BEATLES PRESENTED WITH BARRELS OF SHERRY; FANS' HYSTERICS, EMPTY SEATS, BEATLES PERFORM IN BULL RING.




Initials JRG/S/BHH/ES



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Background: THE BEATLES PERFORMED IN A BULL RING IN MADRID LAST NIGHT (FRIDAY). QUITE A NUMBER OF AFICIONADOS WERE "SENT" (THAT IS ENRAPTURED). BUT EVEN MORE STAYED AWAY. OF THE 27,000 SEATS, LESS THAN HALF WERE SOLD.

THOSE THAT WERE, WERE SCARCELY SAT ON -- THE AUDIENCE SPENT MOST OF THE TIME ON THEIR FEET, HOPPING UP AND DOWN. AS THE MERSEYSIDE BEAT THROBBED OUT, TEARS OF EMOTION SPLASHED DOWN, TUMBLING ONTO THE SANDS OF THE ARENA WHERE NORMALLY THE BLOOD OF THE CORRIDA FLOWS.

A LARGE NUMBER OF FANS AT THE SHOW WERE YOUNG TOURISTS ON HOLIDAY FROM ABROAD. SOME 200 POLICE WERE ON DUTY TO KEEP ORDER. CONTRARY TO BULL RING PRACTICE, CUSHIONS WERE NOT ON HIRE FOR SPECTATORS AND OTHER TYPES OF POTENTIAL MISSILES HAD TO BE LEFT IN THE CUSTODY OF THE STAFF UNTIL THE SHOW WAS OVER.

EARLIER, AT THEIR HOTEL, THE BEATLES WERE PRESENTED WITH BARRELS OF SHERRY. FOLLOWING TRADITION, THEY MAJESTICALLY WROTE THEIR AUTOGRAPHS ACROSS THEM, ACCOMPANIED BY THE DATE OF THE HISTORIC PROCEEDINGS. THE BARRELS WILL LATER JOIN OTHERS KEPT IN JEREZ AND SIGNED BY ILLUSTRIOUS CONNOISSEURS OF PAST YEARS.