On February 9, 1961, The Beatles made their debut at "The Cavern Club" in Liverpool, England.
(Photo: Beatles Random Facts Facebook)
The band has already made quite a few appearances at nightclubs in Hamburg, but this is the first time they have performed at the mythical club in their hometown.
The one who managed to get the Beatles members the show is Mona Best, the mother of the band's drummer at the time, Pete Best. Rumor has it that she even had to beg the owner of the club to allow the band to perform there, and even then it was a lunchtime performance.
The Cavern Club, located on Mathew Street in Liverpool, was founded in 1957 as a club where jazz music was played. John Lennon played there in 1957 with his band "The Quarrymen" who played mostly Skippel. At the time the club banned playing rock 'n' roll music and when at one of the shows Lennon sang a song by Elvis the owner simply resented him.
However the 1960s brought with them winds of change, the owner changed the policy and in 1961 the Beatles settled into the iconic club and played raw tough rock and roll there.
(Photo: Dick Matthews)
George Harrison said that during the band's breaks they ate sandwiches on stage and drank tea. They received only £ 3 for the show.
Paul McCartney noted in the Beatles' 1995 anthology book that the band's first appearances were barely attended by people, but later the rumor spread and it was not long before the band moved on to perform at night when the club exploded to capacity.
Beginning with the same historic performance held on February 9, 1961, the band performed at this club close to 300 shows, in a period of only about two years. Then the club became already "small on them".
For a performance at the club exactly 9 months later, on November 9, 1961, Brian Epstein will arrive. During a customer's random visit to his record store Brian was asked if he had Tony Sheridan & The Beatles' "My Bonnie" single. This was enough to pique the curiosity of Brian who came to the Cavern Club to watch them perform. After the show he will meet with The Beatles members and soon after he will become the band's organizer.
It is interesting to note that a year later on February 5, 1962 Ringo Starr would make his debut with The Beatles at the exact same club. That was the day Pete Best was sick and Ringo joined the lunchtime show. Later that evening he joined the band for a performance in the city of Southport located north of Liverpool.
We jump 6 months forward to August 14, 1962 this is the day Ringo accepted John Lennon's invitation and officially joined the band. He would make his first appearance with them on August 18, 1962. This performance was also held at The Cavern Club. Four days later, a similar video performance will be recorded there:
February 9 is probably a "cosmic" date for The Beatles 'since on this day in 1964 they made their first live appearance on American television' as part of the "Ed Sullivan Show" program. It was a "historic" and hysterical performance that swept an entire nation into the madness of The Beatles. During the program, the band members played 5 songs to the screams and roars of the audience. The Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein managed to hide well the fact that George Harrison was ill that day with tonsillitis. He had a fever, was shaking and could not reach the sound check at all. Despite that, this show conquered America and turned the band into a meteor.
Since then, February 9 will be remembered as a very special date in the history of The Beatles.
Moreover, the number 9 will become a kind of obsession of John Lennon and below is only a partial list in which the number communicates with him:
1. He was born on October 9th.
2. Lennon Sean's son was also born on October 9 and shares a birthday with him.
3. The first house he lived in was at 9 Newcastle Street.
4. The first performance at Cavern as we wrote here on February 9th.
5. Brian Epstein first saw them as we wrote exactly 9 months later on November 9th.
6. The band's contract with EMI was signed on May 9, 1962.
7. The song "Dream # 9".
8. The song "Revolution # 9".
9. The song "One After 909".
10. Lennon and Yoko lived in apartment 72 in the Dakota 72 building multiplied by 9 and 7 + 2 = 9.
11. Lennon passed away on December 8 but at the time of Liverpool it was on December 9.