Fabulous Library of Congress Photos Show The Beatles Arriving for First US Concert in 1964

Feb 12, 2026

Matt Growcoot

The Beatles British Rock and Roll group putting on their show at the Wash. Coliseum. Photo by Marion S. Trikosko, February 11, 1964.

62 years ago this week, Beatlemania was gripping the United States. The band from Liverpool was topping the Billboard Hot 100 and fresh off playing their first TV appearance on the Ed Sullivan show, which was watched by a staggering 73 million people — 34 percent of the population — the Beatles arrived in Washington, D.C. for their first concert on February 11, 1964.

Photojournalist Marion Trikosko was in D.C. among thousands of screaming fans to greet John, Paul, George, and Ringo. The Library of Congress shared a series of Trikosko’s photos from February 11, 1986, which show the Beatles arriving during a snow blizzard, checking out the venue, and the concert that followed that night at the sold-out Coliseum.

Four men stand beside a black car parked on a snowy street during snowfall. One man is getting into the back seat, while others wear coats and hats. Snow covers the ground, cars, and buildings in the background. — The Beatles arriving and press conference (British rock & rollers). Photo by Marion S. Trikosko, February 11, 1964.

A black and white photo of a person sitting in the back seat of a car, partially obscured by the window. The person appears to be wearing a hood and holding something in their hands near their face. — Detail from The Beatles arriving and press conference (British rock & rollers). Photo by Marion S. Trikosko, February 11, 1964.

Four men in suits stand at a row of microphones on a stage, speaking or preparing to speak, with another man in glasses and a suit beside them. The background is dark with visible ceiling lights and empty seating. — The Beatles arriving and press conference (British rock & rollers). Photo by Marion S. Trikosko, February 11, 1964.

Days earlier, the Beatles had touched down in the U.S. for the very first time as a band to an estimated 3,000 riotous fans — something that had never previously been seen before. At a press conference held at John F. Kennedy Airport, the four lads quickly charmed sceptical reporters with their famous dry wit.

Three musicians in suits perform on a brightly lit stage with geometric patterns, holding guitars, as a camera films them; a drummer sits behind them at a drum kit. — The Beatles, The Ed Sullivan Show [New York]. Photo by Bernard Gotfryd, 1964.

Four musicians in suits perform on stage. One plays drums while the others play guitar and bass. Bright stage lights shine overhead, and an audience watches in the background. — The Beatles, The Ed Sullivan Show [New York]. Photo by Bernard Gotfryd, 1964.

After The Ed Sullivan Show, which they would appear on once more before departing back to the U.K., the concert in D.C. was the first time that Beatlemania was plainly evident. “It would probably be an understatement to say that the concert crowd was enthusiastic,” Melissa Lindberg writes for Picture This, a blog by the Library of Congress.

A crowd gathers outside a lit-up Coliseum theater at night, with a marquee announcing a sold-out Beatles concert. Snow covers parked cars and the ground, as people line up near the entrance. — The Beatles British Rock and Roll group putting on their show at the Wash. Coliseum. Photo by Marion S. Trikosko, February 11, 1964.

A large crowd of mostly young women, many smiling and cheering, sit closely together in a dark auditorium, reacting excitedly to something happening off-camera. — The Beatles British Rock and Roll group putting on their show at the Wash. Coliseum. Photo by Marion S. Trikosko, February 11, 1964.

The Coliseum venue was chaotic: a boxing arena with a rotating stage hastily assembled in the center so the band could face all sides. The sound was primitive, the screaming deafening — but the symbolism was enormous: British rock conquering the American capital.

Image credits: Library of Congress.

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