On 7 March 1962 The Beatles recorded their radio debut at the Playhouse Theatre, Hulme, Manchester.
The recording was for the show Teenager’s Turn – Here We Go. The band rehearsed their set from 3.45pm.
In the evening, wearing suits for the very first time, The Beatles performed three cover versions: ‘Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream?)’, ‘Memphis, Tennessee’, and ‘Please Mister Postman’. Together with the other three acts also appearing on the programme, the recording took place between 8 and 8.45pm.
Among those in attendance was Stuart Sutcliffe, who had by this time left The Beatles and was living in Hamburg.
The show was broadcast on the BBC Light Programme the following day between 5 and 5.30pm.
Also on this day...
- 1999: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley
- 1990: Paul McCartney live: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo
- 1967: Recording: Lovely Rita
- 1965: Filming: Help!, the Bahamas
- 1963: The Beatles live: Mersey Beat Showcase, Nottingham
- 1961: The Beatles live: Cassanova Club, Liverpool
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
Ho cute that they wore suits ..to go on the radio!
There was a live audience present, so those who attended were the first to see them in their suits and not in leather.
Actually they wore a suit also during their first concerts at the Indra Club in Hamburg back in 1960, so also the hamburgers were able to see them perform in suits
I find it hard to imagine that they didn’t wear suits to their Decca audition or their BBC audition, earlier in 1962. But maybe the author means the first time they wore them in concert.
Did they wear the Beno Dorn suit at that time, or any other clothes? I guess they wore Beno Dorn suit on 24 march 1962 at first.
They didn’t yet have their suits when the Decca audition took place. It’s a shame that this first radio appearance doesn’t exist in better sound quality.