The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl

A ticket to ride, $5 to see the Beatles, not bad.

(Credit: Steve Guttenberg)

I have no idea why, but "The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl" has never been released on CD in the U.S.

Worse yet, I don't think it's going to come out on CD or download when the remastered Beatles albums are released later this year. "Hollywood Bowl" came out on LP in 1977, before the CD was invented, and long after the group broke up. In 1977 all four Beatles were still alive. Luckily enough, it's not at all hard to score a decent "Hollywood Bowl" LP now.

I can't think of another major sixties band that didn't eventually put out a great concert LP. For reasons lost to the mists of time the Beatles live recordings were all pretty poor quality, and these Hollywood Bowl dates are less than stellar-sounding. But the thing is, the performances rock harder than the Beatles ever did in the studio.

The LP, get it while you can.

The LP features performances from the 1964 and 1965 Hollywood Bowl shows, and the screams of 17,000 teenagers running through almost the entire record nearly overwhelm the music at times. According to the Beatles producer George Martin, the band didn't have stage monitors, so they couldn't hear what they were playing. "Hollywood Bowl" is 100 percent live, without any postproduction vocal or instrumental overdubbing.

The early hits like "She Loves You" and "All My Loving" blasting out of my speakers plastered a big smile across my face. There's magic in the grooves. John Lennon sounds oddly startled by the crowd's roaring approval as he dives into "Help" and "A Hard Day's Night." The energy is incredible, but the sound mix renders the guitars nearly inaudible much of the time. Vocals come through best, but Paul's bass is just a low, rippling drone. Ringo's drums and cymbals poke through every now and then.

So in the end "Hollywood Bowl" isn't by any stretch essential, but if you're a Beatles fan, you should own a copy. Don't have a turntable? Don't let that stop you, "Hollywood Bowl" is a piece of history you may not always have the luxury of owning. And if you get the urge to pick up a turntable and listen, well, that's not such a bad idea.

[feverboy777]

Hey Steve

Your partly wrong, one song "Baby's in Black was released on the CD single "Real Love". I was at the 64 Hollywood Bowl show and what I remember was that my friends and I spent more time in the parking lot taking about the show than the Beatles actually spent on stage. No one cared about the opening act, we were just happy to be at this fabulous happening. A night I will alway remember. As far as Apple releasing the show on CD..... LOL

[soundman45]

Unfortunately, The Beatles Live at The Hollywood Bowl is probably one of the better sounding live shows that were doccumented. They all sound pretty awful to me. The technology wasn't there yet to capture a good sounding recording of a live performance, not with that many people screeming at the top of their lungs.

[annanemas]

Downloadable bootlegs from these and other concerts are pretty easy to find, or at least easier than acquiring secondhand vinyl copies and hooking up a turntable. With a little searching, an mp3 version of the "Complete Hollywood Bowl Concerts" is available for free download. Given the original recording's poor quality, you don't really miss anything listening to an mp3 version of 128k or more. A lot of other TV/radio appearances and concert bootlegs can also be found rather easily. Listening to more complete bootleg recordings provides a better sense of the hysteria than any official releases currently available. With a little bit of searching anyone can hear these now without the exorbitant cost or hassle of dealing with secondhand and bootleg sellers.

[Vesicant]

Oh my sweet lord, not the Beatles again. It's all too much. Let it be already -- all things must pass, even if it makes you cry baby cry. Is that something you can do, Steve? If not, please please me and tell me why. Although I've got a feeling you've no reply.

[jagin411]

I am listening right now to The Beatles Live at The BBC ...I love this collection and listen to it more then any other Beatles recording.I love them live,a very spirited band, that at times was captured in the studio,
but hardly enough. There's also the Beatles at Shea Stadium that's I have some where, that's a decent
live recording as well.
J

[mikebay]

You can go onto Amazon and search this and several offer the cd as an import (from Germany I think). Pricing is not high, I just received mine.

[darrelsultana]

I have this album on cassette... the band sounds rushed, the crowd is incessantly screaming, and the recording quality is marginal. Who cares about this LP? it stinks.

[DaveOCP]

Oh boy, remasters. I'm sure the levels will all be cranked to 11, and the songs will all be brick-walled from start to finish. Ah, the joys of modern production.