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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Surf Music General Discussion »

Permalink Today’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution has article on 1965 Beatles concert with surf connection

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Fifty years ago today, the Beatles performed in Atlanta. Today’s AJC has an article about the August 18, 1965 show and, toward the end, recounts a story about a local surf band that opened for them. You may be able to read the whole article here, but AJC will try to get you to subscribe:

In case you can't link to the article, here’s the surfy bit:

“However, unbeknownst to Beatles manager Epstein, the local promoter also had added an area band to the bill: the Atlanta Vibrations. They were a high school surf-rock combo who’d recently won a battle of the bands sponsored by Thomas Organ. The Vibrations showed up early at the stadium, proudly wearing their collarless jackets and hauling their new Vox Super Beatle amps, provided by the music store.

Epstein told them to beat it. Then, fate intervened. John Lennon’s Vox organ was somehow damaged during the trip from Toronto, and there was only one other Vox organ in Atlanta. It was at Thomas Organ. The Vibrations sent a runner up to the Buckhead music shop to fetch back a working instrument.

Lennon used the borrowed Vox organ and Epstein let the Vibrations open the show. Spencer Kirkpatrick, later to form the influential Atlanta band Hydra, was the junior member of the group, and the lead guitarist. Standing on that stage, in front of 34,000 people, the 14-year-old Kirkpatrick experienced every emotion known to man, from terror to elation.

“I was about to pee down my leg,” he said.

The Vibrations played “Pipeline,” “Walk Don’t Run” and even an instrumental version of the Beatles tune “This Boy.” Then they listened to the rest of the music from the dugout.

Observing the reactions of the overexcited female Beatles fans, the freshman guitarist reasoned that rock ’n’ roll looked like a good career choice.”

-Tim
MyYouTubeChannel
My Classic Instrumental Surf Music Timeline
SSS Agent #777

Spencer is one of the principals up at Atlanta Vintage Guitar. Hell of a player, he.

ed

Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?

Thanks for the great tale; more surfish historiography. Thumbs Up

jerk
noun \ˈjərk\
a stupid person or a person who is not well-liked or who treats other people badly; see also Epstein

Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.

Last edited: Aug 18, 2015 16:30:12

Badger wrote:

jerk
noun \ˈjərk\
a stupid person or a person who is not well-liked or who treats other people badly; see also Epstein

Yes, my blood froze when I read what Brian Epstein had done. We all know that the Beatles were instrumental (you see what I did there) in killing 60’s surf music, but I always figured it was benign neglect. Here, however, we have a documented case of hostile aggression by the Beatle’s camp against a surf band. The smoking gun, as it were, for my conspiracy theory regarding the mop top’s vendetta against our beloved indigenous Southern California folk music.

Or it could be that Epstein was just a jerk.

-Tim
MyYouTubeChannel
My Classic Instrumental Surf Music Timeline
SSS Agent #777

SilverFlash wrote:

The smoking gun, as it were, for my conspiracy theory regarding the mop top’s vendetta against our beloved indigenous Southern California folk music.

Yes and it's possible to find photos of them enjoying & using Shock Fender amps Shock in the studio for actually recording.

Still, I wouldn't run out & buy a bunch of Alcoa stock... Epstein was just a jerk. An old saying taught to me goes along the lines of "someone who is nice to you but rude to the waiter is not a nice person."

Wes
SoCal ex-pat with a snow shovel

DISCLAIMER: The above is opinion/suggestion only & should not be used for mission planning/navigation, tweaking of instruments, beverage selection, or wardrobe choices.

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