Beatles at the Top Ten Club Hamburg 1961 (pictures)

In April 1961 the Beatles made their second visit to Hamburg to appear at the Top Ten Club, 136 the Reeperbahn, Hamburg. They performed April through June 1961. Within a few weeks Stu had left the band to be with Astrid Kirchherr and to enrol at the Hamburg Art College.

The pictures are sourced from various sources on the Net and are all taken at the Top Ten Club, primarily they comprise 4 different sets of photos during the Beatles season at the Club.

The pics show for example Paul playing Piano, singing without a guitar, or playing lead guitar using a right-handed guitar turned upside down. Also Crates of beer can be seen on the stage along with half drunk beer bottles testiment to the endless supply of beer that was supplied free to the Band.

The audience join in their performance and John can be seen jumping around the stage. This is a rare glimpse into the life of the Beatles in Hamburg.

There is no recording in existence of the Beatles at the Top Ten Club 1961 so as a backdrop to the pictures a 'quality' live recording of Twist and Shout was used from The Royal Command performance November 1963. This is something of the sound of the Beatles from this time.

John was widely quoted as saying that the Beatles played some of their best music in Hamburg. It is also widely acknowledged that their later success was due in large part to the many long nights performing and honing their skills and teamwork in Hamburg.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Beatles
• Lennon
• McCartney
• Harrison
• Starr
• Sutcliffe
• Best
• Kirchherr
• Hamburg
• Top
• Ten
• Club
• Reepherbahn

[altersachse]

@nzlennonfan I was in the army in germany in 1960, and used to visit Hamburg pretty regular on a weekend, I remember seeing them in the Indra, The Kaiserkeller and the Top Ten, later of course the Star Club

[nzlennonfan]

@altersachse That is awesome friend!! You are so very lucky to have experienced this. I have a Beatles friend in Munich and she introduced me to a person who was a sailor at the time and had also witnessed the Beatles in Hamburg. How I would love to have your memories!

[RojotheRed]

@altersachse You are absolutley one of the luckiest people on earth! I need to know, did you like them at the time that you saw them? I saw bands overseas ( Navy ), But, I can't really say that I remember them that well. Did they really do 8 hrs a day, like I've heard?

[TheHenksigaar]

@branchenergy Dank je wel.

[tinorleo1]

Super montage......merci!

[mijmi]

@zahdio It says that in the description. It's from 1963 Royal Command Performance at the Palladium.

[TheHenksigaar]

ik was toen zeeman we gingen toen een niuw schip wat er gebouwd was een hollanse tanker 50.duizend de gulf hansa van de scheepswerf af bevaren, ik ben een avond voor vertrek naar de golf mena elmanie op de reeperbaan in het rock pallast ingewandeld, een ongeloofelijke belevenis een groep uit liver pool trad daar op wat een herinnering ik was toen 17 jaar in MEI 1962 wie was daar ook in die tijd ?

[branchenergy]

@zahdio Agree - I saw Backbeat at the Theatre on Tuesday and it was set from 1963 onwards....

[brilton1]

It's from the Royal Variety Performance, 4-11-63

[zahdio]

Cool Beatle recording, but probably not April 1961. The original tune, by The TopNotes wasn't done until 1961, not done by The Isley Bros until 1962. This is probably much later.

[96Rikke]

@altersachse Whoooooooooooaaaaaa.......... Awesome!

[minygoat]

@minygoat pounds* lol