The day after The Beatles recorded 10 of the songs that would appear on their debut album Please Please Me, they were back on the road with a performance in Oldham, Lancashire.
John Lennon had all but destroyed his voice singing ‘Twist And Shout’ in the studio; he was also still suffering from a heavy cold. Nonetheless, he took to the stage at the Astoria Ballroom. Fortunately Paul McCartney and George Harrison were able to take on the bulk of the singing, and the screams from an enthusiastic audience helped mask any deficiencies.
My voice wasn’t the same for a long time after; every time I swallowed, it was like sandpaper.
Anthology
This was The Beatles’ only appearance in Oldham, Lancashire – now part of the Greater Manchester local authority. The Astoria Ballroom was situated on King Street and opened in December 1908. It had a stage 45 feet wide, and seated a total of 1,842 people.
The building closed as a cinema in 1961 and was subsequently used variously as a concert hall, bowling alley and nightclub.
Well I was there but couldn’t hear them for all the screaming girls ! Who will now be drawing their pension ! Hahaha
Yes you’re right I was there can you remember the ticket price
Yes, it was 4 shillings and 6 pence. A shilling up on the usual Tuesday night price!
I was there that night and one of the first ones to be let in but I remember the admission fee to be 3 and 6 not 4 and 6
I was the duty manager that night, Tuesdays were band nights, usually fairly quiet, the manager a big dupe lived miles away in Cheshire & largely left it to me & the other Assistant Manager to run the place, despite being part of the Rank Organisation, he had an option for the Beatles to return in 3 months at the same rate they were paid that Tuesday, being the tight wad he was he did not take it, by then they were no. 1 in the hit parade!
I was one of the first in the queue with a few other friends from the college of commerce
I asked Paul would they do a request for me and they did
Far as I remember it was the only request they did “my Bonny “
Dave marks then aged 16 ? happy days