Sign Here, Please
By Claudia (Kettles) Lovgren
“Nineteen-year-old photographer Timothy Eagan, who grew up in Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood, managed to score a press pass to the concert…The audience had remained relatively calm throughout the performances of the four warm-up bands, but exploded into screams as the Beatles appeared.”
Image and caption source: “Audience at the Beatles Concert at the Seattle Center Coliseum, August 21, 1964” by Timothy Eagan. MOHAI, Timothy Eagan Collection, 2014.14.1_08.
February 9, 1964: a living room in Magnolia
The TV was on, and two sixteen-year-old Queen Anne High School girls were watching the first US appearance of the Beatles on Ed Sullivan’s “really big shew.” They weren’t the only two watching, as it was viewed by about 73 million people, or roughly 40 percent of the US population (1). It was easy to see and hear the Beatles perform—with the volume turned up above the girls’ quite vocal expressions of being under the exciting spell of Beatlemania…
We were so excited to watch John, Paul, George, and Ringo after hearing their first US hit, “I Want To Hold Your Hand” (B side: “I Saw Her Standing There”), which had been released on December 26, 1964. Paul was my favorite because I thought he was the cutest.
Everyone at school the next day said they had enjoyed the show, too. Of course, we had their records; we bought them at the Thrifty Drug Store on 32nd Avenue West in Magnolia Village, where the Ace Hardware Store is now. Thrifty was where we Blaine students went after school for Coke and french fries. The wonderful thing about Magnolia Village was that, even as kids, we were free to roam and the merchants were always nice to us—some of my friends’ parents owned or worked at Village businesses.
Claudia Lovgren’s ripped ticket stub from the Beatles concert on August 21, 1964 at the Seattle Center Coliseum. The ticket is for section 15, row A, seat 12 on the main floor. Courtesy of Claudia Lovgren. 2026.
August 21, 1964: Seattle Center Coliseum
When we found out the Beatles were coming to Seattle, we could hardly stand it. “Oh wow, let’s get a room at Edgewater, since that's where they’re going to stay!” Somehow, the Edgewater had a policy against that… On the “really big” day, three of us dressed-up girlfriends were picked up by my friend’s older brother and his girlfriend for a ride to the Coliseum in the family’s aqua ’63 Chevy Impala. Stylin’.
We were among 14,300 fans at the Beatles concert. It was nothing like the Ed Sullivan TV appearance. We could not see them because everyone was standing, and the screaming was at high decibels. The brother’s girlfriend even lost her hearing for a bit after we left the concert.
But it was not a total disappointment. The next day I was given an autographed picture of the Beatles (which I still have, along with several of their albums). I babysat the kids of our neighbor, DJ Chris Lane of Kountry KAYO radio, and he was thoughtful enough to get it for me. A little more Beatlemania screaming ensued from me.
Beatles Fan Club card from 1964 (front and back), signed by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr.
Courtesy of Claudia Lovgren. 2026.
August 25, 1966: Seattle Center Coliseum
Two years later, almost to the day, we were back at the Coliseum for the Beatles, and this time we got to see and hear them. And I finally got to see KOL/KJR DJ Lan Roberts, whose hilarity made it worth getting up in the morning to go to school. As much as I was thrilled I got to attend the first concert, this was even better.
Today: Magnolia
I am still listening to the Beatles, along with countless fans around the world. Their music is in commercials, on TV, and on the radio. Paul and Ringo are still making appearances. We love them even though they are past 64.
Some said Beatlemania would last about two years. How “fab” that is not true.
Claudia (Kettles) Lovgren moved from Lansing, Michigan, to Magnolia with her family in 1957. She attended Briarcliff Elementary, Catharine Blaine Junior High, and Queen Anne High School, class of 1965. She went to Seattle University and graduated in 1970 from Cornish College of the Arts in Interior Design. She is the editor of the KUAY, the Queen Anne Alumni Association’s newsletter.