60 YEARS AGO TODAY:
5/1/66 – Although nobody knew it at the time, The Beatles played live for the last time in the UK (save for their January 30th, 1969, rooftop performance) when they appeared at the NME Poll Winners concert at Wembley Empire Pool. Their final live British set included their hits “I Feel Fine,” “Nowhere Man,” “Day Tripper,” “If I Needed Someone” and “I'm Down.”
Also appearing on the bill were The Spencer Davis Group, The Fortunes, Herman's Hermits, Roy Orbison, The Rolling Stones, The Seekers, The Small Faces, Dusty Springfield, The Walker Brothers, The Who and The Yardbirds.
(Again … WOW!!! What an INCREDIBLE line-up of talent!!!)
Although the concert was filmed for broadcast, The Beatles' performance of five songs was NOT aired ... it seems that their manager, Brian Epstein, was unable to reach an agreement regarding terms of this footage ... so incredibly, the cameras were turned off while The Beatles, NME Poll Winners, performed!
Footage does exist of The Beatles accepting their awards, however ...
As well as some of the other artists on the bill.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A53ekn8EMzc
Also on 5/1 - The Supremes and James Brown appear on “The Ed Sullivan Show”
