Local Culture

Happiness is an Unseen Beatles Photo

Curt Gunther shoots the Beatles’ 1964 North American tour

by Josh Kurp   |   Jun 29, 2010

Happiness is an Unseen Beatles Photo

 

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The most impressive thing about “Curt Gunther, Beatles First North American Tour ’64,” currently on display at the Morrison Hotel Gallery: There are Beatles photos that have never been seen before.

The Beatles officially broke up on December 31, 1970 (although they were done with one another long before that), and since then, seemingly millions of books and DVDs (or VHS, depending the year) have shown the band doing normal things in their Fab Four days, but because they’re who they are, the greatest band of all-time, it’s anything but normal; it’s fascinating.

All the photos from this exhibit document the Beatles’ first tour in the U.S., which ran from August 19-September 20, 1964 (they had visited earlier in the year, in February, but that was more for their appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show) and are shot by Curt Gunther. Sadly, Mr. Gunther isn’t alive to see his photos on display, but his son, Steve, has upheld his father’s fantastic photographic legacy.

A Rolling Stone article about the exhibit quotes Steve saying, “I think there was real, genuine affection between the Beatles and my dad. He was there on every plane ride and in every hotel room.” Looking at the photos, it’s not hard to believe. The band looks at ease, and in many, they’re goofing around and having fun (unlike the cop plugging his ears from the screaming girls—or maybe the band, if he was a big Gerry and the Pacemakers fan—at one live performance). A Hard Day’s Night had just been released and the world was still a year-and-a-half away from Rubber Soul.

In Gunther’s photos, you see the band not as enemies, which would occur only four short years later, if not sooner, but as friends; just four guys who are happy to have recorded “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” maybe the world’s most perfect song.

The photos will be on display at the Morrison Hotel Gallery (124 Prince St.) until mid-July.

Typical set list for the Beatles’ North American Tour ‘64

1. “Twist and Shout”
2. “You Can’t Do That”
3. “All My Loving”
4. “She Loves You”
5. “Things We Said Today”
6. “Roll Over Beethoven”
7. “Can’t Buy Me Love”
8. “If I Fell”
9. “I Want to Hold Your Hand”
10. “Boys”
11. “A Hard Day’s Night”
12. “Long Tall Sally”