Following rehearsals on the previous day, The Beatles recorded an appearance for a British edition of US music TV show Shindig! at the Granville Studio in London.
The performance was watched by London residents of the Beatles Fan Club. The Beatles performed three songs live: ‘Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!’, ‘I’m A Loser’, and ‘Boys’.
The Beatles were at the top of the bill on the show; the other acts were Sandie Shaw, PJ Proby, The Karl Denver Trio, Tommy Quickly, Sounds Incorporated, and Lyn Cornell. In addition to their performance, The Beatles also appeared in the show’s finale with the Karl Denver Trio.
This British-themed edition of Shindig! was first broadcast in the US by ABC on 7 October 1964, but was never shown in Britain.
Page last updated: 13 July 2022
Starts with a bit of drumming in the darkness before the first song, Kansas City, in which they actually show George´s playing of the solo instead of something else. The first ever performance of I´m a loser includes some lyric mistakes. Shame, it´s such a nice song. And this must be the last time they perform Boys to an audience.
Are you sure it’s all live, or we’re at least some elements the recorded version? The harmonica on Loser keeps playing after he takes his mouth away from it.
It was 100% fake. You catch George messing up the fake solo at the end of “Boys”. He stops making the faces he was making and winces, absolutely noticing. This is because they recorder version goes into wine chords but he’s faking the rest of a high-fretted lead part. Absolutely, without a doubt.
I’m really sorry to say that this may be the case for other Beatles performances, as well. The Beatles machine, as much as I love them, definitely sought to use this group and make them heros. I don’t think it’s a mistake they society and the world were changed by then
Some girls loved Paul and some loved John and others George but everyone loved Ringo and having Paul and John do wop for you and smile just proves it.
I am a huge Beatle fan and guitar player because of them. There are definitely backing tracks playing. There are more than three vocals on Kansas City. John’s harmonica keeps going when he seems to stop on I’m a loser and knowing the guitar parts on this song George’s fingering on the guitar solo doesn’t match up. Ringo’s drumming and George’s guitar solo on Boys don’t match up well at times also. Some of Ringo’s fills don’t match his movements and George goes back to playing chords, a B7 it appears, before the guitar solo is complete.
It’s still an awesome video of the most amazing band ever.
I think they sang live over a pre recorded instrumental tape. Look at Ringo not really hitting the cymbals, for instance.
(Different Eric here) I agree with you, and I also think the audience shots look fake, like they just spliced in a couple shots of screaming girls and dubbed screams over the music.