chuckography

Good to see John, George, Paul and Ringo again...

 It has been quite a while since I last saw the Beatles in concert.

It was 1965 in San Diego.

I was working as a staff photographer for the Union-Tribune newspapers and used my press pass to enter the downtown rather small football stadium for the evening show.

I had covered the press conference that morning when they first arrived in town. It was a stop on their way up to Los Angeles.

The paper a while back did a "50 years ago" recap story and used some of my morning photos..and even included my Photo By Chuck Boyd byline.

My more recent time with the Fab Four was a few nights ago when this widely-acclaimed Tribute Troupe came to the Charleston Music Hall.

The talented foursome said they had been in Florida the night before and would be in the Raleigh-Durham area next. Part of their Southern Tour.

We all were invited to tag along. I was really tempted..they were that good.

The evening started when the spotlight shone on "Ed Sullivan" and he introduced the talented performers we all were there to see and hear.

They did not disappoint.

("Sullivan" also did a fair comic impression of "Tricky" Dick Nixon. Hmmm, had not seen the resemblance before.)

Ringo set the beat and the show kicked off with early Beatles hits like "Love Me Do," "I wanna Hold Your Hand," and other "bubble gum" wonders.

Actually, that was closer to the 32-minute show I had covered in San Diego 54 years ago.

But, this time you could hear the lyrics without the screaming emotional young girls!

I was seated in the 8th row this night so had a good view of the overall stage with projected actual Beatles crowds and reaction images as a backdrop.

Added a lot to the show.

Later, toward the end, we were invited to come on down close to the stage.

I sprinted forward because no "real" cameras were allowed and I was using my cellphone one which did a manageable job for the evening.

We were informed that these four young men were actually playing each instrument, sang with similar voices and really looked the part.

Also, we were told there were no recordings, hidden tapes or CDs.

The last mention caused the man playing Paul to ask aloud "Eh, so wot's a CD?"

A rare moment when they stepped out of well-trained character but it got the expected laugh.

Others humorous reactions happened when "Sullivan" remarked about "all the young people in the audience."

Looking around at all the gray hair and bald heads, it obviously was a comment the real Ed Sullivan made back in the 1960s.

 But there was a large family seated near me that qualified as young and who were very much moved by the music.

The two youngest stood and danced for most of the nearly 2-hour show.

Ah, Youth and stamina!

There was a tender moment when "John" sang about "Give Peace a chance."

He was wearing the white suit often seen on the original Beatle and dramatic lighting culminated in forming a word that epitomized his intent.

There were other moving reminders of the loss of two key members of the original group.

Lennon and George Harrison performed songs closely affiliated with them.

The audience was totally in tune with the intent of the evening to bring back warm memories.

A costume change produced long applause to salute the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Band and even moments of life in a Yellow Submarine.

The Beatles' 1967 album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band has a widely recognized album cover that depicts several dozen celebrities and other images. 

... It was created by Jann Haworth and Peter Blake, who in 1967 won the Grammy Award for Best Album Cover, Graphic Arts for their work on it.

Here George and John team up for a colorful reminder of how great the album was.

And the imaginative outfits produced for it.


When we were invited to come closer, there was a lot of good-natured mugging for the cameras - er - cellphones.

I had seen Sir Paul McCartney twice in recent years, performing with an energy level that answered the question:  "Will you still love me when I'm 64?"

This man's version of Paul McCartney added charm and chuckles to the evening.

We all had a chance to get up close and I even held up my palm to receive an offered guitar pick.

I was forgetting for the moment these men were recreating an era from long ago.

(I do have picks handed to me by Buddy Guy, BB King, and c.d.lang.)



 All in all, it was a fun, fanciful evening at the Charleston Music Hall.

In a few days, I will be there again to enjoy another evening with The Taj Mahal Trio.

Don't think it's hard to see that I am a supporter of live music.

Doing my share to keep 'em coming by being part of an appreciative audience.


(Click on the photos and links for more details.)

Thanks for coming with me to an evening of live music and great memories. I wish us all many more.

Labels: #CMH, Fab Four Tribute band, George & Ringo, John, Paul, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart Band, The Beatles, Wanna Hold Your Hand

posted by chuckography @ 12:26 PM 3 Comments

52nd Anniversary Coming Up In A Few Days...

 Next Sunday marks the 52nd anniversary of JFK being assassinated in Dallas, Texas.

Shot dead as he rode in a motorcade on his way to another Texas speaking engagement in "Big D."

Earlier he had addressed a crowd in Fort Worth, drumming up support for his re-election to a second term as President of the United States.

The leader of the world's strongest country, who had faced down the Russians, defusing the brink of war scenario during the Cuban Missile Crisis, wanted to finish many programs he had started..

This particular picture I took in 1960 in San Diego, when he was Senator Kennedy, campaigning against Richard Nixon, to become President.

I was a young college student, just out of the Marine Corps, who had packed up cameras and darkroom equipment and headed west from South Carolina to be the first in my family to attend college.

I had been offered a Photography Scholarship by the young University of San Diego, a Catholic school only 11 years old.

I set up my studio and darkroom downstairs in the College For Men building.

Naturally I carried my camera with me as a few fellow students and I went downtown to hear the Presidential hopeful speak.

I thought "Oh, what the hell," and worked my way to the front of the crowd and showed my student ID to a police officer standing on the raised platform.

"I'm the University's official photographer and would like to come up there to take some pictures."

He just nodded and gave me a hand up.

It was a simpler time and everyone was more trusting and helpful.

I positioned myself and waited for the moment Senator Kennedy would turn my way while making a point.

