We made it to Mathew Street and the world famous Cavern Club. This is the club the Beatles played most often when they were getting their start, and they first played here in February 1961 at lunchtime. From 1961 through 1963, they played here 292 times.
They last played here August 3, 1963 a month after they recorded "She Loves You", and six months before they went to the US. In the following ten years, the Rolling Stones, Yardbirds, Kinks, Elton John, Queen and The Who would all play here.
The Cavern Club is underground and was closed and torn down in 1973 as a part of the Merseyrail underground loop. Realizing their mistake, the club was later rebuilt to original specifications.
With a few Beatles touches added. My wife at the Cavern Club.
Plenty of merchandise available for purchase!
The rebuilt club now has two stages - the original stage with the barrel ceiling (above) and a new larger stage accessed down a short hallway (right).
We went to Mathew Street the week of the Pop Music Festival by pure accident. We had assumed the clubs would be near empty on a weeknight, but they rotated live bands onto three stages (two at the Cavern Club, one at the Cavern Pub) so we had the opportunity to listen to about 10 bands or so.
My wife enjoying the band.
I often get asked how many Beatles songs were played, and the answer is zero! Not a single one. There is a sample of the music that was played in the videos at the bottom of this post.
This is a blind woman who played on the second stage at the Cavern Club.
Memorabilia fills the building, and there are signatures of fans all over the walls.
It really is a must-see place for any Beatles fan. I understand that when the Pop Music Festival is not going, they do have a Beatles cover band that sometimes plays.
Drinks were moderately priced, and we had to learn a whole new way of tipping. In the UK, to leave a tip you hand the tip back to your server and say "and keep one for yourself".
This female band had just arrived from their home in Milan, Italy. Off to the left of the stage sat their boyfriends. :-)
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