Sandwiched between European dates and a trip to Australia and New Zealand, Ringo Starr was in the hospital with tonsillitis so Jimmy Nichol played the drums. A rare Dress Circle ticket to the concert was estimated at £120-15 at Nesbits in Portsmouth on May 22 but sold to an internet bidder for £2400.
A clue to the rarity of these tickets is provided by its price of HK$40.10: the sort of money that ensured most Beatles fans in the territory were unable to attend.
When promoter Harry Odell Productions didn’t come close to selling out, free passes were given to military personnel whose khaki uniforms looked dominant in the sparse crowds.
In The Beatles Anthology, Paul McCartney commented: “As for the show, Hong Kong was a slightly flat performance in a smallish place. They behaved themselves, and it looked like a khaki audience. We played but I don’t think we enjoyed the show too much – although at least we could be heard.”
