On Feb. 11, 1964, over 8,000 young, screaming Washingtonians found their way to the Washington Coliseum to watch The Beatles play their first official concert in the U.S.
Just two days after their famous U.S. debut on the Ed Sullivan Show, the British band rolled into Union Station and were greeted by thousands of fans and eight inches of snow blanketing the city.
The Coliseum – located where REI and Red Bear Brewing now sit – was an old ice hockey arena that hosted boxing matches and even President Eisenhower’s inaugural ball.
After several opening acts, the band played a 35-minute set while the crowd threw jelly beans at them (an honest mistake, they mentioned they liked Jelly Babies, a much softer U.K. candy). The set included their first hits like “I Saw Her Standing There,” “She Loves You,” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”
Beatles trying to get through the crowds at their show at the Washington Coliseum. (Trikosko, Marion S./Library of Congress)
Beatles historian Bruce Spizer said, "It was one of the most exciting live performances the Beatles ever gave.” And fans describe the feeling in the room “like an explosion.” Looking at the footage, it's easy to see why. It’s hard to hear the music over excitement.
Afterward, the quad attended a reception at the British Embassy where Ringo Starr lost a lock of hair to an 18-year-old girl that was a little too quick with a pair of nail cutters. The next morning, they hopped on a train to New York to play at Carnegie Hall.
Historians say that the reception The Beatles received at the Washington Coliseum gave them confidence that they indeed could conquer America.
“It was unbelievable, a great sort of validation. It was like, ‘Yeah, look! Everywhere we're going in America, it's happening!’” Paul McCartney said about the D.C. performance.
