•1964 - when I didn't see the Beatles
In 1964, it was possible to walk out of a job in Dunedin and get employed next door.
Accordingly, my generation of baby-boomers enjoyed full employment and had more money in their pockets than at any time since the war.
Globally, this environment was the economic driver that underwrote the Beatles, et al ...
In May of 1964, I had applied for a job at Arthur Barnett: ''Right. You've got the job,'' the manager told me.
"Just one thing though, I have a ticket to the Beatles on June 26;
''No problem, you can have the [Friday] night off; most of the store will be there also ...''
I have often reflected upon just how privileged I was as a 16-year-old to have experienced Beatlemania - full on - in the Dunedin Town Hall in June 1964.
There were, however, several contributing circumstances responsible for the Beatles playing in Dunedin at the precise time of them being the greatest entertainment phenomenon in the world.
Their manager, the late Brian Epstein, had agreed to a tour of the group down under in mid-1963, with Melbourne promoter Ken Brodziak, several months before they had four No 1 hits worldwide.
The fee agreed was to be a laughable 500 a night, at the time when they were commanding 50,000 a night in Europe and the US.
This arrangement was only ever agreed to by a simple handshake between Epstein and Brodziak.
And such was the honour of a gentleman's word in those times, much less his handshake that what was initially agreed was what indeed happened, despite there being no written contract.
The Beatles, therefore, played two sell-out shows in the Dunedin Town Hall for only about $1000 ... and other New Zealand and Australian cities on the same basis.
The line-up for which I'd shelled out just over 2 (I only earned 4 a week at that time; Derick Taylor, the Beatles' on-tour publicist, 8 a week; and the Fab Four/Beatles 4000 a week each) ... in '64 you could also go to the movies for 9d to 2s.
However, the Beatles Show was typical of those packaged at that time, with the headline act only on stage for 30 minutes and the other 90 minutes filled with support acts.
In those days, all the equipment for all the acts could fit into the one truck.
A far cry from the 35+ containers of high-tech apparatus required to play the local stadium today, which serves as a logistical barrier to entry.
Following the support acts of Johnny Devlin, Johnny Chester and Sounds Incorporated, there was a brief interval with lights dimmed while some amps and equipment were rearranged on stage.
Then a spotlight beamed on to an empty stage save for some Vox 30W amps and two-line speakers, and a set of Ludwig drums with the Beatles' livery featuring on the skin, etc.
There was a hush, then a roadie placed John Lennon's Rickenbacker guitar on a stand on the left-hand side of the stage; next, George's distinctive black Gretsch guitar was placed on a stand centre stage ... a noisy anticipatory-rumbling contagion was building.
The show's tour manager, Trevor King, announced over the intercom: ''Ladies and gentlemen, Kerridge Odeon proudly presents the greatest entertainment act in the world: the Beatles.''
The Beatles then ran on to the stage and the screaming started (never to abate for the 30-minute set) and John Lennon proclaimed they were pleased to be there ... next they were straight into their vibrant set of hits which included She Loves You, I Want To Hold your Hand and Twist and Shout.
Paul McCartney led their rendition of Long Tall Sally ... The Beatles were not simply a group of lads from Liverpool who had cut their musical teeth by playing rock 'n' roll all nighters at their local Cavern Club and the Star Club in Hamburg.
At the time they played Dunedin, they were an aspirational entertainment phenomenon.
Everybody's grandmother had John, Paul, George and Ringo top of mind.
Most people could name all the Beatles, and understood their role in the band.
The world's media had flooded the market with stories of the Fab Four and their antics.
Their Chelsea boots, suits and long hairstyles were all copied and well-marketed by the time they arrived in Dunedin.
Over the ensuing five decades, musical entertainment has become as multi-fragmented by genre as by the means of its marketing and delivery.
Yet there are few other groups of which the average citizen and/or non-fan could name each member.
I shall never forget when the Beatles were omnipotent, and played in Dunedin!
• Murray Stott is a trademark agent and sponsorship broker now based in Auckland.
