Author Programs

Author Dave Schwensen offers three unique presentations designed to take your audience on an insightful and fun pop culture journey down the long and winding road to the 1960s and the excitement of Beatlemania. Each program length can be up to one hour, includes rare concert films, a generous amount of humor (after all, Dave is a comedy coach for The Funny Bone and The Improv comedy clubs) and an optional ever-growing display of Beatles memorabilia available for viewing before and after the presentation.

Presentations can be customized to fit your programming schedule, meeting theme, specific academic departments or event by placing an emphasis on audience interests. Focus points can include pop culture and history, music from the 1960’s, the influence The Beatles had on the American Baby Boomer Generation, or the beginning of 1960’s stadium rock concerts and the fan experience.

Dave is a nationally recognized comedy coach, former television television talent coordinator in Hollywood and New York, award-winning humorist, and author of the books “How To Be A Working Comic,” “Comedy FAQs And Answers,” and “How To Be A Working Corporate Comedian.” Expect a healthy dose of humor in his tales about The Fab Four!

Of course, questions are welcomed and Dave is never short on answers. And for audience members who were there during this exciting decade, fun highlights of each program are the opportunities to share favorite memories of The Beatles and the 1960s. Books will also be available for purchase at a special publisher discount for author signing.

* The Beatles: Making the 1960s FAB!
An insightful look at how the Beatles came to America and their influence on the baby boomer generation,

Each of Dave’s books is the topic for its own unique author presentation:
* The Beatles In Cleveland
* The Beatles At Shea Stadium

For more information, scheduling and pricing please use the contact link above or email dave@davelaughs.com

Travel Back to a Decade of Change — And the Band That Defined It

Step into the 1960s, a decade of change and the music group that made it happen. Baby boomers were on the front lines and the front rows as John, Paul, George, and Ringo invaded North America, forever changing the landscape of music and youth culture.

This engaging program begins with the little-known origins of the plan to bring The Beatles to New York — and no, it didn’t start with Ed Sullivan. A short film sets the stage with a look at 1963, highlighting a pivotal year in history and music. Through a montage of the era’s major news events and popular music, we revisit the world of President Kennedy, Cold War tensions, the Mercury space program, and Civil Rights Movement. Performance clips feature the sounds of early Motown, surf rock, folk singers, and clean-cut teen idols. The national mood shifts dramatically following the assassination of JFK in Dallas, plunging the country into mourning.

Then, just 79 days later, everything changes again. On Sunday, February 9, 1964, The Beatles make their historic debut on The Ed Sullivan Show.

Following in the footsteps of pop icons like Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, The Beatles exploded onto the American scene with chart-topping hits and a look that shocked conservative sensibilities – the now-iconic mop tops. They soon added movie stardom to their résumé with the release of A Hard Day’s Night, and from 1964 to 1966 their concerts were filled with screaming fans that grew from small arenas to pioneering the era of stadium rock.

Beatlemania swept the nation.

But like “Frankie” and “Elvis the Pelvis” before them, The Beatles weren’t always welcomed by parents. The generation gap widened as boys’ hair grew longer, girls’ skirts got shorter, and baby boomers evolved into the Love Generation and eventually, the Woodstock Generation in just six short years. A very rare film in the program captures the frenzy with the band being pulled off stage by police for their safety, followed by a judge’s stern warning to both parents and “children” about the evils of Beatlemania.

Author Dave Schwensen brings this unforgettable era to life through rare film clips of the Beatles, eyewitness accounts, personal stories, and material from his acclaimed books The Beatles at Shea Stadium and The Beatles in Cleveland. Both entertaining and insightful, the program combines history, humor, and audience interaction for a lively look at the lasting impact of Beatlemania from both sides of the generation gap.

Beatlemania swept into Cleveland, Ohio with unstoppable energy as John, Paul, George, and Ringo delivered two of the most chaotic and unforgettable concerts in the history of The Beatles – and rock and roll itself. Author and pop culture historian Dave Schwensen takes you behind the scenes and onstage with the Fab Four through exclusive insider stories, rare concert footage, and never-before-published photographs.

The program’s highlights include rare films of The Beatles riotous concerts at Cleveland Public Hall in 1964 and Municipal Stadium in 1966.

Dave opens the program with a vivid snapshot of early 1960s America from a baby boomer’s perspective: a youthful President and First Lady in the White House, schoolchildren huddled around black-and-white televisions to witness the launch of Mercury astronauts and taught to hide under their desks in case Cold War tension ended with “The Big One.” Then, just 79 days after President Kennedy’s assassination, Ed Sullivan introduced America to four mop-topped musicians from Liverpool. The Beatles had arrived.

