Reviewed By: Beatle Bob (not theother “Beatle Bob” who posts here):

FROM BEATLES IN MEMPHIS 1966-misterclaudel label (mccd-075)
Part of the “Misterclaudel Live Chronicle Series”(2007 Release)

Finally! New tapes of the Beatles live in concert! Taken from an audience recording, misterclaudel presents 2 shows from the US leg of their 1966 tour, from Memphis, TN, August 19. 1966 and performed at the Mid-South Coliseum that afternoon and evening.The 2nd show(evening)showcases the Beatles when a”cherry bomb” exploded during the performance of “If I Needed Someone”. The Beatles said years later that when the cherry bomb went off, they looked at each other to see which one got shot. Thank god, that never happened. The continued on like troopers as evident on the tape, without missing a beat. Total professionals. As we know this was a tense leg of the tour coming after John’s comments about “the Beatles being more popular than Jesus” being taken out of context. The backlash was difficult, especially in the US deep south, mainly by the very religious and conservative Southern Baptists, and put pressure on John to explain what he meant–and giving a rare apology of sorts. The comment, apology and cherry bomb incident have all been well documented, but audio proof of the incident has not appeared on tape until now. For Beatles scholars, historians of social upheavel and general Beatles fans and collectors, it’s a fasinating document during a period of social upheavel with the Vietnam war and civil rights in the US were still at the forefront. This 2nd show is worth owning for this signifiance. That’s the good news. Thd bad news is this is an audience tape of basically lousy quality. Though the peformance seem to be top notch and audible enough to figure out between song dialogue and the actually songs,(without guessing where they are into the song)-the tapes are muddy, distant and bass heavy and marred by screaming girls close to the microphone. Something you have to accept from a Beatles audience tape at the hight of Beatlemania! It gives you their perspective and makes them the central character in most of the tapes (except when the cherry bomb explodes)and puts the Beatles in the background. These tapes are centainly not as bad as say the Seattle ‘64 audience tape but makes Candlestick’66 sound like 5.1 stereo in comparison. The sound quality on both shows are equally the same and “Long Tall Sally” fades early on both shows.

It’s a shame that all we have documenting the ‘66 World Tour in excellent quality are 3 shows: Munich, and the two Tokyo shows. Shows that performance-wise, are not up to their usual performance standards. These Memphis shows gives us a glimpse of some better performances but unfortunately not any better sources have been found, or probably weren’t recorded or broadcast,(like a few of the ‘64 and ‘64 American shows were on AM radio).

The packaging is first rate as usual for the misterclaudel label, and is of course a factory made silver disc. This is also available via the torrents to download, if you’re not going to aquire an original pressing. Do you need this CD in your collection?….Sure. It’s another piece of the Beatles puzzle documenting a tense part of their last tour ever and historical in nature for many reasons. Will you play it for pleasure?…Of course not. But it’s recommended for the historical perspective it represents.

Track listing for both shows:

Rock And Roll Music
She’s A Woman
If I Needed Someone
Day Tripper
Baby’s In Black
I Feel Fine
Yesterday
I Wanna Be Your Man
Nowhere Man
Paperback Writer
Long Tall Sally

I hope this review helps anyone on the fence as to whether they need it in their collection!

Regards,
Beatle Bob