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 Improv comedy clubs!) and an 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, award-winning humorist, and author of the books "How To Be A Working Comic," "Comedy FAQs And Answers," and "Comedy Workshop." 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.

Special pricing for schools and special interest groups includes special discount pricing on bulk purchases of “The Beatles In Cleveland” and “The Beatles At Shea Stadium” for audience prizes and giveaways. For more information, please use the contact link at the top of this page.

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

An insightful look at the Beatles’ influence on the baby boomer generation from 1963 to 1966:
* Makin’ The 60’s FAB with The Beatles!

For more information, scheduling and pricing please use the contact link above.

Dave opens the program with an overview of the year 1963 from a Baby Boomer's perspective. John F. Kennedy was President, Mercury Astronauts were rocket jockeys launched into space, and school children were taught to hide under their desks in case Cold War tension ended with "The Big One." Following JFK's assassination in Dallas on November 22nd, the country went into mourning. Then 79 days later television host Ed Sullivan introduced John, Paul, George and Ringo - four long haired lads from England called The Beatles.

With the release of their first feature film "A Hard Day's Night" in summer 1964, the group launched a tour of North America. The excitement of Beatlemania was electric for teenagers in every major city except Cleveland Ohio, where no concert had been scheduled. Two rival Top 40 radio stations battled it out to bring The Fab Four to the city and after numerous "underhanded tricks" the performance took place at Cleveland Public Hall on September 15, 1964. What happened at this show resulted in The Beatles being banned from Cleveland, which is now home to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

A new Top 40 station convinced City Hall to lift the ban in time for the group's final tour in 1966 with the promise of crowd control and tight security. On August 14th The Beatles performed in Cleveland Stadium and the result was the same - only on a much LARGER scale. This is also the concert Dave attended with his parents and the inspiration behind his book, "The Beatles In Cleveland."

Dave's entertaining story about the Beatles' two concerts in Cleveland include his personal memories and insights from promoters, concert mc's, journalists, radio deejays and musicians who traveled and worked with the group.

During their first North American tour the Beatles were greeted by overenthusiastic fans and an older generation that can be best described as shocked and appalled. This film shows both sides, along with extremely rare color footage of police chasing the Beatles off stage and stopping their show at Cleveland's Public Hall.

Concert film of The Beatles performing at Cleveland Stadium on August 14, 1966 - only two weeks before their final tour performance. Film includes color and black and white footage, live audio recordings and scenes of overexcited fans rushing onto the stage, police stopping the show, and The Beatles escaping (with a frame-by-frame slow motion look at a possible dangerous situation for one group member!) into a house trailer that was only meant to be their pre-show dressing room. And believe us when we say "rare" - Dave attended this show and has the only copy of this film!

Celebrating half a century of The Beatles in America, this program focuses on their legendary August 15, 1965 concert at New York’s Shea Stadium. Considered the first modern outdoor stadium rock show, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr sang, played, sweated and laughed in front of 55,600 fans and were filmed for a network television special.

This program includes film clips and rare audio of The Beatles’ performance.

The Beatles at Shea Stadium was the first time a pop music group had ever attempted a concert on a scale this large. Without advertising and relying only on word of mouth, a capacity crowd watched the group perform on a hot August night in the media capital of the world. Author discussion includes backstage and onstage insights, and comparisons of technology and security in 1965 with modern stadium shows.

The concert was filmed for a prime time ABC Television special, but the Beatles were unhappy with the sound and secretly re-recorded songs before the broadcast. Dave will talk about this recording session and include examples from the actual concert and the “fixed” versions.

This is your VIP ticket and backstage pass to one of the most influential and exciting events in the history of popular music. The Beatles At Shea Stadium - the story behind their greatest concert and the beginning of stadium rock.

Opening film sets the stage for Beatlemania in the U.S. This 7-minute montage of news clips, music videos and photos begins in 1963 with an overview of the year's popular music and news events involving President Kennedy, Cold War threats of nuclear weapons, and the Mercury Astronaut program. Performance clips range from early Motown and surf music to folk singers and clean-cut teen idols. The nation is thrown into mourning following news reports of JFK's assassination in Dallas.

Then - only 79 days later - The Beatles are introduced to America on "The Ed Sullivan Show." The cultural impact is shown through scenes of Beatlemania accompanied by chart-topping songs that lead into Dave's presentation.

For teenagers, their world moved from black and white to color, and nothing would ever be the same again.

...back to "Yesterday" and a decade of change. Beatlemania swept across North America as a generation fell under the influence of the group's sound, style and personalities. Popular music, fashion and attitudes changed almost overnight. Hair was longer, skirts were shorter, and the generation gap grew wider as the youth of America began questioning authority and making up their own rules. Top 40 Radio changed from "pop" to "rock" and terms such as "neat" and "cool" evolved into "fab" and "groovy." By the end of the decade Baby Boomers had become The Flower Power Generation and The Woodstock Generation. The effects are still being felt today.

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 two concert films that take you behind the scenes and on stage with the most influential group in the history of popular music and rock 'n' roll. This program also includes an opening film featuring news events and popular music from the year 1963 and leading up to the Beatles' February 9, 1964 debut on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

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