#Monkeebopper

[thislovintime]

Onstage in Philadelphia, 1967. Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Inquirer.

“Out front [of the Civic Center Convention Hall in Philadelphia], thousands of fervent young bodies pushed avidly against each other, police and any passing black limousine hoping for a glimpse of the four men. Why? ‘Because I LOVE them,’ moaned 15-year-old Dee Darey, of 9220 Horatio Rd. ‘They’re so great. They’re my favorites. The Beatles? Oh, they’re so out, very below. They make a different impression.’ ‘Yeah!’ bellowed another girl behind her, ‘they turned into a bunch of nuts.’ […] ‘[The Monkees are] beautiful, they’re talented and they’re cute,’ said Pat Bookford, 14, of 7649 Elmwood Ave., tossing her long brown hair decisively. ‘And,’ said Janet O’Neill, also 14, of 7651 Elmwood Ave., ‘they don’t scream like some other dumb groups.’ ‘Yeah,’ said Pat, ‘the Beatles — they grew beards and mustaches and got creepy.’ ‘I still like them, though,’ said Janet. ‘I think the psychedelic bit is boss.’ The crowd grew and grew. Now and then one scream would rise above the others. ‘[Davy] Jones is gorgeous!’ ‘Peter Tork has a dimple!’” - article by Judy Oppenheimer, Philadelphia Daily News, July 24, 1967

[thislovintime]

“If any scream meter had been installed in the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium last night for the near-capacity mob of teeny-boppers jammed in to hear (?) and see (!) The Monkees, the instrument would have broken down before the foursome had time to open their mouths. Davy Jones, he’s the shortest one — five foot three and 120 pounds; Mike Nesmith, the six-foot one-inch drawler; [Micky] Dolenz, the comic drummer; and Peter Tork who is no mean banjoist when he is not on the guitar, electric piano or electric organ, had their near 17,000 ‘Monkeebopper’ fans eating out of their hands.” - review by Ed Feeny, The Toronto Star, July 21, 1967