Fast Fact

Did you know that Seattleites were not immune to the scourge of Beatlemania?

It’s true! On August 21, 1964, the Liverpool quartet appeared before a throng of concertgoers at the Seattle Center Coliseum. They sang for less than an hour, performing hits including “All My Lovin’,” “Can’t Buy Me Love” and “Roll Over Beethoven.” Hundreds of teenage girls rushed the stage during the show. Police and firefighters did their best to control the crowds, but thirty-five people required first-aid treatment. One girl had to be restrained in a stretcher, all the while yelling, “Paul! I love you!” •

Illustration by Regina Volpi Baerwalde for City Arts.