In the summer of 1964, The Beatles kicked off their first North American tour. Fans in every major city were electrified – except in Cleveland, where no concert had been scheduled. That quickly changed as two rival Top 40 radio stations waged battle to bring the band to town. After a series of behind-the-scenes maneuvers, The Beatles finally played Cleveland Public Hall on September 15, 1964. The chaos that erupted at that concert led to a ban on all Beatles and rock concerts in Cleveland – now home to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Despite growing fame, the Beatles faced mounting challenges. As their shows moved from theaters to massive sports stadiums to accommodate record-breaking crowds, they also encountered serious threats and protests in Japan, the Philippines, and the U.S. The dangers of fame were catching up with them, and by 1966 – unbeknownst to fans – it would be their final tour.

That summer, a new Top 40 radio station in Cleveland convinced city officials to lift the ban, promising strict security and crowd control. On August 14, 1966, The Beatles returned to Cleveland, this time playing at Cleveland Stadium. The result? Chaos on a much larger scale than before. This concert, which Dave attended with his parents, became the inspiration for his book The Beatles in Cleveland.

Blending film footage, compelling personal memories, and insights from promoters, journalists, DJs, and musicians who worked with the band, Dave Schwensen brings to life the thrilling, turbulent story of The Beatles’ unforgettable stops in Cleveland – including a little-known visit to his hometown during an after-show bus ride from Detroit. It’s a powerful and entertaining look at a pivotal moment in rock history.

In addition to the program – it’s optional (your decision) – is an ever-growing display of Beatles memorabilia relating to their concerts in Cleveland. Among the items included are Cleveland newspaper articles previewing and reviewing the shows, concert tickets, photos and posters, Beatles bubblegum cards and fan badges, a square of John Lennon’s bedsheet from their hotel (no kidding) and a 1965 autograph from Ringo Starr signed the night before their legendary concert at Shea Stadium (with a fab story to go along with it). The display requires six 8-foot (or comparable) tables and would be available for viewing before and after the presentation. For more information and pricing contact dave at dave@davelaughs.com.

Experience the high point of The Beatles’ touring years as author Dave Schwensen takes you behind the scenes and onstage at their legendary 1965 concert at New York’s Shea Stadium. Widely regarded as the first modern outdoor stadium rock show, this groundbreaking event saw John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr performing in front of 55,600 screaming fans—singing, sweating, laughing, and making history. The concert was filmed for a prime-time network television special and changed the music industry forever.

This dynamic program features rare film clips and audio recordings from the concert, offering an exclusive look into one of the most iconic performances in rock and roll history.

The story begins in early 1963, with a long-distance phone call from New York concert promoter Sid Bernstein to Beatles manager Brian Epstein in Liverpool. Bernstein’s pitch to bring the relatively unknown group to Carnegie Hall would eventually snowball into something unprecedented: a massive outdoor concert at Shea Stadium just over two years later. Without advertising – relying solely on word of mouth – The Beatles sold out the stadium in the heart of the media capital of the world.

Dave explores the buildup to the concert, including preparations for both the show and the accompanying television special. You’ll also revisit the band’s final in-studio performance for The Ed Sullivan Show, and hear the fascinating, never-before-revealed story – told only in Dave’s book – of The Beatles’ covert escape from their New York hotel the night before the concert. He even brings a unique item as proof.

From a helicopter ride to the stadium to their dramatic entrance in a Wells Fargo armored truck, and an overcrowded dressing room featuring members of The Rolling Stones and a future Beatles manager, the excitement and madness of the day come vividly to life.

Although the television special was originally set to air during the upcoming holiday season, The Beatles were unhappy with the concert’s sound quality and made the decision to delay the broadcast. In a little-known twist, they secretly returned to the studio to re-record several songs specifically for the televised version. Dave reveals the behind-the-scenes story of this session, complemented by rare, original audio from the actual Shea Stadium performance.

This is your all-access pass to one of the most pivotal and electrifying events in music history. The Beatles at Shea Stadium – the concert that defined an era and launched stadium rock as we know it.

Performances by The Beatles filled arenas with screams of delight and excitement – and in most cities, full-blown fan hysteria. As a young fan, author Dave Schwensen witnessed these events when his parents took him to see The Beatles. Now author of the books The Beatles At Shea Stadium and The Beatles In Cleveland he’s combined his memories, rare films, research, and interviews with Beatles insiders and fans to detail what it was like to see the group in concert at the height of their popularity.

Step back into the 1960’s to experience the spark that ignited a generation that changed the world. Feel the excitement through first-hand memories and concert films that take you behind the scenes and on stage with the most influential group in the history of popular music and rock and roll.

All Dave’s programs on the Beatles include rare concert films and insights that bring the excitement of Beatlemania to your next event.

Photo: Dave Schwensen on stage at The Cleveland House of Blues.

For more information, pricing and scheduling, please use the Contact link above or send an email to dave@davelaughs.com.