This was the first of two visits The Beatles made to the ABC Cinema in Edinburgh, Scotland. The other took place on 19 October 1964.
This night’s two concerts, and the two on the following night in Glasgow, were jointly promoted by Brian Epstein and Albert Bonici.
The Beatles gave an interview from their dressing room at the ABC to BBC Scotland radio reporter Bill Aitkenhead. It was broadcast that evening on the Scottish News bulletin from 6.10pm.
Last updated: 24 January 2024
Also on this day...
- 2017: Paul McCartney live: Tokyo Dome, Tokyo
- 2008: Give Peace A Chance lyrics to be sold
- 2002: Paul McCartney live: Gund Arena, Cleveland
- 1997: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Cuthbert Amphitheater, Eugene
- 1993: Paul McCartney live: Busch Stadium, St Louis
- 1977: UK album release: Thrillington by Paul McCartney
- 1969: Recording, mixing: Octopus’s Garden
- 1967: John Lennon attends the 14 Hour Technicolour Dream
- 1966: Recording, mixing: Eleanor Rigby, I’m Only Sleeping
- 1965: Filming: Help!
- 1964: The Beatles are photographed with their Madame Tussauds wax figures
- 1962: The Beatles live: Star-Club, Hamburg
- 1961: The Beatles live: Top Ten Club, Hamburg
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
sadly the abc closed a number of years ago after odeon bought the original abc chain the building was demolished and due to a covenant three cinemas were established in the basement
the abc edinburgh was also the first cinema in britain to be tripled in the late sixties when audiences for large cinemas were dropping off in order to encourage cinema attendance
John visited his relatives in Edinburgh on April 30th, before he left for the Glasgow gigs later that day
i was at both concerts. the first one in april ,I camped out for two nights on the pavement and the tickets went on sale early on the sunday morning.only two tickets per person. the October shows were postal application only. I still have my ticket stubs, but the beatles name was not on them they were just like cinema tickets. one a brown colour the other white.
I was 13 at the time and my father slept in a sleeping bag on the pavement to get 2 tickets for me and my girl friend who I was at school with at that time.
I also saw Peter and Gordon at the same concert.
The music (mersey beat ) was so different at that time to what my elder sister listen to on radio Luxembourg.
Born and bred in Edinburgh we could not believe that the Beatles were to perform in Edinburgh
I am now a Gran and my daughters and grandchildren can’t believe that I actually saw the Beatles. Jannette Mackay