ON FEBRUARY 3,1964 "MEET THE BEATLES" BECAME THEIR FIRST U.S. LP RIAA WHITE MATTE CERTIFICATION, ALONG WITH "I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND". BEFORE LEAVING FOR THE STATES THEY WERE TOLD THAT THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW HAD LONG SINCE SOLD OUT ON FEBRUARY 6TH. IT WAS ALSO REPORTED THAT BRIAN HAD TURNED DOWN 8,000 POUNDS TO PLAY MADISON SQUARE GARDEN. THE REASONS SURROUNDING THIS WERE NEVER REALLY VERY CLEAR, BUT IT WAS PROBABLY ONE IN A LONG LINE OF MANAGEMENT DECISIONS THAT BRIAN MADE THAT WERE NOT IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE GROUP. ON FEBRUARY 8TH,THE BEATLES DID A RUN THROUGH FOR THEIR APPEARENCE ON THE SULLIVAN SJOW ON THE 9TH. ON THAT NIGHT THE SULLIVAN SHOW SCORED A 72.7 SHARE IN THE RATINGS, THIS WAS IN FRONT OF A LIVE AUDIENCE OF APPROX. 728. THIS ONE SHOW WAS WATCHED BY 73 MILLION PEOPLE. ON FEBRUARY 12TH,THE GROUP DID TWO 20 MINUTE SHOWS AT CARNEGIE HALL. THE AVERAGE BEATLES CONCERT WAS JUST 22 MINUTES.