Over six decades, The Beatles have not only brought joy to millions, they also changed the course of pop music more than once. And if you’re a huge Beatles fan, the place to be last weekend was at the TWA Hotel, where for three days The Fest for Beatles Fans celebrated two auspicious anniversaries.
It was not only the 50th celebration for the event itself, but even more importantly, it also marked the 60th anniversary of the Fab Four landing on American turf, at that very building, when it was the TWA Flight Center. An estimated 3,000 fans were there to greet them back then, which coincidentally was the amount of paying guests for this year’s celebration.
While it’s easy to joke about the stereotypical aging Beatles fan standing in line to meet the guy who served Ringo a hot dog in 1964 (actually, that guy couldn’t make it this year, but his son stood in), the reality is that it’s a wonderfully positive event that leaves fans feeling like they’ve connected with the source of their joy.
Devotees had a chance to browse through vintage (and current) merchandise, sit in on Q-and-A sessions with musicians and authors, collect autographs and chat with people who were there way back when, including former Beatle associates Freda Kelly and Chris O’Dell. Both of these lovely, cheerful women spent hours signing books and pictures, chatting with fans and loving it.
Kelly, the subject of the lively documentary “Good Ol’ Freda,” noted that “everyone is so pleasant — not one awkward person in the bunch!”
O’Dell was busy signing “Miss O’Dell,” her very worthwhile memoir about her time with the lads and beyond. “I was happy to connect with the people who enjoyed the music so much,” she said. “I can help people understand what it was like back then. It seems like it all happened yesterday.”
Of course, there was music everywhere — from the space age sunken lounge to the main ballroom, where, according to Fest organizer Mark…
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