22 June 1963: Live: Town Hall, Abergavenny

The Beatles took to the stage later than usual at the Town Hall in Abergavenny, Wales, on 22 June 1963, due to John Lennon’s appearance on the BBC television show Juke Box Jury earlier in the evening.

Filming had ended at 9.15pm, and Lennon was immediately taken to Battersea Helipad, from where he took a chartered helicopter flight to Wales. He landed in Abergavenny’s Penypound football ground at 9.50pm, and was driven straight to the Town Hall.

The rest of The Beatles had arrived earlier that day, and all attended a civic reception given by the Mayor and Mayoress, of Abergavenny, Councillor and Mrs JF Thurston.

The concert had been booked on 19 April 1963 by local promoter Eddie Tattersall, who agreed a fee of £250 with Brian Epstein. The support act, local band The Fortunes, were paid £18.90.

The Beatles took to the stage at 10.30pm. Just 600 fans saw them perform, each of whom paid 12/6d for their tickets. After the concert all four Beatles signed autographs which were sold to fans for three pence each, with proceeds going to the local branch of the Freedom From Hunger Campaign.

This was The Beatles’ only concert in Abergavenny. That night they stayed in the town’s Angel Hotel.

Their other performances in Wales were in Rhyl on 14 July 1962 and 19–20 July 1963; Prestatyn on 24 November 1962; Mold on 24 January 1963; Llandudno from 12–17 August 1963; and Cardiff on 27 May 1963, 7 November 1964 and 12 December 1965.