The Beatles live: Star-Club, Hamburg – 28 May 1962

May 28, 2026

The Beatles live: Star-Club, Hamburg – 28 May 1962

Monday 28 May 1962 | Live, The Beatles
Star-Club, Große Freiheit 39, Hamburg, West Germany

On Monday, 28 May 1962, The Beatles performed at the Star-Club on Große Freiheit in Hamburg. It was the 45th of 48 nights of their first residency at the city’s newest and most ambitious rock ‘n’ roll venue. With just three nights left of this stint, The Beatles were approaching the end of a seven-week engagement that had seen them perform for a total of 172 hours on stage — their third Hamburg residency in two years, and the beginning of a new chapter in their relationship with the city.

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 St Pauli district, it was the brainchild of Manfred Weissleder, a Hamburg entrepreneur who had identified a gap in the city’s nightlife for a large, well-equipped rock ‘n’ roll venue. The Star-Club was bigger and more professionally run than anything The Beatles had played in Hamburg before — a proper concert venue with a capacity of around 2,000, a proper stage, and a proper sound system.

Weissleder had the ambition and the money to book the best acts available. Alongside The Beatles, the Star-Club’s early roster included Gene Vincent, Little Richard, Ray Charles, and Jerry Lee Lewis — American rock and roll legends who were still drawing crowds in Europe even as their commercial fortunes in the US had faded. For The Beatles, sharing a bill with these artists was both an education and a validation.

The First Star-Club Residency, 1962

The Beatles’ first Star-Club residency ran from 13 April to 31 May 1962. Their only night off during the entire seven-week engagement was Good Friday, 20 April — a concession to the religious calendar that was standard practice in German entertainment venues of the era.

Over the course of 48 nights, The Beatles performed for a total of 172 hours on stage. The schedule was demanding: long sets, late nights, and the relentless pressure of holding an audience night after night. But by this point, The Beatles were seasoned Hamburg performers. They had already completed residencies at the Indra Club, the Kaiserkeller, and the Top Ten Club, accumulating hundreds of hours of live experience. The Star-Club was the culmination of that Hamburg education.

Three Residencies in 1962

The first Star-Club residency was the longest of three the group would complete at the venue in 1962. They returned for a second stint in November 1962 and a third in December 1962 — by which point they had released their debut single Love Me Do and were on the cusp of Beatlemania. The December 1962 residency is particularly significant: recordings made at the Star-Club during that visit were later released (controversially, without the group’s consent) as The Beatles Live! at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962.

The Road to the Star-Club

By May 1962, The Beatles had been making the journey to Hamburg for nearly two years. Their Hamburg story had begun in August 1960, when Allan Williams booked them into the Indra Club on Große Freiheit — a small, struggling venue that Bruno Koschmider had opened specifically to compete with the more established clubs on the strip. From the Indra they moved to the Kaiserkeller, then returned in 1961 for their landmark 92-night residency at the Top Ten Club under Peter Eckhorn.

Each Hamburg visit had made them a better band. The Star-Club residency of April–May 1962 was the final chapter of that education. When The Beatles left Hamburg on 2 June 1962, they were ready.

What Was Happening Back in Liverpool

While The Beatles were on stage at the Star-Club in late May 1962, significant events were unfolding back in England. Brian Epstein, who had become their manager in January 1962, had secured them a recording contract with EMI’s Parlophone label, overseen by producer George Martin. Their first EMI session was scheduled for 6 June 1962 — just days after they returned from Hamburg.

The group were also on the cusp of a seismic internal change. Pete Best, their drummer since August 1960, would be replaced by Ringo Starr in August 1962 — a decision that remains one of the most discussed and debated moments in Beatles history. On 28 May 1962, Best was still behind the kit, unaware of what was coming.

The Band: 28 May 1962

John Lennon — vocals, rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney — vocals, bass guitar
George Harrison — lead guitar
Pete Best — drums

Stuart Sutcliffe, who had left the group during the 1961 Hamburg residency to remain in the city with Astrid Kirchherr, had died in Hamburg on 10 April 1962 — just three days before The Beatles arrived for this residency. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison learned of his death on the flight to Hamburg. The shadow of Sutcliffe’s loss hung over the entire first Star-Club residency.

Key Facts: 28 May 1962

Venue: Star-Club, Große Freiheit 39, Hamburg, West Germany
Owner: Manfred Weissleder
Residency night: 45 of 48
Residency dates: 13 April – 31 May 1962
Night off: Good Friday, 20 April 1962 (only night off)
Total stage hours (this residency): 172 hours
Departure from Hamburg: Saturday 2 June 1962
Lineup: Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Best
Next major event: First EMI recording session, 6 June 1962

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 St Pauli district and owned by Manfred Weissleder.

How many nights did The Beatles play at the Star-Club in their first 1962 residency?

48 nights, from 13 April to 31 May 1962. Their only night off was Good Friday, 20 April. Over the course of the residency they performed for a total of 172 hours on stage.

How many Star-Club residencies did The Beatles complete in 1962?

Three. The first ran from 13 April to 31 May 1962. They returned for a second residency in November 1962 and a third in December 1962 — by which point they had released Love Me Do and were becoming famous in Britain.

Who was in The Beatles at the Star-Club in May 1962?

John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Pete Best. Stuart Sutcliffe, the group’s original bass player, had died in Hamburg on 10 April 1962, just days before this residency began. Pete Best was replaced by Ringo Starr in August 1962.

What other artists played the Star-Club in 1962?

The Star-Club’s early roster included Gene Vincent, Little Richard, Ray Charles, and Jerry Lee Lewis — American rock and roll legends who were still major draws in Europe. The Beatles shared bills with several of these artists during their 1962 residencies.

What happened after The Beatles left Hamburg in June 1962?

The Beatles left Hamburg on 2 June 1962 and recorded their first EMI session at Abbey Road on 6 June 1962, produced by George Martin. In August 1962, Pete Best was replaced by Ringo Starr. Their debut single Love Me Do was released in October 1962.