The Killers Honor Beatles with I Want to Hold Your Hand

The Killers began their two-night performance at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, New York, with a tribute to another band that had played there 60 years earlier.

Brandon Flowers, the lead singer, spoke to the audience about the venue’s history. He mentioned the famous tennis matches held there and the Beatles’ legendary performance at Shea Stadium in 1965. “But in 1964, 60 years ago, the Beatles did two nights here at Forest Hills. We thought that we would pay our respects. I don’t think there’s a person here that wasn’t influenced by them in some way or another. Here you go.”

To honor the Beatles, the Killers played “I Want to Hold Your Hand” for the first time ever. They’ve done other Beatles songs like “Helter Skelter,” “Get Back,” and “In My Life” before, but never this one.

The choice of “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was fitting. When the Beatles performed at Forest Hills on August 28 and 29, 1964, they played that song both nights. An interesting moment after their first show was when Bob Dylan visited them at their hotel and introduced them to marijuana, which they later said helped expand their musical creativity.

Fans might find it fascinating how interconnected these music legends are.

The summer of 1964 at Forest Hills Stadium was packed with stars. Barbra Streisand, Joan Baez (with a special appearance by Bob Dylan), Harry Belafonte with Miriam Makeba, Johnny Mathis, Trini Lopez, Count Basie, and Woody Allen all performed within six weeks.

The Killers’ concert happened just over two weeks after the Beatles’ 60th anniversary. Besides “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” they also played Erasure’s “A Little Respect” and many of their own hits like “Somebody Told Me,” “Read My Mind,” “All These Things That I’ve Done,” “When You Were Young,” “Human,” and “Mr. Brightside.”

They’ll be back at Forest Hills Stadium on Sunday night. Afterward, they take a break before headlining the Ocean Calling Festival in Maryland on September 28. Then they go to Mexico in October and end the year in Australia in late November.