60 years Ago: Beatles played at Queen’s Hall
Another busy week for the Beatles
On Monday, October 22, 1962, the Beatles played at Queen’s Hall in Windes. The show was put together by Brian Epstein’s NEMS Enterprises and featured other acts, including a group with Pete Best on drums. This was followed by a rare two-day break from preforming.
On Thursday, October 25, the group traveled to the Playhouse Theatre in Manchester to record songs for the BBC radio show “Here We Go.” Four songs were recorded before a live audience, including two written by John and Paul, a show tune that would later be recorded for an album and a fourth that was a current hit by an American artist that the Beatles would later tour with. The first three songs were broadcast the following evening. The fourth was cut from the program due to time constraints.
Friday, October 26, was typical on the hectic schedule the Beatles faced at the time. The group performed a lunchtime show at the Cavern, was able to hear their performance on the BBC’s “Here We Go” program at 5:00 pm and traveled 30 miles for an evening concert at the Public Hall on Lune Street in Preston, Lancashire.
This, of course, was followed by evening concerts on Saturday and Sunday, October 27 and 28. The Saturday show was at Hulme Hall, Port Sunlight, Birkenhead. On Sunday, the Beatles were on the bill as part of an eight-act NEMS concert featuring an American R&B artist idolized by the group. The show was at Liverpool’s top theatre, the Empire.
This week’s trivia questions cover this fabulous week for the Beatles.
1. What group did Pete best join shortly after being fired by the Beatles?
2. What two original Lennon-McCartney songs did the Beatles perform for the October 26, 1962 BBC radio program “Here We Go”?
3. What show tune, later recorded for an album, did the Beatles perform for the October 26, 1962 BBC radio program “Here We Go”?
4. What song, then a current hit by an American artist that the Beatles would later tour with, did the Beatles record for the October 26, 1962 BBC radio program “Here We Go” that was not broadcast?
5. What American R&B singer, idolized by the Beatles, headlined the October 28, 1962 NEMS concert at the Empire Theatre that also featured the Beatles?
1. A couple of weeks after being fired by the Beatles, Pete best joined Lee Curtis & the All-Stars. Curtis would soon part from the group, which was re-named Pete Best & the All-Stars. The group was later signed by Decca Records, who had previously turned down Pete’s previous group, the Beatles.
2. On the October 26, 1962 BBC radio program “Here We Go” the Beatles performed both sides of their recently released single, “Love Me Do” and “P.S. I Love You.”
3. On the October 26, 1962 BBC radio program “Here We Go” the Beatles performed the show tune “A Taste Of Honey,” which would be recorded in a few months at Abbey Road Studios for the group’s debut album, “Please Please Me.”
4. Although recorded for the October 26, 1962 BBC radio program “Here We Go,” the Beatles performance of Tommy Roe’s “Sheila” was not broadcast.
5. The October 28, 1962 NEMS concert at the Empire Theatre was headlined by Little Richard. Although idolized by the group, the Beatles would only record one of his songs, “Long Tall Sally,” at Abbey Road Studios.
