Bettman/Getty ImagesToday marks the 50th anniversary of The Beatles‘ final official concert, which took place August 29, 1966, at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park. Drained by the grind of touring and the craziness it entailed, the Fab Four had decided to retire from the road after their 1966 North American summer trek to focus on studio work and other interests.
One of the acts opening for The Beatles during the tour, including the Candlestick Park show, was the garage-rock band The Remains. Remains frontman Barry Tashian recalls that the noise made by the ardent Fab Four fans generally made it difficult to hear anything during the performances.
“The [crowd] sounded like a jet or a rocket ship taking off. Just this tremendous rush of air,” Tashian tells ABC Radio. “It just was deafening.”
Barry also remembers that there were some quiet moments during The Beatles’ shows where their talent as a live outfit shone through.
“No doubt about it, they were just a real good bar band kind of thing,” he explains to ABC Radio.
Meanwhile, Tashian says he had no clue that the Candlestick Park concert was to be The Beatles’ last, although he was aware that the grind of touring was weighing on the band.
“I could tell that they wanted to…get it done and go home,” Barry maintains. “As far as never touring again, that’s another story.”
The Beatles played 11 songs at Candlestick Park, including such newer tunes as “Day Tripper,” “Paperback Writer” and “Yesterday,” plus some select rock ‘n’ roll covers. According to BeatlesBible.com, tickets cost $6.50 and $4.50.
The only public concert the Fab Four played after the Candlestick concert was their famous unannounced show on the rooftop of the band’s Apple headquarters in London on January 30, 1969.
Here’s the set list of The Beatles’ Candlestick Park concert:
“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”
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