Why The Beatles' 1966 Tour Turned Out to Be Their Last
While every Beatles show after 1963 was something of a circus, nothing compared to the band’s ’66 tour. By then, the Fab Four were so popular they were traveling around in the back of an armored van. And it turned out they needed that level of protection.
After a violent scene at the airport in the Philippines and threats from the Ku Klux Klan in America’s South, the band’s security detail more than had their hands full. Meanwhile, the quality of a Beatles live performance had plummeted. In the words of John Lennon, it was “a freak show.”
Ringo couldn’t hear the other three playing (and vice versa). And it’s doubtful fans could hear any music above the screaming girls. Practically speaking, a Beatles tour had become impossible.
However, that wasn’t the only reason the band gave up on playing in front of fans. Beginning with the Revolver album, the music itself represented a real challenge when it came to live performances.
Source: cheatsheet.com
