The Beatles live: St John's Hall, Liverpool – 3 August 1961

Name: The Beatles live: St John's Hall, Liverpool
Start: 1961-08-03
Location: St John's Hall

August 3, 2026

Thursday 3 August 1961 | St John's Hall, Snaefell Avenue, Tuebrook, Liverpool

On 3 August 1961, The Beatles performed at St John's Hall on Snaefell Avenue in Tuebrook, Liverpool. This was their sixth appearance at the venue, which was run by Mona Best — mother of drummer Pete Best and owner of the Casbah Coffee Club in West Derby. The group played St John's Hall on 11 occasions in total during 1961.

St John's Hall, Tuebrook

St John's Hall on Snaefell Avenue in Tuebrook was one of several local halls where The Beatles built their reputation during the early 1960s. Mona Best was a key organiser of music nights at the venue — a natural extension of her work at the Casbah Coffee Club, which had been one of the first venues to give The Beatles a regular booking.

The hall should not be confused with a venue of the same name in Bootle, where The Beatles also performed on separate occasions. The Tuebrook St John's Hall was part of the dense network of local halls, ballrooms and clubs that made up the Liverpool live music circuit in the early 1960s.

Two weeks before this performance, The Beatles had played St John's Hall on 20 July 1961 — their fifth appearance at the venue.

Official Beatles Cavern Shots 1962 T-Shirt

The Beatles in Liverpool, 1962 — on a T-shirt

Officially licensed Beatles merchandise celebrating the early Liverpool era.

Official Beatles “Cavern Shots 1962” T-Shirt →

The Beatles at St John's Hall: All 11 Dates

Date	Thursday 3 August 1961
Venue	St John's Hall, Snaefell Avenue, Tuebrook, Liverpool
Organiser	Mona Best
Appearance number	6th of 11 at this venue
All St John's Hall dates	17 Feb; 10 Mar; 13, 20, 27 Jul; 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Aug; 8 Sep 1961
Line-up	John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Pete Best

Snaefell Avenue, Tuebrook, Liverpool — the location of St John's Hall, one of the venues on the early Beatles live circuit in 1961.

Official Beatles The Cavern 1962 T-Shirt Silver Grey

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The Cavern 1962 T-Shirt in silver grey — for true early-era devotees.

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Context: The Beatles in August 1961

By August 1961, The Beatles were one of the most in-demand live acts on Merseyside. They had recently returned from their second residency in Hamburg, where they had honed their live sound through marathon sets at the Kaiserkeller and Top Ten Club. Back in Liverpool, they were playing multiple venues each week — the Cavern Club, Litherland Town Hall, and a circuit of local halls including St John's Hall.

The line-up at this time was John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Pete Best on drums. Stuart Sutcliffe had remained in Hamburg earlier in the year. The group were still unsigned — Brian Epstein would not discover them at the Cavern Club until November 1961.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where was St John's Hall in Liverpool?

St John's Hall was located on Snaefell Avenue in Tuebrook, Liverpool. It should not be confused with a hall of the same name in Bootle, where The Beatles also performed on separate occasions.

Who organised the Beatles nights at St John's Hall, Tuebrook?

The music nights at St John's Hall, Tuebrook were organised by Mona Best — mother of Pete Best and owner of the Casbah Coffee Club in West Derby, one of the earliest venues to give The Beatles a regular booking.

How many times did The Beatles play St John's Hall, Tuebrook?

The Beatles played St John's Hall on Snaefell Avenue, Tuebrook on 11 occasions in 1961: 17 February, 10 March, 13, 20 and 27 July, 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 August, and 8 September.

Who was in The Beatles in August 1961?

In August 1961, The Beatles' line-up was John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Pete Best on drums. Stuart Sutcliffe had remained in Hamburg and was no longer touring with the group.