The Beatles

The Beatles’ first world tour was due to start on June 4th, 1964, in Denmark, but on the morning of the 3rd, Ringo collapsed and had to be hospitalized suffering from tonsillitis and pharyngitis.

The show must go on, so emergency stand in drummer Jimmy Nicol was called in to Abbey Road studios that very afternoon to rehearse a handful of songs and less than 24 hours later, he was on stage with the band for two shows at the K. B. Hallen in Copenhagen. Before reaching Australia, the Beatles had some appearances booked at low key venues in Holland and Hong Kong, which hardly prepared them for the astonishing reception they received in Australia, where at the time, the Sydney singles chart had them holding the top 6 spots. Press officer Derek Taylor recalled that ‘it was like the Messiah come to Australia’. Jimmy Nicol flew back to England after the June 13th show in Adelaide with £500 in his pocket and Ringo rejoined the group to fulfil the remaining dates on the tour: three nights of two shows each in Melbourne and Sydney, two nights and four shows in Brisbane and a further six nights in New Zealand. Two of the Melbourne shows were broadcast on local radio and Channel 9 TV, one of which was screened on 1st July as The Beatles Sing For Shell