Anticipation was huge before the show. Television had launched in New Zealand in 1960 and the small back and white screen had shown the young band rising to fame, conquering the world and coming to New Zealand.
"Beatlemania" hit Wellington when the Fab Four landed on June 21, 1964, to a riotous reception from 7000 fans.
As the band stepped off the plane, the shrieks of young women drowned out the noise of the turbo prop engines. A concert party performed a haka before doing a hongi and presenting the Beatles with tiki.
Ringo Starr feigned alarm at the greeting: "Hey ... ! We come in peace!" he said.
Similar remarks convinced fans of the band's wit and coolness when they arrived in Auckland a couple of days later, got mauled by young women outside their hotel, and attended a civic reception outside the Town Hall which had a councillor complaining about acknowledging the "hysteria, antics, adulation, rioting, screaming and roaring" associated with "these bewigged musicians". Inside the hall, on the evening of June 24, Johnny Devlin opened.