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All the United States Washington, D.C. Washington Coliseum
AO Edited

Washington Coliseum

A historic arena where the Beatles played their first concert in the U.S.

Washington, D.C.

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The former Washington   Getty Images / The Washington Post
Marquee at the Washington Coliseum   Getty Images / PhotoQuest
The Beatles on stage at the Washington Coliseum   Getty Image / Rowland Scherman
The Beatles outside the Coliseum in February 1964   Getty Images / Central Press / Stringer
A sign nearby   Mike Licht/CC BY 2.0
Uline Arena   Mark Tegethoff/CC BY 2.0
Uline Arena from the street   evyatarguttman / Atlas Obscura User
Former arena seats mounted on former basketball flooring, next to REI Customer Service.   bcgobraves / Atlas Obscura User
Historical signage on outside of building.   bcgobraves / Atlas Obscura User
Signage across the street recognizing the Beatles’ visit.   bcgobraves / Atlas Obscura User
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
Updated exterior with REI signage.   bcgobraves / Atlas Obscura User
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
  Jason Michael Walker / Atlas Obscura User
Current REI Store 2022   jpc4444 / Atlas Obscura User
Uline Arena (Washington Coliseum)   Rudi Riet on Wikimedia
Washington Coliseum in 2006, seen from a MARC train.   Elvert Barnes on Wikimedia
  evyatarguttman / Atlas Obscura User
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Just blocks from Union Station in Washington, D.C., an unassuming coliseum is the site of The Beatles' first concert in the United States. Though you wouldn't know it to look at it.

From the outside, the building seems like nothing more than another construction site in a rapidly developing part of town. But this former stadium was the venue for the Fab Four's first Stateside concert, which kicked off the tour that would bring Beatlemania to America.

At the time of the historic concert on February 11, 1964—two days after the band's famous appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show—the Washington Coliseum, as the stadium was named at the time, held just over 8,000 fans. The stage was set in the center of the stadium, with fans watching on all four sides. The Beatles regularly readjusted their position on stage throughout the show to alternate which side they were facing.

First opened in 1941 as the Uline Ice Arena, the building was constructed by the owner of the Washington Lions hockey team to serve as their stadium. The unassuming arena is also significant for having hosted President Eisenhower's inaugural ball in 1953.

In 1959, it was purchased for $1 million by a wealthy jeweler and renamed the Washington Coliseum. By the early 70s, the building had fallen into disuse, hitting rock bottom when it served as one of Waste Management's trash transfer stations in the 90s and early 2000s. The company tried to have the arena demolished in 2003, but it was designated as a historic space.

Most recently, after a major gutting, the arena reopened in October 2016 as the District's first REI store. Inside, you can see replica posters from artists that played there, as well as seats from the stands and wood panels from the basketball court. Outside on M Street, across from the store's main entrance, you'll find an interpretive sign that commemorates the Beatles' performance and the arena's former lives.

Related Tags

Music History Sports Music Venues History

Know Before You Go

The easiest way to reach the arena is by taking Metro's Red Line to the NoMa-Gallaudet U Station.

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evyatarguttman

Edited By

gmclark, bcgobraves, Meg, Michelle Cassidy...

  • gmclark
  • bcgobraves
  • Meg
  • Michelle Cassidy
  • jpc4444
  • Jason Michael Walker

Published

July 5, 2016

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  • https://vimeo.com/135623866
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_Coliseum
Washington Coliseum
1140 3rd St NE
Washington, District of Columbia
United States
38.905374, -77.002378
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