This concert took place in our backyard (figuratively speaking), so we will weigh in under the category "Too much information". (That's right, we're bored.)
I (Tom) was 11 years old when this concert took place. I did not go (to my eternal regret), but I knew some people who did. I got the standard descriptions; i.e. you couldn't hear anything because of all the screaming. As the Beatles typically did when they played American baseball stadiums, they set up at second base. As noted above, they deviated from their standard set to include their version of "Kansas City"(which, in it of itself, is an interesting discussion because it's not the Wilbert Harrison version - where did theirs come from?). Anyway, one interesting story I heard from a girl I knew was this - as the Beatles walked out of the first base dugout to perform, Paul turned a threw a cigarette butt into the stands. There was an immediate scramble for the souvenir and the young girl that retrieved it immediately swallowed it and said something to the effect of "Now, I'm part of Paul."
As for the show, and the question raised above, it looks to us like this might have been "You Can't Do That", because Lennon's hand appears to be on G, Harrison is holding the Ric 12, and George and Paul seem to be singing one of the "Let you down" breaks after John.
It's true this performance was added to their exhaustive 1964 fall tour at the arrangement of Charles O. Finley, then owner of the Kansas City Athletics baseball team. Finley bought the team in 1960, and by 1964, he had already threatened to move them to another city 3 or 4 times. (He did this 3 years later.) I don't recall that the press actually organized a boycott. Rather, Finley was blowing hot and cold on the city and people here did not buy into his promotion. Interestingly, the attendance of roughly 18,000 people was larger than the Beatles drew at venues like the Hollywood Bowl, although we understand some of those sites were simply smaller.
We believe the Beatles took only one truly secluded vacation in the United States, and it was in Southern Missouri, in the Ozark "Mountains" (which are really elaborate hills, but very scenic). This
may have occurred immediately after this concert. It may also have been in 1965, we're not sure. In any event, at
some point in their first two American tours, the Beatles retreated to Southern Missouri and spent several days undetected and in a secluded spot, relaxing. We
believe the photos on the back of Rubber Soul (American Release) were taken there. There was an article published two years ago in the local newspaper which quoted the pilot of a private airplane as saying basically that the Beatles were very polite and seemed to enjoy their time together, but in seclusion.
As for Municipal Stadium, from 1955 through 1972 it was the home to the Kansas City Athletics, the Kansas City Royals (their successors) and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a boy, I (Tom) went to many events there. It had the greenest grass in the world, and its groundskeeper, George Toma, took over in 1957 and established a worldwide reputation. He will be consulting with the NFL next year on the Superbowl turf.
I often talk of this stadium, and my family got so sick of hearing my descriptions that two months ago, I took them down to the actual location where the stadium stood. It's basically a vacant lot now, but there is an historical marker, commemorating the events that had taken place there, including the Beatles' performance.
For that moment, we stood where the great ones had once gone before.
Here is the interview they gave that morning at the Muehlebach Hotel, where they stayed (their bed sheets were auctioned off later). Here also, is a shot of the stadium.
http://www.geocities.com/~beatleboy1/db ... atles.html
Tom and Matthew
