The Beatles at Rizal Memorial Stadium, Manila

The Beatles played Manila once, at Rizal Memorial Stadium in the Malate district, on 4 July 1966. There were two concerts, at 4 pm and 8:30 pm, with crowds of about 30,000 and 50,000. That same day they missed a reception with First Lady Imelda Marcos, and the fallout followed them to the airport the next morning.

The biggest crowd of the tour

The Beatles flew in from Tokyo on 3 July 1966 and stayed at the Manila Hotel. The concerts had first been planned for the Araneta Coliseum. They were moved to Rizal Memorial Stadium, a football and athletics ground from 1934, designed by Juan Arellano.

On 4 July the band played at 4 pm to about 30,000 people and at 8:30 pm to about 50,000. That made about 80,000 in one day, more than on any other day of their career. Filipino acts played too, among them Pilita Corrales and the Reycards. A wire fence kept the crowd back and the sound was poor.

The reception they did not attend

Newspapers had announced that the Beatles would come to a morning reception at Malacañang Palace on 4 July, hosted by Imelda Marcos, with about 300 children invited. Brian Epstein had already turned the invitation down while the band was in Tokyo, and the Beatles themselves did not know about the announcement. They stayed at the hotel. Television showed the empty seats and the disappointed children, and the absence was reported as a deliberate snub.

On 5 July the band's police protection disappeared. At the airport the escalators were switched off. Road manager Mal Evans and other members of the party were beaten as they made their way to the plane. Tax officials also made a claim on the concert money. President Marcos later said no insult had been meant and lifted the tax. The Beatles never played the Philippines again.

The stadium now

Rizal Memorial Stadium is still in use. It was renovated for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, and national football teams and university athletics use it. It belongs to the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, which the National Historical Commission of the Philippines has declared a historical landmark. No Beatles plaque or marker is recorded at the ground. To get inside, go on a match or event day.

The nearest rail station is Vito Cruz on LRT Line 1.