Friday 12 July 1963 | Winter Gardens, Margate, England
The Beatles performed at the Winter Gardens in Margate on 12 July 1963. It was the fifth of six consecutive nights at the venue, with The Beatles performing to two separate audiences — two ‘houses’ — each evening.
The Margate Residency
The Winter Gardens run was part of The Beatles' busy summer 1963 schedule, during which they were the biggest act in Britain. Please Please Me had been at number one on the album chart since March, and on this very day — 12 July 1963 — their debut EP Twist And Shout was released in the UK.
The six-night Margate residency ran from 8 to 13 July 1963. Performing two houses per night meant The Beatles played to twelve separate audiences across the week — a gruelling but typical schedule for the era, when demand for tickets far outstripped the capacity of any single show.
Concert Setlist
The Beatles performed the same nine-song set throughout the Margate residency:
- 'Roll Over Beethoven'
- 'Thank You Girl'
- 'Chains'
- 'Please Please Me'
- 'A Taste Of Honey'
- 'I Saw Her Standing There'
- 'Baby It's You'
- 'From Me To You'
- 'Twist And Shout'
The setlist drew heavily from Please Please Me and showcased the full range of the group's vocal talents — with George Harrison leading on 'Roll Over Beethoven' and 'Chains', Paul McCartney on 'A Taste Of Honey' and 'I Saw Her Standing There', and John Lennon closing the show with the raw power of 'Twist And Shout'.
The Lineup
- John Lennon — rhythm guitar, vocals
- Paul McCartney — bass guitar, vocals
- George Harrison — lead guitar, vocals
- Ringo Starr — drums, vocals
Key Facts: 12 July 1963
| Date | Friday 12 July 1963 |
| Venue | Winter Gardens, Margate, England |
| Shows | Two houses |
| Night of residency | 5th of 6 (8–13 July 1963) |
| Songs performed | 9 |
| Lineup | Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, Starr |
| Context | Same day as UK release of the Twist And Shout EP (Parlophone GEP 8882) |
The Winter Gardens, Margate — where The Beatles performed six consecutive nights in July 1963, two houses per night.
The Beatles: Please Please Me Era
The same day as this Margate show, the Twist And Shout EP — drawn entirely from Please Please Me — was released in the UK. Officially licensed Beatles merch.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many nights did The Beatles play the Winter Gardens, Margate in 1963?
The Beatles performed six consecutive nights at the Winter Gardens in Margate from 8 to 13 July 1963, playing two houses each night.
What was The Beatles' setlist at Margate in July 1963?
The Beatles performed nine songs throughout the Margate residency: 'Roll Over Beethoven', 'Thank You Girl', 'Chains', 'Please Please Me', 'A Taste Of Honey', 'I Saw Her Standing There', 'Baby It's You', 'From Me To You', and 'Twist And Shout'.
What else happened on 12 July 1963 in Beatles history?
On the same day as this Margate performance, The Beatles' debut EP Twist And Shout was released in the UK by Parlophone (GEP 8882). It would go on to spend 21 weeks at number one on the EP chart.
Who was in The Beatles at the Winter Gardens, Margate in 1963?
The classic four-piece lineup: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, who had joined the group in August 1962.
What does 'two houses' mean in the context of Beatles concerts?
In the early 1960s, it was common for popular acts to perform two separate shows in one evening — an early and a late performance — to accommodate demand. Each show had a different audience, effectively doubling the number of fans who could attend.
→ 12 July in Beatles History
→ UK EP release: Twist And Shout – 12 July 1963
→ July in Beatles History
→ John Lennon: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ Paul McCartney: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ George Harrison: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ Ringo Starr: Beatles History, Solo Career, Songs & Legacy
→ The Beatles Knowledge Hub
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