To some, five decades back seem like ancient history: “Biblical times.”
Indeed, in the winter of 1964, social media meant face-to-face conversations or maybe passing notes in class. At home, there were three main TV networks, and weekends wound down with CBS’ “Lassie” at 6 p.m., either ABC’s “Wagon Train” or NBC’s “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color” at 6:30 and – depending on the guests – back to CBS for “The Ed Sullivan Show” at 7.
One Sunday night – February 9, 1964 – kids didn’t care which standup comic, Broadway star, animal act or entertainer balancing plates on a stick was scheduled for Sullivan’s showcase.
The Beatles would play.
“February 9, 16 years old, I sat glued to the TV, literally with my face within a matter of inches from the screen, while my parents sat bemused behind me,” remembers Peoria musician and retailer Craig Moore.
“When my stepdad dared to speak and even to say something derogatory about the group on screen, I told him to ‘shut up,’ which was miles beyond any remark I had ever dared make to any adult before.”
That night 50 years ago will be commemorated this February 9 at the new Limelight Eventplex, 8102 N. University in Peoria, where more than four hours of music is planned, featuring rock ‘n’ roll and much more, from reunions of local favorites the Dave Chastain Band and Ready Steady Go to a string quartet from Bradley University and a high school marching band.
February 9, 2014, a Sunday, is exactly 50 years to the day, and the show starts at 7 p.m., 50 years to the minute since Ed Sullivan shouted, “And here they are: the BEATLES!”
The new venue is opening for the first time to host the event, called “It was 50 years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play: a celebration.”
Of course, the Beatles rather selflessly influenced the music, the culture and the world, and in that spirit, the performers will donate their time and talents, and the proceeds will go to charity. General admission for festival seating will be $20, with all proceeds benefiting the Washington, Ill., High School Tornado Relief Fund, St. Jude’s and the Central Illinois Dream Factory – whose volunteers will be taking tickets.
Advance tickets are available at Younger Than Yesterday, 2615 N. University in Peoria and other area outlets, with mail orders available via credit card by phoning (309) 682-1116.
A special booklet is planned for everyone in attendance. Posters designed by Peoria graphic artist Jane Kelley and t-shirts also will be available to purchase, with proceeds going to the three charities.
For $50, a “VIP” package includes admission, a t-shirt, booklet, early entrance and limited reserve seating.
The lineup of groups includes the Black Roses, a Bradley University String Quartet, Encounter At L-5, the Flying D’rito Brothers, Heavy Shake, Joel Madigan, Men of Fortune, the Nikbeats, the Temporary Tribute Band, a reunited version of Moore’s legendary garage band, playing as GONN & Friends, and Greg Williams, plus the aforementioned reunions of the Dave Chastain Band and Ready Steady Go – its original early ’80s.
The concert won’t be a slew of impersonators or drab cover versions of familiar tunes, Moore stresses.
“We’re not requiring rote copies,” says the impresario, bassist and producer. “We want to hear the songs as the bands playing them would naturally do them.
“This show is all about the music itself and the impact the Beatles and their music has had on countless musicians and listeners alike, not to mention culture around the world, beginning on that night in February 1964,” continues Moore, whose first band, the Pagans, formed in 1965 and the next year became GONN.
Moore has performed, recorded and promoted music from bands (including GONN, Ilmo Smokehouse, Ready Steady Go, and Speechless) to storefronts (the Peoria Record Company on West Main Street, Younger Than Yesterday on North University).
“I bought my first Beatles record, ‘Please Please Me,’ in March of 1963,” he recalls. “I was thrilled by the sound of it.”
Months went by with some rumbling in the news: a news feature on CBS-TV and another piece on Jack Paar’s show.
“Then radio started playing ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ around December,” Moore says. “In January it hit Number 1. Ed Sullivan started promoting their upcoming appearances, and [the LP] ‘Meet The Beatles’ came out, which was undeniably the most thrilling LP I had ever heard in my life.
“I was the [Keokuk, Iowa] high school DJ, playing records at all three lunch periods, after game dances, etc,” he continues. “When I had started playing ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand,’ the reaction was loud and positive, but once the Beatles appeared on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show,’ it turned into girls screaming bloody murder! For the record!
“Every record by the Beatles and every British band that followed in their wake elicited screams in the cafeteria as if the bands were there in person,” he adds. “Every new Beatles record that came along was like a new commandment being handed down from Mount Sinai.”
This winter, apostles of the Beatles songbook and impact will continue to spread the Word (and music). Co-sponsored by WWCT, the event has a Facebook page – “It was 50 years ago today Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play – a celebration of the Beatles’ debut in America” – with Moore posting up-to-date information as it develops, plus links to videos of some of the bands.
VIP admission will start at 5 p.m. that day, with general admission at 5:30. A video program begins at 6, with introductions at 6:45 and music at 7. Entertainment will probably last four hours, so an intermission is planned for about 9.
It’s an all-ages event with rules like the Peoria Civic Center, meaning that soft drinks and adult beverages both will be available. Also, Moore encourages people to bring lawn chairs, blankets, pillows, etc. to make festival seating more comfortable.
“Being for the benefit of so many,” Moore says, recalling the line from the Beatles LP, “a splendid time is guaranteed for all!”
Contact Bill at Bill.Knight@hotmail.com; his twice-weekly columns are archived at billknightcolumn.blogspot.com