This was The Beatles’ 26th of 48 nights at Hamburg’s Star-Club, the city’s newest rock ‘n’ roll venue.
The Beatles played three separate residencies at the club in 1962. This was the first, and saw the group perform for a total of 172 hours over seven weeks. Their only night off was Good Friday, 20 April.
This first stint at the Star-Club began on Friday 13 April, and came to a close on 31 May 1962. The Beatles left Hamburg on Saturday 2 June.
It was The Beatles’ third residency in a Hamburg club within two years, and followed a series of shows at the Indra, the Kaiserkeller and the Top Ten Club.
Page last updated: 25 January 2024
May 9th 1962: Brian Epstein and George Martin meet for the second time. Martin offers to meet with The Beatles at Abbey Road studios on June 6. Without making a firm commitment, Martin essentially offered The Beatles a recording contract, provisional upon the outcome of their June 6 audition / recording session. Although Martin gave no guarantees, Epstein was confident enough to telegraph The Beatles in Hamburg, “Congratulations boys. EMI request recording session. Please rehearse new material.” Epstein then sent a telegram to Mersey Beat editor Bill Harry, saying “Have secured contract for Beatles to recorded [sic] for EMI on Parlaphone [sic] label. First recording date set for June 6.”