A near riot broke out last night as the Herman's Hermits, a quartet of British rock 'n' roll singers fashioned after the Beatles, made what was billed as their first American appearance before a live audience.
    Several youngsters were hurt, apparently not seriously, and a few girls fainted as more than 2,000 teenagers converged on the stage of the Manville High School gymnasium.
    The melee prevented the singers from performing on schedule as the stage was over-run and its cardboard backdrop torn down!
    With the help of a dozen special policemen assigned to the dance, which was sponsored by a local CYO group, the long-haired Hermits finally took the stage.
    They left after singing two numbers that could barely be heard above the screams and the shouts.
    The officers tried to maintain a two-foot space between the screaming youngsters and the Herman's Hermits. But they couldn't do it.
    When the Hermits came on stage the first time the kids pushed through the police and crowded near the stage.
    A short time later, when the two-foot space was opened, the Hermits returned. They sang two numbers but could not be heard.
    The Hermits then left to keep a date at Allentown, Pa.
    The youngsters remained to dance.

UPI WIRE APRIL 19, 1965

(HERMITS)
    Several youngsters have some bumps and bruises today as reminder of the invasion of New Jersey by the Hermits.
    The Hermits are a quartet of British rock 'n' Roll singers on the same order as the celebrated Beatles. And they came to Manville High School last night to entertain some two-thousand youngsters.
    But before the Hermits even got to sing a single note ... there was a near riot. There was screaming and squealing and pushing and shoving.
    A few girls fainted ... and several other teenagers ended up with a few bruises before the night was over. The Hermits did manage to sing two numbers -- but it was questionable whether anybody really heard the singing.