Tuesday 7 August 1962 | The Cavern Club, Mathew Street, Liverpool
On 7 August 1962, The Beatles performed a lunchtime show at the Cavern Club on Mathew Street in Liverpool — their 122nd lunchtime performance at the venue, their 210th known appearance overall, and the 37th occasion on which they performed both a lunchtime and an evening show at the Cavern on the same day. Lunchtime shows typically ran from 12pm to 2pm.
The Scale of The Beatles’ Cavern Residency
The statistics surrounding The Beatles’ Cavern Club appearances are extraordinary. Between their first performance at the venue on 9 February 1961 and their final show on 3 August 1963, The Beatles played at least 155 lunchtime and 125 evening shows at the Cavern — though the precise total is not known with certainty, as not all appearances were formally documented at the time.
The 7 August 1962 lunchtime show came at a pivotal moment. Just three weeks earlier, on 16 July 1962, Brian Epstein had informed Pete Best that he was being replaced as drummer. Ringo Starr had officially joined The Beatles on 18 August 1962 — meaning the 7 August lunchtime show was one of the final Cavern appearances with Pete Best behind the kit, in the last days of the original Hamburg-era line-up.
The Cavern Club — officially licensed Beatles merch
Official Beatles “The Cavern” T-Shirt in black.
The Cavern in 1962
By August 1962, the Cavern Club had become the epicentre of the Merseybeat scene. The Beatles were its biggest draw, and their regular lunchtime and evening sessions had built a devoted local following that would form the foundation of Beatlemania when it broke nationally later that year. The venue’s low brick-vaulted cellar on Mathew Street, with its condensation-dripping walls and packed lunchtime crowds of office workers, shop assistants and students, was the setting for some of the most important live performances in rock history.
The double-header format — lunchtime and evening shows on the same day — was a regular feature of The Beatles’ Cavern schedule. By 7 August 1962, they had done this on 37 occasions, a testament to the sheer volume of work the group was putting in during this period.
Key Facts
| Date | Tuesday 7 August 1962 |
| Venue | The Cavern Club, Mathew Street, Liverpool |
| Session | Lunchtime (12–2pm) |
| Lunchtime show number | 122nd |
| Overall Cavern appearance number | 210th (known) |
| Double-header (lunchtime + evening same day) | 37th occasion |
| Total known Cavern appearances | At least 280 (155 lunchtime + 125 evening), 9 Feb 1961 – 3 Aug 1963 |
| Line-up | John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best (Ringo Starr joined 18 August 1962) |
The Cavern Club, Mathew Street, Liverpool — where The Beatles played at least 280 known shows between 1961 and 1963.
The Cavern Club — officially licensed Beatles merch
Official Beatles “Cavern Shots 1962” T-Shirt in black.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many times did The Beatles play the Cavern Club?
The Beatles played at least 280 known shows at the Cavern Club between 9 February 1961 and 3 August 1963 — at least 155 lunchtime and 125 evening performances. The precise total is not known with certainty as not all appearances were formally documented.
When did The Beatles first play the Cavern Club?
The Beatles’ first documented performance at the Cavern Club was on 9 February 1961. Their predecessor group The Quarrymen had also played the venue, with 7 August 1957 commonly cited as their Cavern debut, though this date has been disputed.
When did The Beatles last play the Cavern Club?
The Beatles’ final performance at the Cavern Club was on 3 August 1963. By that point, Beatlemania had taken hold nationally and the group rarely played in Liverpool again.
Who was drumming for The Beatles at the Cavern in August 1962?
Pete Best was still drumming for The Beatles at the Cavern in early August 1962. He was informed of his dismissal on 16 July 1962, and Ringo Starr officially joined the group on 18 August 1962 — meaning the 7 August lunchtime show was one of the final Cavern appearances with Pete Best.
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