The Beatles live: Gaumont Cinema, Southampton – 20 May 1963
Monday 20 May 1963 | Live
Gaumont Cinema, Southampton, England
The third date of The Beatles' tour with Roy Orbison took place at the Gaumont Cinema in Southampton. Also on the bill were Gerry and the Pacemakers, David Macbeth, Louise Cordet, Tony Marsh, Terry Young Six, Erkey Grant, and Ian Crawford. By May 1963, The Beatles were the biggest act in Britain — and the tour's original billing had already been reversed to put them above Orbison.
The Roy Orbison Tour
The tour had originally been billed with Roy Orbison as the headline act — he was, after all, an established American star with a string of international hits including 'Only The Lonely', 'Crying', and 'In Dreams'. The Beatles were to be the support. Within days of the tour opening on 18 May 1963, however, it became clear that Beatlemania had made the original billing untenable. The Beatles were closing the show and receiving the lion's share of the audience response. Orbison, a generous and gracious performer, accepted the change without complaint. He later said of The Beatles: “They were very, very professional and very, very talented.”
Gerry and the Pacemakers were also on the bill — managed, like The Beatles, by Brian Epstein, and signed, like The Beatles, to EMI's Parlophone label. Their debut single 'How Do You Do It' — a song George Martin had originally offered to The Beatles, who rejected it in favour of 'Love Me Do' — had reached number one in March 1963. Their second single 'I Like It' was at number one at the time of this tour.
The Setlist
The Beatles performed the same seven songs throughout the tour: 'Some Other Guy', 'Do You Want To Know A Secret', 'Love Me Do', 'From Me To You', 'Please Please Me', 'I Saw Her Standing There', and 'Twist And Shout'. 'From Me To You' had been at number one since late April; the Please Please Me album had been at number one since May. The seven-song set was typical of the era — concert sets were short, audiences were loud, and the music was often barely audible above the screaming.
The Venue
This was The Beatles' first performance at the Gaumont in Southampton. They returned on two other occasions: 13 December 1963 and 6 November 1964. The venue opened as the Empire Theatre in 1928, became the Gaumont in 1948, and changed its name to the Mayflower Theatre in 1987. It remains one of the largest theatres on the south coast of England, with a capacity of around 2,300.
Key Facts: 20 May 1963
- Venue: Gaumont Cinema, Southampton (now Mayflower Theatre)
- Tour date: 3rd of the Roy Orbison UK Tour
- Also on the bill: Roy Orbison, Gerry and the Pacemakers, David Macbeth, Louise Cordet, Tony Marsh, Terry Young Six, Erkey Grant, Ian Crawford
- Songs performed: 'Some Other Guy', 'Do You Want To Know A Secret', 'Love Me Do', 'From Me To You', 'Please Please Me', 'I Saw Her Standing There', 'Twist And Shout'
- Chart position at time: 'From Me To You' at number one; Please Please Me album at number one
- Beatles' other visits to this venue: 13 December 1963, 6 November 1964
- Venue history: Empire Theatre 1928 → Gaumont 1948 → Mayflower Theatre 1987
Frequently Asked Questions
Did The Beatles play Southampton?
Yes — The Beatles performed at the Gaumont Cinema in Southampton on three occasions: 20 May 1963, 13 December 1963, and 6 November 1964. The venue is now the Mayflower Theatre.
What did The Beatles play at Southampton on 20 May 1963?
'Some Other Guy', 'Do You Want To Know A Secret', 'Love Me Do', 'From Me To You', 'Please Please Me', 'I Saw Her Standing There', and 'Twist And Shout' — the same seven-song set used throughout the Roy Orbison tour.
Was Roy Orbison the headline act on the 1963 tour?
He was originally billed as the headline act, but within days of the tour opening it became clear that The Beatles' popularity made the original billing untenable. They closed the show and received the majority of the audience response. Orbison accepted the change graciously and later praised The Beatles as “very, very professional and very, very talented.”
Who else was on the Roy Orbison tour with The Beatles?
Gerry and the Pacemakers, David Macbeth, Louise Cordet, Tony Marsh, Terry Young Six, Erkey Grant, and Ian Crawford. Gerry and the Pacemakers were also managed by Brian Epstein and signed to Parlophone; their single 'I Like It' was at number one at the time.
What is the Gaumont Cinema Southampton called now?
The Mayflower Theatre. It opened as the Empire Theatre in 1928, became the Gaumont in 1948, and was renamed the Mayflower Theatre in 1987. It has a capacity of around 2,300 and remains one of the largest theatres on the south coast of England.
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