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Inside the chaos of The Beatles’ only Minnesota concert

On August 21, 1965, The Beatles performed their only Minnesota concert at Metropolitan Stadium in Bloomington, drawing more than 30,000 fans. The Fab Four played an 11-song set for the massive, screaming crowd.
Youngsters across the upper Midwest traveled from at least seven states and Canada to attend, drawn by Beatlemania 18 months after the band's iconic Ed Sullivan Show appearance. Regional stores enticed fans with ticket giveaways, offering tickets as low as $2.50.
Inside Met Stadium, security forces hired 103 policemen and 350 ushers to prepare for the anticipated maelstrom. Officers armed themselves with 42-inch wooden crowd-control batons as nearly 100 policemen worked to maintain order.
After reporters infiltrated the band's restricted hotel floor, including rooms 528 and 550, Minneapolis Police Inspector Donald R. Dwyer growled, "Those people are the worst I have ever seen visit the city," citing unauthorized guests.
The 1965 visit remained the Fab Four's only Minnesota performance, marking a peak of Beatlemania. Local businesses capitalized on the craze, selling "Beatle Nut" ice cream and "Beatle-type boots" for $7.77.

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