Dear Liza,
You know about The Beatles. They were a music group that was popular when I was a little girl. Since that was a long time ago, my favorite music group is now being featured in an exhibit at the Oregon Historical Society.
SIGH
But on to the exhibit. It was called “Ladies and Gentlemen, the Beatles!” because those were the words with which Ed Sullivan introduced John, Paul, George and Ringo to America in 1964. The exhibit is small, showing a little bit about rock and roll in America before the Beatles came, then their concert tours here in 1964, 1965, and 1966.
I enjoyed the recordings from news and radio shows of the time, discussing the Beatles as “a sociological phenomenon” and “the four mop tops from Liverpool”. The speed of their growth in popularity meant they went from a bit of an oddity to the center of pop music within weeks, decades before the Internet or social media!
There were the lads’ very own instruments, and some of their costumes, as well as tickets, photos, and all sorts of doodads, including toys and things that were marketed like crazy. I remember kids with Beatles lunchboxes, and I woke up Saturday mornings to the Beatles cartoon show.
The exhibit had places to take pictures, too… four old style microphones lined up so you and three friends could pretend to be the fellows, and an enlarged Abbey Road image. Grandpa Nelson took my picture!
After we had listened to and seen everything inside, we headed out into the City. Auntie Bridgett has become very interested in hexagonal patterns and pavings, so I took some pictures for her.
We enjoyed seeing how the clouds played across the glass buildings, which became mirrors for each other.
We got to see the Hawthorne Bridge go up for a large ferry heading upstream.
I had spicy bao at Kim Jung Smokehouse…yum! But when you are out of gas, it’s time to head home. So we did.
Love, Grandma Judy
Dear Liza 