The Beatles live: Star-Club, Hamburg

Friday 4 May 1962 | Live Performance | Hamburg, Germany

On Friday 4 May 1962, The Beatles took to the stage at Hamburg's Star-Club for the 21st night of their first residency at the venue — the halfway point of a gruelling seven-week engagement that would total 48 nights and 172 hours of live performance.

Overview

Located at Grosse Freiheit 39, just off the Reeperbahn, the Star-Club was the largest and most prestigious venue The Beatles had played in Hamburg, with a capacity of approximately 2,000. It had opened just three weeks earlier, on 13 April 1962 — the very night The Beatles began their residency there.

By 4 May, The Beatles had been in Hamburg for over three weeks, performing night after night in a city that had shaped them more than anywhere else. Friday nights at the Star-Club were among the busiest of the week, with the club drawing large crowds from across Hamburg and beyond.

The emotional backdrop: Stuart Sutcliffe

This residency was taking place in the shadow of profound grief. The Beatles had arrived in Hamburg on 11 April to learn that their former bandmate and close friend Stuart Sutcliffe had died the previous day — 10 April 1962 — from a brain haemorrhage, aged just 21. Astrid Kirchherr, Sutcliffe's fiancée, had met them at the airport with the news.

Despite the shock, The Beatles had opened the Star-Club just two days later on 13 April. By 4 May, they had been performing for three weeks since learning of Sutcliffe's death — a testament to both their professionalism and the relentless demands of the Hamburg circuit.

On the cusp of everything

The spring of 1962 was a pivotal moment in Beatles history. Just weeks after this residency ended, the group would return to England and face a summer that would change everything: Pete Best would be replaced by Ringo Starr in August, and on 6 June 1962 — just days after leaving Hamburg — The Beatles would record their first EMI session at Abbey Road Studios, producing early takes of Love Me Do and P.S. I Love You.

The Star-Club nights of April and May 1962 represent The Beatles at their rawest and most experienced as a live act — honed by thousands of hours on Hamburg stages, yet still unknown to the wider world.

Residency Context

The first Star-Club residency ran from 13 April to 31 May 1962 — 48 nights with only one scheduled break (Good Friday, 20 April). The Beatles left Hamburg on 2 June 1962.

This was their third Hamburg club residency in two years, following the Indra and Kaiserkeller in 1960 and the Top Ten Club in 1961. They would return to the Star-Club for two further residencies later in 1962 — in November and December — and again in January 1963.

Venue Location

Key Facts: 4 May 1962

• Venue: Star-Club, Grosse Freiheit 39, Hamburg, West Germany
• Residency night: 21st of 48
• Day: Friday
• Residency dates: 13 April – 31 May 1962
• Only night off: Good Friday, 20 April 1962
• Total hours on stage: 172
• Stuart Sutcliffe died: 10 April 1962
• Next EMI session: 6 June 1962
• Departure from Hamburg: 2 June 1962

Frequently Asked Questions

When did The Beatles play the Star-Club on 4 May 1962?

4 May 1962 was the 21st night of The Beatles' first Star-Club residency, which ran from 13 April to 31 May 1962 — 48 nights with only Good Friday off.

What was happening in The Beatles' career in May 1962?

They were midway through their first Star-Club residency in Hamburg. Within weeks of leaving, Pete Best would be replaced by Ringo Starr, and the band would record their first EMI session on 6 June 1962 at Abbey Road Studios.

How many hours did The Beatles perform at the Star-Club in 1962?

172 hours across 48 nights during the first residency alone, from 13 April to 31 May 1962.

Who had recently died when The Beatles were playing the Star-Club in May 1962?

Stuart Sutcliffe, their former bassist and John Lennon's closest friend, had died on 10 April 1962 — just days before the residency began. The Beatles learned of his death on arrival at Hamburg Airport on 11 April.

What other Hamburg clubs had The Beatles played before the Star-Club?

The Indra and Kaiserkeller in 1960, and the Top Ten Club in 1961 — making the Star-Club their fourth Hamburg venue.

→ The Beatles' only night off: Good Friday, 20 April 1962
→ Stuart Sutcliffe dies in Hamburg: 10 April 1962
→ May in Beatles History
→ The Beatles Knowledge Hub

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