Three years later, while still attending classes at the University, I was a staff photographer for the daily metro San Diego Union - Tribune newspaper and wanted very much to be part of the paper's team that covered this 1963 return visit.

We had staff all over the place.

Reporters and photographers were at Lindbergh Field  airport, the several caravans, the area around where he was to speak at the San Diego State College, as well as with the President later in the day as he was offshore, observing military maneuvers.

I got a plum assignment about as close to the President as we could get with our press credentials. 

Practically onstage with him, I was able to get good photos from his left side as he gave the Commencement speech.

JFK also received an honorary degree from SDSU that day in June.


Just 5 months later, he made that fateful journey to Texas.

So, each year - about this time - I recall those two times I photographed the President.

Well, technically, once as Senator and then later, as President.

The first time all I needed was my student ID card and a helpful hand up by a burly police officer.

The paper submitted paperwork far in advance of the 1963 visit.

And several weeks went by as, I guess, we were screened by the Secret Service before credentials were issued.

I look back on those days in the sixties, in San Diego, working for the major newspaper with a camera in hand, taking pictures of people in high places and also those not so high.

In 1965 I covered the morning press conference by the Fab Four, the Beatles before their only concert in San Diego.

I had photographed LBJ as he campaigned to be elected to the high office of President.

I took pictures of the Dog Of The Week to help families adopt a special pet that needed a home.

Often I caught a humorous view of life that, I hope, caused a pause and a chuckle.


Even today, in retirement, I keep my camera handy and look for moments that need to be captured and presented.

I have found that one secret of a spectacular photo is to be in a very photogenic area.

Like Niagara Falls, or the Grand Canyon, monuments in Budapest or yellow trolleys in Lisbon, Portugal. Perhaps a sunset over the water at Folly Beach.

Travel photography gives me many, many opportunities to present something out of the ordinary.

Retirement is what you make of it.

I'm not one for being a couch potato, watching tv for hours nor easing down into a rocking chair.

I try to be around positive, upbeat people who enjoy life and make a point of giving enjoyment to others.


Which is probably why I try to attend many live music concerts.

Those talented performers know the value of doing a good job, playing their best, for an appreciative audience.

I try to get as close to the stage as possible and a lot of my music pictures show up on this blog.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing my memories.

(Click on the photos and links for more details.)

If you wish to make a comment, please do so.

Now, Charleston, get ready for a change in the weather.

Winter is again heading down South. Brrr.

Labels: 52nd anniversary, candidate Senator Jack Kennedy, Dallas Assassination, Fab Four, JFK, POTUS, The Beatles, Wintry weather

posted by chuckography @ 4:52 PM 0 Comments

Sir Paul was Sir-perb!

Paul McCartney.

(He was in a band before WINGS.)

His current tour had him appearing in Charlotte for the first time in 17 years so I had to drive up.

Might be another long dry spell.

He did not disappoint the sold-out crowd at the Time Warner Cable Arena.

I believe there were only two empty seats in the whole place...and they were next to me in Row 5.

I had some elbow room in a crowd of 19,000 people.


Many fans had signs and banners and at least one license plate.

McCartney actually made a comment about the tag.

"It's thoughtful and beautiful but I hope you know it's also misspelled?"

My little sign was an enlarged copy of a ticket to the 1965 Beatles concert in San Diego.

I had covered that for the newspaper but Sir Paul and I did not get to reminisce about the last time we had seen each other..

This time I could hear the band.

He did a high-energy show that lasted almost 3 hours and included two encores of 3 songs each.

Oh, did I mention that I experienced my first-ever indoor concert pyrotechnics?

We all were singing along to "Live And Let Die" and you know the part on the record (vinyl?) where there's an explosion?


Yep. I was rocked by the blast and felt a heat wave roll past me. Yikes.

I was flinching instead of snapping a picture but I was ready when the lyrics came back around to the part that gets REALLY loud.

Another BOOM and heat.

Oh yeah!


There was another surprise at the end of the second encore.

Someone handed McCartney a large bouquet of flowers.

He waved them over his head then he walked toward stage right to exit.

Suddenly 80 million tons of red, white and blue confetti came pouring down from above over the audience.

He was totally blanked out by the cascading display.

When it cleared, he was gone.

Thank you to my favorite former Beatle.

(I've created a Flickr album of my concert photos. It was so nice to have a camera that could capture crisp, clear pictures. It's my Canon S90. Thanks.)

Labels: Band On The Run, Canon S90, Live And Let Die, Paul McCartney, The Beatles, Time-Warner Cable Arena, wings

posted by chucker @ 8:17 PM 5 Comments

Tickets and Christmas cards...

Well, if I HAD bought a ticket I probably would have saved it.

My newspaper had sent me there to cover the 1965 Beatles concert, so my press credentials had passed me through the front gate.

Even right down on the field, standing next to the stage, I could barely hear the Fab Four. The continuous roar of the overwhelming crowd noise almost completely drowned them out.

They sang song after song and I was close enough I could see them glance and grin at each other. They were having a good time that night in San Diego.

Up in the stands, as I wandered around with my cameras, the screaming, crying happy young girls were REALLY making a racket. Probably the way it would be if I went to see a "Twilight" movie these days.

I came across this copy I had found on the internet of a ticket to that very loud Beatles concert.

Wonder if $3.50 was for the best seats?

The Christmas season is coming up fast so I was looking through my old newspaper days files, searching for the very first holiday card the photo staff sent out.

Yep. The card with our "mug shots" on it was my idea and I'm pleased they continued making one yearly long after I had moved on. The quality improved each year.

But - this was the first one.

Labels: Balboa Stadium, Fab Four, holiday card, mug shot, The Beatles

posted by chucker @ 2:39 PM 2 Comments