“It was very striking”: the big difference during the visit of ‘The Beatles’ to Madrid and Barcelona | Music

Madrid

The British band The Beatlesconsidered as one of the best rock groups of all time, only visited Spain on one occasion. It was in July 1965, when John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr acted both in Madrid and Barcelona to publicize their music in our country. And that Francisco Franco did not make a hint of grace, because he considered that they spread a series of too liberal ideas that collided with their ideals. Hence, I did everything possible to Spanishize the visit of the four of Liverpool to our country.

This has been announced by writer Samuel Lillo, author of the book Between two watersin statements to the program Be history, where he has reported what they had never told you about the visit of The Beatles To Spain: “The visit of Los Beatles a Spain has a very large political background because there was enough rejection within the regime to come to our country for their such liberal ideas. “At that time, Nacho Ares remembers that they even accused them of being homosexual for having long hair.

Francisco Franco’s plan

However, they could not prevent their arrival. Hence they did everything possible so that their visit was as Castilian as possible: “One of the things that was done was to try to assimilate them to the Spanish culture. One of the most famous images occurs when they are getting off the plane and put some monteries on their heads. Then they go to a restaurant and put them capes and flamenco dancers next to them … Then those are the photographs that are broadcast to the Spanish society.” Thus, Francisco Franco’s dictatorship wanted to change the perception that the Spaniards had about the English rock group for a much more homeland.

The most curious thing about the visit of The Beatles Spain was the acceptance they had in one city and in the other. The first of the concerts took place in the Las Ventas Plaza on July 2: “Yes, it is true that the concert they have in Madrid, which may be the most symbolic, did not have so much success. Some say that they passed without penalty or glory.”

The big difference between Madrid and Barcelona

The second would take place only 24 hours later in the bullring of the Monumental in Barcelona, ​​where it was cataloged as a historical event: “The concert of the Monumental de Barcelona was a whole apotheosis. There were mobilizations of people, the surroundings of the auditorium was all full … it was quite significant and striking.” Mainly because Barcelona was showing the world an image that had not been seen in a long time of Spanish society.

The image of thousands and thousands of people trying to open up to the world in one of the most complex moments of our recent history: “It was like an echo of Spanish society that shouted in favor of freedom. That was dying of the desire to know new music, new trends and take another step because we were very limited at that time.” Therefore, and despite the fact that the most remembered concert was that of Madrid, which would mark a before and after it would be that of Barcelona.