Wednesday 9 August 1961 | The Cavern Club, Mathew Street, Liverpool
On 9 August 1961, The Beatles performed an evening show at the Cavern Club on Mathew Street in Liverpool. It was their eighth evening performance at the venue and their 31st appearance overall. The previous day, 8 August 1961, they had played a lunchtime show at the same venue — their 23rd lunchtime performance and 30th appearance overall.
The Cavern Club
The Cavern Club opened in January 1957 as a jazz venue before embracing rock and roll and skiffle. By 1961 The Beatles had become its most popular resident act, playing both lunchtime and evening sessions in the low-arched, condensation-soaked cellar on Mathew Street that would soon become one of the most famous music venues in the world.
Although the precise total of their Cavern performances is not known with certainty, The Beatles played at least 155 lunchtime and 125 evening shows at the venue between 9 February 1961 and 3 August 1963. Their final performance there took place on 3 August 1963, by which point Beatlemania had made such intimate club appearances impossible to sustain.
By August 1961, The Beatles had recently returned from their second Hamburg residency and were building a devoted local following. Their manager Brian Epstein would first see them perform at the Cavern in November 1961 — a visit that would change the course of popular music history.
The Beatles at the Cavern — officially licensed merch
Beatles Cavern Shots 1962 T-Shirt in black.
The Beatles in August 1961
The line-up at this time was John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Pete Best on drums. Ringo Starr would not join the group until August 1962. Stuart Sutcliffe, who had played bass in the Hamburg line-ups, had remained in Germany and would die there in April 1962.
The summer of 1961 was a pivotal period. The Beatles had returned from Hamburg sharpened by months of intensive live performance, and the Cavern shows — both lunchtime and evening — were central to their growing reputation on Merseyside. Within months, Brian Epstein would become their manager and begin the process of securing them a record deal.
The Beatles at the Cavern — officially licensed merch
Beatles The Cavern T-Shirt in black.
Key Facts
| Date | Wednesday 9 August 1961 |
| Venue | The Cavern Club, Mathew Street, Liverpool |
| Session type | Evening show |
| Evening show number | 8th evening performance at the Cavern |
| Overall Cavern appearance | 31st appearance overall |
| Line-up | John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best |
| Cavern shows documented | At least 155 lunchtime and 125 evening shows (9 Feb 1961 – 3 Aug 1963) |
| Final Cavern show | 3 August 1963 |
The Cavern Club, Mathew Street, Liverpool — where The Beatles performed on 9 August 1961.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times did The Beatles play the Cavern Club?
The Beatles played at least 155 lunchtime and 125 evening shows at the Cavern Club between 9 February 1961 and 3 August 1963, though the precise total is not known with certainty.
Who was in The Beatles in August 1961?
In August 1961, The Beatles comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Pete Best on drums. Ringo Starr did not join until August 1962.
When did Brian Epstein first see The Beatles at the Cavern?
Brian Epstein first saw The Beatles perform at the Cavern Club in November 1961. He became their manager shortly afterwards.
When was The Beatles’ last show at the Cavern Club?
The Beatles’ final performance at the Cavern Club took place on 3 August 1963, by which point Beatlemania had made such intimate club appearances impossible to sustain.
→ The Beatles live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime) – 8 August 1961
→ August in Beatles History
→ On This Day in Beatles History
→ The Beatles Knowledge Hub
Shop Cavern Club merch: Cavern Shots 1962 T-Shirt | The Cavern T-Shirt | Beatles T-shirts
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