Lennon and McCartney jam in Obertauern, Austria

The Beatles were filming Help! in Austria in March 1965. On the evening of the 18th, John Lennon and Paul McCartney took part in a jam session at the Marietta Hotel in Obertauern.

Scheduled to play at the hotel were Berlin-based Jacky and the Strangers, led by Jacky Spelter. The Beatles knew Spelter from Hamburg, where they both played in the early 1960s.

Lennon and McCartney attended the show, and were persuaded to join in. Lennon played Spelter’s Fender Jazzmaster guitar, and McCartney played drums. Since no photographs of George Harrison or Ringo Starr from the event are known, it is unlikely that they were in attendance.

Lennon and McCartney played several songs with Jacky and the Strangers. However, the volume of Lennon’s amplifier led to complaints and the performance was ended early by the hotel manager. According to reports, the manager also stated that he had booked Spelter’s band to perform, rather than The Beatles.