Author: DOuG pRATt

Boston Megafest Ballroom Blitz

Here are a couple of highlights from last night’s ballroom show at the Boston Super Megafest. First, Hilton Valentine, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, whose guitar is heard on the legendary Animals recording of “House of the Rising Sun”. Then there’s a big group chorus for Rick Derringer‘s rousing anthem “Hang on Sloopy”. L-to-R are Pop great Gary Lewis, Brian Epstein’s British Invader Billy J. Kramer, guitar hero Derringer, rockin’ Frank Stallone, and Ron “Sugar, Sugar” Dante.

[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/2010/NOV/MegaCon10.flv 512 384]

A Washington rally for hysteria

Today, the concrete structure that had been the Washington D.C. Coliseum looks like this…

… but on February 11, 1964, it was the site of the first Beatles concert in America. The show was taped by CBS. Pieces of it are available on YouTube, but as part of Apple’s promotion of the Beatles catalog being available on iTunes, the complete concert can be seen at this link. Here’s a preview. The narrator isn’t credited, but it sounds like the BBC’s Paul Gambaccini.

The technical setup for the show was pitifully primitive, but the excitement and energy were incredible. Just three years later, there would be “Strawberry Fields Forever”.

A tale of two CNN Alerts

This CNN Alert came in today…

— Nancy Pelosi elected House minority leader by Democrats in a 150 to 43 vote.

… followed only a minute later by this one.

— Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, was unanimously selected as the Republican House leader for the incoming Congress.

I’m a Democrat, and I’m not a big fan of Nancy Pelosi, but if I were a member of the House I’d vote for her. Can’t Democrats ever be unanimous? Say what you will about the GOP, they know how to get their constituents to toe the party line.