23 Jun 2014

The Beatles New Zealand Tour 1964 Part 1: The Arrival

From Afternoons, 12:15 pm on 23 June 2014

This audio is not downloadable due to copyright restrictions.

This five-part series recalls the times, the people and the music when The Beatles came to New Zealand.

The Beatles New Zealand Tour 1964 is presented by Wayne Mowat, produced by Trevor Reekie and engineered by Jeremy Ansell for Radio New Zealand National.

Archival audio courtesy of Sound Archives Ngā Taonga Kōrero.

Crowd at Wellington Airport awaiting the arrival of The Beatles by Morrie Hill courtesy ATL
Crowd at Wellington Airport awaiting the arrival of The Beatles by Morrie Hill, courtesy Alexander Turnbull Library

The Beatles arrive in Wellington on 21 June 1964. 7000 fans turn up at the airport. Ringo names his gift Tiki "Fred". The group make their famous appearance of the balcony of the St George Hotel. Beatlemania erupts.