Beatles Fest Selling Signed Chunk of 'Ed Sullivan' Stage Backdrop

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Beatles Fest Selling Signed Chunk of 'Ed Sullivan' Stage Backdrop
The Fest for Beatles Fans will hit L.A. in October and feature thousands of Fab Four items, including a copy of the famed 'Butcher' LP
BY RYAN REED 
September 24, 2014

A half-million dollars can't buy you love, but it can buy you an autographed chunk of the Ed Sullivan Show stage backdrop displayed during the Beatles' American live debut on February 9th, 1964. That iconic item will be for sale at The Fest for Beatles Fans, a mecca for Fab Four collectibles, which is headed to the LAX Marriott in Los Angeles between October 10th and 12th. Reopening in the city for the first time since 2000, the event will feature thousands of vendors, special guest appearances and a wide variety of Beatles items – from high-ticket landmark pieces to rare vinyl, posters, books, art and more. 


Ed Sullivan smiles while standing with the Beatles on the set of his television variety series
Photo : Express Newspapers/Getty Images

The Beatles-signed Sullivan backdrop piece, which boasts a hefty price tag of $550,000, is being presented by "featured exhibitor" Wayne Johnson, owner of L.A.'s famed Rockaway Records, a well-known destination for Beatles fanatics. Rockaway has "thousands of additional items" for sale, including a copy of the rare "Butcher" edition of 1966's Yesterday and Today (for $4,500) and the band's first U.S. contract with Vee Jay Records from 1963 (for $100,000).  



According to a press release, the event's master of ceremonies will be Chris Carter, host of long-running L.A. radio show "Breakfast With the Beatles." Other special guests will include TV-radio personality Bob Eubanks; former Wings members Denny Seiwell, Laurence Juber and Denny Laine; Ringo Starr's musical director, Mark Rivera; former Badfinger guitarist Joey Molland; musician-producer (and former Apple Records A&R man) Peter Asher; musician-producer Mark Hudson; artist Alan Aldridge and numerous other "authors, aficionados and figures from Beatles history." Each night will feature live performances from Beatles tribute band Liverpool. 

Tickets for The Fest for Beatles are available at the event's official website.