Celebrating the 60th anniversary of The Beatles' first performance at The Cavern Club
The band played the venue almost 300 times
Last updated 9th Feb 2021
On 9th February 1961, local Liverpool band The Beatles took to the stage for their first ever appearance at the now legendary Cavern Club and changed music forever.
They went on to play at the iconic venue almost 300 times in just over two years, with a lot of their gigs taking place in the lunchtime slot.
Cilla Black, who went on to become a multi-talented singer, actress and tv presenter, worked as a cloakroom attendant at the club at the same time.
Although in a slightly different place, the Cavern Club remains an integral part of Liverpool’s culture and musical heritage and is one of the most visited nightclubs in the world.
The Cavern Club opened in 1957 and featured mainly jazz and blues acts and although Rock ’n’ Roll was forbidden, the venue occasionally allowed local skiffle bands to play, including John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s group, the Quarrymen.
Rory Storm and the Hurricanes were a popular Liverpudlian Beat group who, featuring Ringo Starr on drums, played the Cavern Club’s first beat-night session in May 1960.
This performance paved the way for emerging band The Beatles: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Pete Best (replaced by Ringo in 1962), to perform some casual sessions in the afternoon of 9th February 1961.
The Beatles looked different to the usual bands who would perform at the venue, wearing jeans and leather jackets on stage. Their popularity sky-rocketed and despite a capacity of 200 people, often 500 Beatles fans would crowd into the gigs.
Watch: The Beatles at the Cavern Club in 1962
The audience loved the band and subsequently the ensemble were invited back to perform an evening show in 1962, the first of many historical moments for the band who went on to change music forever.
They played the venue almost 300 times and Sir Paul McCartney even returned to the Cavern Club in 2018 to perform a special, one-off concert in his home city.
Over sixty years on, the Cavern Club remains a thriving musical hub with live performances attracting fans from all over the world.
Take a look at some Cavern Club memories...
The Beatles at the Cavern Club in 1961
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and original drummer Pete Best.
The Beatles at the Cavern Club
John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and original drummer Pete Best.
Crowds outside the Cavern Club
Paul McCartney at the club in 1999
Paul McCartney performed a special gig at the Cavern Club in December 1999.
Statue of Cilla Black outside the Cavern Club
A bronze statue of Cilla Black was unveiled outside the Cavern Club in 2017.
Now read:
Paul McCartney: From The Beatles to solo success and everything in between
John Lennon: A celebration of the Beatles legend