61 years ago today, only 18 people showed up for The Beatles' first-ever live performance in the south of England - at the Palais Ballroom in Aldershot, 37 miles from London.

Less than four years later, 55,600 hysterical fans would attend their Shea Stadium concert.

Back on 9th December, 1961, Liverpool promoter Sam Leach's 'Battle of the Bands' pitted a Merseyside rock outfit against a London combo: in this case, the unknown Ivor Jay and the Jaywalkers. Worse still, the 'Big Beat Session' wasn't properly advertised.
Leach would subsequently claim he placed an ad in the local 'Aldershot News' but the paper rejected his cheque in favour of cash because he wasn’t a regular customer. As he hadn't supplied his address or phone number, he couldn't be contacted, so the
ad didn't appear.

Facing an empty house following a nine-hour road trip, John, Paul, George, and Pete quickly toured the town's pubs and coffee bars, informing everyone about “a dance going on at the Palais tonight.” Within a few years, girls would be hiding in hotel
air-conditioning shafts just to get near the Fab Four; right now, less than 20 were interested.

John, Paul, George, and Pete put on a show while the patrons spread out across the floor, dancing without any fear of bumping into each other. Then, once it was over, The Beatles guzzled Watneys Brown Ale with Sam and photographer Dick Matthews, had a
rowdy game with some bingo balls and were kicked out of town by the local police.

Still, resilient as ever, they finished the night on an upbeat note after heading for the bright lights of Central London's Soho neighbourhood. Visiting Brian Cassar's Blue Gardenia Club, they performed an impromptu gig that was also their first in the
capital.


https://scontent-lga3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/319020215_587154036748233_4196750118386403733_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=6sq1ODM5XzsAX_SxBGZ&tn=0Liup-VSF9B96Ftj&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-2.xx&oh=00_AfApiB3Jqe0ufCCHsiC-MsxPZZ7JL_
dgul3kIiiSgeRxGw&oe=639966E6

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On Saturday, December 10, 2022 at 10:21:16 PM UTC-5, Bruce wrote:

61 years ago today, only 18 people showed up for The Beatles' first-ever live performance in the south of England - at the Palais Ballroom in Aldershot, 37 miles from London.

Less than four years later, 55,600 hysterical fans would attend their Shea Stadium concert.

Back on 9th December, 1961, Liverpool promoter Sam Leach's 'Battle of the Bands' pitted a Merseyside rock outfit against a London combo: in this case, the unknown Ivor Jay and the Jaywalkers. Worse still, the 'Big Beat Session' wasn't properly

advertised. Leach would subsequently claim he placed an ad in the local 'Aldershot News' but the paper rejected his cheque in favour of cash because he wasn’t a regular customer. As he hadn't supplied his address or phone number, he couldn't be
contacted, so the ad didn't appear.

Facing an empty house following a nine-hour road trip, John, Paul, George, and Pete quickly toured the town's pubs and coffee bars, informing everyone about “a dance going on at the Palais tonight.” Within a few years, girls would be hiding in

hotel air-conditioning shafts just to get near the Fab Four; right now, less than 20 were interested.

John, Paul, George, and Pete put on a show while the patrons spread out across the floor, dancing without any fear of bumping into each other. Then, once it was over, The Beatles guzzled Watneys Brown Ale with Sam and photographer Dick Matthews, had a

rowdy game with some bingo balls and were kicked out of town by the local police.

barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2014/01/watneys-brown-ale-1929-1964.html

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

On Sunday, December 11, 2022 at 3:02:40 PM UTC-5, curtis...@gmail.com wrote:

On Saturday, December 10, 2022 at 10:21:16 PM UTC-5, Bruce wrote:

61 years ago today, only 18 people showed up for The Beatles' first-ever live performance in the south of England - at the Palais Ballroom in Aldershot, 37 miles from London.

Less than four years later, 55,600 hysterical fans would attend their Shea Stadium concert.

Back on 9th December, 1961, Liverpool promoter Sam Leach's 'Battle of the Bands' pitted a Merseyside rock outfit against a London combo: in this case, the unknown Ivor Jay and the Jaywalkers. Worse still, the 'Big Beat Session' wasn't properly

advertised. Leach would subsequently claim he placed an ad in the local 'Aldershot News' but the paper rejected his cheque in favour of cash because he wasn’t a regular customer. As he hadn't supplied his address or phone number, he couldn't be
contacted, so the ad didn't appear.

Facing an empty house following a nine-hour road trip, John, Paul, George, and Pete quickly toured the town's pubs and coffee bars, informing everyone about “a dance going on at the Palais tonight.” Within a few years, girls would be hiding in

hotel air-conditioning shafts just to get near the Fab Four; right now, less than 20 were interested.

John, Paul, George, and Pete put on a show while the patrons spread out across the floor, dancing without any fear of bumping into each other. Then, once it was over, The Beatles guzzled Watneys Brown Ale with Sam and photographer Dick Matthews, had

a rowdy game with some bingo balls and were kicked out of town by the local police.

barclayperkins.blogspot.com/2014/01/watneys-brown-ale-1929-1964.html

An alcohol by volume in the 2% range at that time? Looks like something you could guzzle without much effect.

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