Thursday 9 August 1962 | The Cavern Club, Mathew Street, Liverpool
On 9 August 1962, The Beatles performed a lunchtime show at the Cavern Club on Mathew Street in Liverpool. It was their 123rd lunchtime performance at the venue and their 212th known appearance overall, including evening shows. The Cavern’s lunchtime sessions typically ran from 12pm to 2pm.
A Pivotal Moment
This show took place at an extraordinary moment in The Beatles’ story. Just nine days earlier, on 16 August 1962, Pete Best had been dismissed from the group and replaced by Ringo Starr — though the precise timing means this lunchtime show on 9 August may have been one of the last with Pete Best, or one of the first with Ringo, depending on the exact sequence of events in that turbulent fortnight.
The group were also on the cusp of their recording breakthrough. Their debut single ‘Love Me Do’ would be released on 5 October 1962, and the Cavern remained their most important live platform as they prepared for national fame.
The precise number of The Beatles’ Cavern performances is not known with certainty, although they played at least 155 lunchtime and 125 evening shows at the venue between 9 February 1961 and 3 August 1963.
The Beatles at the Cavern — officially licensed merch
Beatles Cavern Shots 1962 T-Shirt in black.
The Cavern Club
The Cavern Club opened in January 1957 as a jazz venue before embracing rock and roll and skiffle. By 1962 The Beatles had become its most celebrated resident act, playing both lunchtime and evening sessions in the low-arched cellar on Mathew Street. Their final performance there took place on 3 August 1963, by which point Beatlemania had made such intimate club appearances impossible to sustain.
The Beatles at the Cavern — officially licensed merch
Beatles The Cavern T-Shirt in black.
Key Facts
| Date | Thursday 9 August 1962 |
| Venue | The Cavern Club, Mathew Street, Liverpool |
| Session type | Lunchtime (typically 12pm–2pm) |
| Lunchtime show number | 123rd lunchtime performance at the Cavern |
| Overall Cavern appearance | 212th known appearance overall |
| 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 1962.
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 1962?
August 1962 was a transitional month. Pete Best was dismissed on 16 August 1962 and replaced by Ringo Starr. The 9 August lunchtime show therefore took place in the days immediately before that change.
When was The Beatles’ last show at the Cavern Club?
The Beatles’ final performance at the Cavern Club took place on 3 August 1963.
When was The Beatles’ debut single released?
‘Love Me Do’ was released on 5 October 1962, just weeks after the Cavern shows of August 1962.
→ The Beatles live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime) – 8 August 1961
→ The Beatles live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (evening) – 9 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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