Concert memories.
DURING the 60s I was lucky enough to see The Beatles perform live on three occasions - and also attended two of their recordings of 'Thank your Lucky Stars' at the Alpha television studios in Aston.At the Birmingham Hippodrome they were special guests on the Chris Montez/Tommy Roe show. Montez had a torrid time as top of the bill, with the crowd chanting 'We want The Beatles'.
On their next visit to Birmingham, they were headlining their own tour. It was on Tuesday June 4, 1963, at the Town Hall.
On the bill were Gerry & the Pacemakers, Louise Cordet, David Macbeth, Erkey Grant & The Earwigs and a Texan on his first UK tour - Roy Kelton Orbison!
BILL PAGE
West Bromwich
Fishy tale for Harry
MY LATE pal, Harry Brown of Sheldon, was working at the Birmingham Hippodrome as Les Dawson's dresser when The Beatles played there.
They asked him to fetch them four lots of fish and chips, which cost him a quid, and said they would pay him later - but they never did.
What a pity he did not get an IOU. That would have been worth a bit!
STAN WOOD
Sutton Coldfield
ONE of the police helmets worn by The Beatles on their visit to the Birmingham Hippodrome was borrowed from Tom Jones, then a police constable.
Martin Burton, who retired as a police superintendent several years ago, was also on duty that day and The Beatles kept taking the mickey out of his boots which he had brightly polished because he had just been promoted to sergeant.
He used to reply to ribbing from his pals with the remark: 'Yes, they're my Beatle-crushers!'.
PHIL SMITH
Birmingham
I WAS at the ATV Studios in Aston in 1963 when The Beatles played on the show. Also on the bill were Tom Jones, The Drifters and Peter and Gordon.
I wonder if it would be possible to obtain a video of this programme?
MRS G. DALY
Small Heath
I WAS at Birmingham Hippodrome on March 10, 1963, to see The Beatles. A friend of mine who played with them at Ma Regan's Plaza in Old Hill some months before had told me to go and see them if I ever had the chance. He said they were going to be big!
Beatlemania was some months away, but the fans were already being swept away.
TREVOR WESTWOOD
Brownhills
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| Title Annotation: | Letters |
|---|---|
| Publication: | Sunday Mercury (Birmingham, England) |
| Date: | Sep 17, 2000 |
| Words: | 398 |
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