auckland fans were as riotous as those in Wellington. things were hectic and sometimes dangerous. Police took no chances with security when the band arrived at Auckland's Whenuapai Airport. The band was hurried through the crash gates at the end of the runway, well out of sight of the 300 waiting fans. ON STAGE, The music went almost unnoticed as everyone commented on the audience: "Yes, they certainly did Auckland proud, that audience which provided squeals of such volume, the uproar and the footwork under the seats. The Beatles? After all, you can’t watch everything at once", WROTE ONE concert reviewer.
A decision by the Mayor OF AUCKLAND, Dove-Myer Robinson, to hold a civic reception IN HIS CHAMBERS FOR AFTERNOON TEA ON JUNE 25 in honor of the Beatles, prompted one of his councilors to complain about acknowledging the "hysteria, antics, adulation, rioting, screaming and roaring associated with these bewigged musicians".
IT WAS DURING THIS PRIVATE RECEPTION, THAT THIS ABSOLUTELY MAGNIFICENT NEAR MINT SET OF AUTOGRAPHS Were SIGNED by the beatles. obtained BY THE secretary to the Mayor, THE AUTOGRAPHS ARE ON LARGE BLUE PAGE MEASURING 7" X 5" AND THE PAGE REMAINS INTACT WITHIN THE AUTOGRAPH ALBUM BOOK. THEY ARE AS BRILLIANT AND BOLD AS THE DAY SIGNED, ALL IN BLUE BALLPOINT. AN ACCOMPANYING LETTER OF PROVENANCE WRITTEN BY THE DAUGHTER OF THE ORIGINAL RECIPIENT OF THE AUTOGRAPHS IS INCLUDED. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER AUTOGRAPHS AND SENTIMENTS WRITTEN IN THE AUTOGRAPH BOOK. THE ORIGINAL RECIPIENT AND SECRETARY TO THE MAYOR (JILLIAN KERR) WAS AN AMATEUR DANCER, AND collected dancers’ autographs from the shows when she was able. Her friends have also added their names and thoughts in the book as was the fashion in the sixties. THE PAGE SIGNED BY THE BEATLES IS COMPLETELY CLEAN AND VOID OF ANY DISTRACTIONS, FOR THERE ARE NO SIGNATURES ON THE BACK OF THE PAGE, OR THE ADJOINING PAGE.
this AUTOGRAPH set rates up there as ONE OF THE BEST QUALITY AUTOGRAPHS SETS WE HAVE ACQUIRED.
