Today the Bravo-Beatles-Blitztournee continued in Essen with two shows at the Grugahalle (which I believe translates literally as “Enormodome”). The only filmed record that appears to exist is this poor-quality footage of “If I Needed Someone”:
This is probably a good approximation of what it sounded like in the audience, with The Beatles playing second fiddle to wave upon wave of ambient screaming. It puts me in mind of the reviewer who once compared the Jesus and Mary Chain’s Psychocandy to listening to the Beach Boys on a boombox in the middle of a construction site.
There is also a complete audio recording of the afternoon show that sounds like it was recorded in the very highest nosebleeds, or perhaps from the parking lot. If you close your eyes it’s easy to imagine that you are there, having paid through the nose for crappy seats, or maybe standing forlornly outside the Grugahalle as the show goes on inside.
Afterwards The Beatles took the train to Hamburg, where two shows were scheduled for Sunday. Hamburg, of course, plays an important role in Beatles lore; more on that tomorrow.