The Beatles live: Grafton Rooms, Liverpool

Although The Quarrymen had previously performed at Liverpool’s Grafton Rooms, this was The Beatles’ first concert at the venue. They would play there four times in total, with the last taking place almost a year later on 2 August 1963.

This show was promoted by Albert Kinder. The Beatles topped a bill which also featured Gerry And The Pacemakers and The Big Three.

Albert Kinder who was a promoter at the Picton Hall and the Liverpool Empire said, ‘Gordon, I made £450 last night at the Grafton. I had four groups including The Beatles and I gave them £10 each and it was a choc-a-bloc and we had 1,000 wanting to get in. I knew then jazz was on the wane and beat was the thing. Then Brian Epstein took them on and he would say, ‘Gordon, I want The Beatles to do Chester.’ I still said that they were too scruffy but I had Gerry and the Pacemakers who were £10 and Billy J Kramer who was £15. And that’s how I missed being a millionaire.