The Beatles live: Capitol Cinema, Cardiff – 27 May 1963
Monday 27 May 1963 | Live
Capitol Cinema, Queen Street, Cardiff, Wales
The Beatles performed at the Capitol Cinema in Cardiff on 27 May 1963 — their first concert in Wales, during their UK tour with Roy Orbison. The Beatles were the headline act and were paid £100 for the appearance. A young Dave Edmunds, then working in a Cardiff music shop, visited the venue that afternoon and ended up giving Paul McCartney a set of bass strings.
Queen Street, Cardiff — location of the Capitol Cinema, where The Beatles performed on 27 May, 7 November 1964, and 12 December 1965.
The Bill
The full bill at the Capitol Cinema on 27 May 1963, in order of appearance:
- Terry Young Six
- Ian Crawford
- Louise Cordet
- David Macbeth
- Gerry and the Pacemakers
- Erkey Grant (comedian)
- Roy Orbison
- The Beatles (headline)
The Setlist
- 'Some Other Guy'
- 'Do You Want To Know A Secret'
- 'Love Me Do'
- 'From Me To You'
- 'Please Please Me'
- 'I Saw Her Standing There'
- 'Twist And Shout'
Dave Edmunds' Visit
Before the show, the Capitol Cinema received an unexpected visitor: Dave Edmunds, then a teenager working in a Cardiff music shop. He had been sent to the venue by his manager with instructions to try and sell The Beatles anything they might need for the show. Edmunds later recalled the visit in an interview with BBC Radio Wales in 2001:
“They were setting up, going for a sound check in the afternoon and we rolled in. There was no security in those days. I stayed for the whole day. In the evening, I was just standing on the side of the stage watching The Beatles do their first tour. We were too nervous to charge them so we just gave them everything, all the sticks and strings. I gave Paul McCartney a set of bass strings.”
— Dave Edmunds, BBC Radio Wales, 2001
The anecdote captures something essential about the early Beatles story — the informality, the lack of security, the sense that something extraordinary was happening but nobody quite knew how to respond to it. Edmunds would go on to become one of the most respected rock musicians and producers in Britain, with hits including 'I Hear You Knocking' (1970) and 'I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock 'N' Roll)' (1977), and a long association with Nick Lowe and the pub rock scene.
Roy Orbison and the Tour
The Roy Orbison UK Tour ran from 18 May to 9 June 1963. Orbison had originally been booked as the headline act, but The Beatles' extraordinary popularity in the spring of 1963 — driven by the success of 'Please Please Me' and 'From Me To You' — meant they quickly eclipsed him. By the time the tour reached Cardiff, The Beatles were unambiguously the main attraction, and Orbison — graciously — agreed to let them close the show.
Roy Orbison (1936–1988) was one of the most distinctive voices in popular music, known for operatic ballads including 'Oh, Pretty Woman' (1964), 'Crying' (1961), and 'In Dreams' (1963). He was a significant influence on The Beatles, who admired his voice enormously. Lennon and McCartney had written 'Please Please Me' partly in the style of Orbison.
Gerry and the Pacemakers
Gerry and the Pacemakers — led by Gerry Marsden — were fellow Liverpool artists managed by Brian Epstein and signed to EMI's Columbia label. In May 1963 they had achieved the remarkable feat of reaching number one with their first three singles: 'How Do You Do It?', 'I Like It', and 'You'll Never Walk Alone'. Their presence on the same bill as The Beatles was a measure of the extraordinary concentration of talent that Epstein had assembled.
The Capitol Cinema
The Capitol Cinema on Queen Street was one of Cardiff's premier entertainment venues in the early 1960s. The Beatles returned to the venue on two subsequent occasions: 7 November 1964 and 12 December 1965.
Key Facts: 27 May 1963
- Venue: Capitol Cinema, Queen Street, Cardiff, Wales
- Tour: Roy Orbison UK Tour
- Beatles' fee: £100
- Songs performed: 7
- Notable visitor: Dave Edmunds, who gave Paul McCartney a set of bass strings
- Subsequent Cardiff shows: 7 November 1964, 12 December 1965
- Line-up: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr
Frequently Asked Questions
Was this The Beatles' first concert in Wales?
Yes — the Capitol Cinema, Cardiff on 27 May 1963 was The Beatles' first concert in Wales. They returned to the same venue on 7 November 1964 and 12 December 1965.
What did The Beatles perform in Cardiff on 27 May 1963?
'Some Other Guy', 'Do You Want To Know A Secret', 'Love Me Do', 'From Me To You', 'Please Please Me', 'I Saw Her Standing There', and 'Twist And Shout'.
Who was Dave Edmunds and why was he at the Capitol Cinema?
Dave Edmunds was a young musician working in a Cardiff music shop, sent to the venue by his manager to sell The Beatles anything they needed. He ended up giving Paul McCartney a set of bass strings for free. Edmunds later became one of Britain's most respected rock musicians and producers.
Why were The Beatles headlining over Roy Orbison?
Orbison had originally been booked as the headline act, but The Beatles' extraordinary popularity in spring 1963 meant they quickly eclipsed him. Orbison graciously agreed to let them close the show.
Who else was on the bill?
Terry Young Six, Ian Crawford, Louise Cordet, David Macbeth, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and comedian Erkey Grant, followed by Roy Orbison and The Beatles.
→ The Beatles live: Top Ten Club, Hamburg – 27 May 1961
→ The Beatles live: Star-Club, Hamburg – 27 May 1962
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