More popular than Jesus a minor panic when a firecracker was set off on stage during the evening performance, which led the group to believe they were the target of gunfire. The Beatles hated the tour, partly due to the controversy and adverse reaction from Lennon's comments, and were unhappy about Epstein continuing to organise live performances that were increasingly at odds with their studio work. The controversy had also overshadowed the US release of their 1966 album "Revolver", which the band considered to be their best and most mature musical statement up to that point. Following the tour, Harrison seriously contemplated leaving the
Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert aside, the production was genuinely thrilling, taking chances with the staging of a classic but controversial Broadway show, much more daring than previous live musical broadcasts like "The Sound of Music" or "Peter Pan"." Offering similar acclaim, "The Hollywood Reporter"s David Rooney said, "But here's the thing: This was a phenomenally balanced production of "Jesus Christ Superstar", in which star power was equaled by depth of feeling and characterization in all the principals. And the immediacy of television, with close-ups capable of bringing us in tight on the performers' faces, gave Jesus and Mary Magdalene a complexity that often is