Sept. 4, 1964 - They came, they blasted, and they conquered the youngsters at New York City’s Paramount Theatre tonight. Who? The Animals, that’s who.
Five strong, to put it mildly, the Newcastle rock ’n’ roll artists headed the new stage that reopened the Paramount for a 10-day run.
Making their American debut in the churning wake of the Beatles, the Animals were preceded by such talents as Dee Dee Sharp, Ronnie Dove, the Rag Dolls, Ronnie and the Daytonas, the Chartbusters, and Elke Brooks.
The headlining Animals ambled on stage almost diffidently, to a symphony of squeals — five lads in their early twenties wearing soupbowl haircuts, neat gray suits, and dark ties against yellow shirts.
The boys settled down to business — John Steel at the drums and Alan Price at a small electric organ. Front and center at other mikes ranged little Eric Burdon, lead singer; Hilton Valentine, guitar; and Bryan “Chas” Chandler, bass guitar.
Thump-thump went a foot under the organ, and the Animals hit it. In a deafening mélange of piercing sound, almost matched by the screaming audience, they bent, buckled, writhed, and pecked away at each other like roosters.
But the one to watch was little Mr. Burdon, who climbed up and down his mike and all but rode it like a pogo stick.
Policemen and ushers held back the screaming girls down front, often waving flashlights in tempo to the music, as paper, balloons, and bouquets rained over the footlights.
The Animals’ press agent attributes the group’s name to their “natural spontaneity.” Nature’s children ran for their lives as the show ended tonight, the stage lowered in semi-darkness, and their screaming disciples closed in down front.
Say this for the elastic Animals. They make the more sedate Beatles look paralyzed. It may, of course, lead to war. Quick — everybody to the trenches!
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