The Beatles live: Star-Club, Hamburg – 25 May 1962

Q: What happened to Stuart Sutcliffe?

Stuart Sutcliffe died in Hamburg on 10 April 1962 from a brain haemorrhage, aged 21 — three days before The Beatles arrived to begin this residency.

May 25, 2026

The Beatles live: Star-Club, Hamburg – 25 May 1962

Friday 25 May 1962 | Live, The Beatles
Star-Club, Grosse Freiheit 39, Hamburg, Germany

The Beatles performed at the Star-Club in Hamburg on 25 May 1962 — the 42nd of 48 nights in their first residency at the city's newest and most ambitious rock and roll venue. With just six nights remaining of this opening stint, the group were by now seasoned veterans of the Hamburg circuit — and on the cusp of a transformation that would change everything. Three weeks after leaving Hamburg, they would record their first single for EMI.

The Star-Club

The Star-Club had opened on 13 April 1962 — the same night The Beatles began their first residency there. Located at Grosse Freiheit 39 in Hamburg's Reeperbahn district, it was the brainchild of Manfred Weissleder, a Hamburg entrepreneur who had identified a gap in the market for a larger, better-equipped rock and roll venue than the Kaiserkeller or the Top Ten Club.

The Star-Club was, by the standards of the Hamburg club scene, a significant step up. It had a proper stage, a larger capacity, and a more professional setup than the venues The Beatles had played on their previous Hamburg visits. Weissleder booked major American and British acts alongside the Hamburg regulars — during The Beatles' first residency, they shared the bill with artists including Gene Vincent and Little Richard, two of the foundational figures of rock and roll who had been direct influences on the group's own sound.

The First Residency

The Beatles' first Star-Club residency ran from 13 April to 31 May 1962 — 48 nights in total, with a single night off on Good Friday, 20 April. Over the course of those seven weeks, the group performed for a total of 172 hours on stage. They left Hamburg on Saturday 2 June 1962.

The schedule at the Star-Club was consistent with what The Beatles had experienced at the Top Ten Club the previous year: long sets, multiple hours per night, with short breaks. The Hamburg grind continued — but the context was changing rapidly. They had already signed a management contract with Brian Epstein in January 1962, and Epstein had secured them the EMI audition. The machinery of their breakthrough was already in motion.

Pete Best's Final Hamburg Visit

This first Star-Club residency was also, though no one knew it at the time, Pete Best's last Hamburg engagement with The Beatles. Best had been the group's drummer since August 1960, joining just before their first Hamburg trip. He would be replaced by Ringo Starr in August 1962 — a decision made by Brian Epstein and the other three Beatles, and one that would remain controversial for decades. Best played his final show with The Beatles on 16 August 1962, two days before Starr's first appearance with the group.

Sharing the Bill with Rock and Roll Royalty

One of the defining features of the Star-Club's early months was the calibre of the acts Weissleder booked alongside the Hamburg regulars. During The Beatles' first residency, they performed on the same bill as Gene Vincent — the American rockabilly pioneer behind 'Be-Bop-A-Lula' — and Little Richard, one of the architects of rock and roll and a direct and acknowledged influence on both Lennon and McCartney. Playing alongside these artists night after night was an education in itself, and McCartney in particular absorbed Little Richard's vocal style deeply — his screaming upper register on songs like 'Long Tall Sally' was a direct product of those Hamburg nights.

Three Residencies in 1962

The Beatles returned to the Star-Club twice more in 1962, making it the venue for all three of their Hamburg visits that year:

First residency: 13 April – 31 May 1962 (48 nights, 172 hours)
Second residency: 1–14 November 1962
Third residency: 18–31 December 1962 (the residency captured on the Live! At The Star-Club recordings)

By the time of the third residency in December 1962, 'Love Me Do' was in the UK charts and 'Please Please Me' was ready for release. The Beatles who arrived at the Star-Club in December 1962 were, in every meaningful sense, a different proposition from the group that had opened the venue in April. Hamburg had made them. Now the world was about to find out.

The Lineup

The Beatles at the Star-Club in May 1962 were:

John Lennon — vocals, rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney — vocals, bass guitar
George Harrison — lead guitar
Pete Best — drums (his final Hamburg residency with the group)

Stuart Sutcliffe, who had played bass on the group's earlier Hamburg visits, had left The Beatles during the 1961 Top Ten residency to remain in Hamburg with Astrid Kirchherr. He died in Hamburg on 10 April 1962 — just three days before The Beatles arrived to open the Star-Club. The shadow of his death hung over the start of this residency.

Key Facts: 25 May 1962

Venue: Star-Club, Grosse Freiheit 39, Hamburg, Germany
Residency night: 42 of 48
Residency dates: 13 April – 31 May 1962
Night off: Good Friday, 20 April 1962
Total hours on stage (this residency): 172
Departure from Hamburg: Saturday 2 June 1962
Club owner: Manfred Weissleder
Notable co-bills: Gene Vincent, Little Richard
Drummer: Pete Best (his final Hamburg residency with The Beatles)
Stuart Sutcliffe: Died Hamburg, 10 April 1962 — three days before this residency began

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the Star-Club open?

The Star-Club opened on 13 April 1962 — the same night The Beatles began their first residency there. It was located at Grosse Freiheit 39 in Hamburg's Reeperbahn district and owned by Manfred Weissleder.

How many times did The Beatles play the Star-Club?

Three times in 1962: April–May, November, and December. The December 1962 residency was captured on the unofficial live album Live! At The Star-Club In Hamburg, Germany; 1962, released in 1977.

Who else played the Star-Club during The Beatles' first residency?

Gene Vincent and Little Richard both appeared at the Star-Club during The Beatles' first residency in April–May 1962. Both were direct influences on The Beatles' sound and style.

Was this Pete Best's last Hamburg visit with The Beatles?

Yes. Pete Best was replaced by Ringo Starr in August 1962. The April–May 1962 Star-Club residency was his final Hamburg engagement with the group.

What happened to Stuart Sutcliffe?

Stuart Sutcliffe, The Beatles' original bass player, died in Hamburg on 10 April 1962 from a brain haemorrhage, aged 21 — three days before The Beatles arrived to begin this residency. He had left the group in 1961 to remain in Hamburg with Astrid Kirchherr.

What came next after this Hamburg residency?

The Beatles left Hamburg on 2 June 1962. On 6 June 1962, they recorded their first session for EMI at Abbey Road Studios with producer George Martin — the session that led directly to 'Love Me Do' and the beginning of Beatlemania.