On June 20, 1965, The Beatles launched their European tour with two high-energy concerts at the Palais des Sports in Paris. Just a year earlier, they had captivated French fans during a residency at the Olympia Theatre, but now they were global icons—returning as full-fledged superstars.
The 14-day tour took them across France, Italy, and Spain. Paris was the opening chapter, and the Palais des Sports—a modern, circular venue with a capacity of 4,500—set the stage for what would become one of their last major tours before stepping away from live performances altogether.
Their setlist for the night was a dynamic mix of early rock ’n’ roll and more mature material from their evolving catalog:
Setlist:
Twist and Shout
She's a Woman
I'm a Loser
Can't Buy Me Love
Baby's In Black
I Wanna Be Your Man
A Hard Day's Night
Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby
Rock and Roll Music
I Feel Fine
Ticket to Ride
Long Tall Sally
Present at the Paris concerts was acclaimed Danish photographer Bent Rej, who had unprecedented access to The Beatles during this period. Rej’s lens captured the energy onstage and the candid moments off it—his work stands today as one of the most intimate visual records of the band’s touring years.
At Galleri Rocks, we’re proud to feature four rare photographs taken by Bent Rej at the Palais des Sports concerts. These images reflect not just the excitement of a Beatles show, but also the cool charisma and camaraderie that defined the band in 1965—just months before they would retreat from the stage and focus on the studio.
This small series offers a visual time capsule of The Beatles at a critical creative crossroads: still kings of the live circuit, but already dreaming bigger.
Fine Archival Pigment Prints of Bent Rej’s photographs are available for purchase at Galleri Rocks.
At the moment, exhibition prints—mounted in passepartout and framed—are offered at a special price.
Please inquire directly or visit our webshop for more information.
The Beatles’ 1965 European Tour – Full Itinerary
The Beatles' European tour ran from June 20 to July 3, 1965, covering France, Italy, and Spain. It was one of their final tours before retiring from live performance in 1966.
FRANCE
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June 20–21 – Paris, Palais des Sports (2 shows per night)
ITALY
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June 24 – Milan, Velodromo Vigorelli
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June 25 – Genoa, Palazzo dello Sport
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June 26 – Rome, Teatro Adriano (2 shows)
SPAIN
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July 2 – Barcelona, Plaza de Toros Monumental
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July 3 – Madrid, Plaza de Toros de Las Venta
Additional information
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Opening Acts: In France and Italy, the Beatles were joined by artists like The Yardbirds (with Jeff Beck) and local acts.
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Crowds and Chaos: The Paris shows were heavily policed—rowdy fans had to be held back by French riot police.
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TV Coverage: Parts of the Paris concert were filmed and later shown on French television (Les Beatles à Paris, ORTF), making it one of the few professionally filmed shows from this tour.
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Sound Trouble: In Italy, poor acoustics and equipment failures plagued some performances, which frustrated the band.
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