Portland, OR – After breaking monthly attendance records, the popular traveling exhibit Ladies and Gentlemen… The Beatles! will end its run at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland on November 12. Curated by the GRAMMY Museum and Fab Four Exhibits LLC, Beatles fans have flocked to OHS to see original handwritten set lists penned by John, clothing worn by Paul, and play the drums with Ringo in an interactive exhibition covering the years Beatlemania ran rampant in America. Unique to the Oregon Historical Society’s version of this traveling exhibit is a dedicated section about The Beatles’ Portland performances – two lives shows that would be the band’s only concerts in Portland. On August 22, 1965, The Beatles landed at Portland International Airport, greeted by throngs of screaming fans in the midst of “Beatlemania.” John, Paul, George, and Ringo played two shows at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum that day, an afternoon and evening concert. This case of ephemera includes the original contract and rider between NEMS and Northwest Releasing to bring The Beatles to Portland, concert tickets, and an original press pass. The rider notably features a segregation clause, where The Beatles state their refusal to play before segregated audiences in the U.S. One of the most prominent cases in the exhibition features Paul McCartney’s military jacket from The Beatles’ historic 1965 Shea Stadium concert. Each band member only had one of this style of performance jacket, and McCartney wore this very jacket when The Beatles performed at the Memorial Coliseum 54 years ago. Ladies and Gentlemen…The Beatles! provides fresh new insight into how and why The Beatles impacted America in the 1960s and beyond. Over 100 objects, ephemera, and interactive elements fill the gallery, some on exhibit for the first time. Exhibition highlights include: Ringo Starr’s black-on-black striped suit worn in The Beatles’ debut film. A Hard Day’s Night and Ringo’s Abbey Road crosswalk jacket. Paul McCartney’s original handwritten lyric sheet for the song, “What You’re Doing” (August 1964). Handwritten set lists from The Beatles’ concerts, including the earliest known set list (Grosvenor Ballroom, June 1960) and the one used onstage at the group’s first-ever American concert (Washington D.C., February 11, 1964). Gold records of I Want To Hold Your Hand and Rubber Soul. Venue contracts from the band’s American tours. An eye-popping display of mass-produced merchandising items. Kid-friendly interactive elements including a virtual drumming lesson from Ringo and a playable home-made skiffle bass. The Oregon Historical Society’s museum is located at 1200 SW Park Avenue in downtown Portland and is open seven days a week, Monday – Saturday from 10am – 5pm and Sunday from 12pm – 5pm. Admission is $10, and discounts are available for students, seniors, teachers, and youth. Admission is free every day for OHS members and Multnomah County residents.
