28 April in Beatles History – Complete On This Day Timeline

What Happened On 28 April In Beatles History?

This page is part of a complete Beatles history archive covering every day of the year. Below is a chronological list of all known events that took place on 28 April throughout Beatles history.

28 April 1961 – The Beatles Live at Top Ten Club, Hamburg

On Friday 28 April 1961, The Beatles performed their 28th consecutive night at Hamburg's Top Ten Club during their punishing 1961 residency. Owned by Peter Eckhorn and located at Reeperbahn 136, the club required marathon sets of up to seven hours per night, six to seven nights a week. By the end of the 92-night engagement, the band had accumulated over 500 hours of live performance time — the crucible of their live identity.

Read the full story: The Beatles at the Top Ten Club, Hamburg – 28 April 1961

28 April 1962 – The Beatles Live at Star-Club, Hamburg

On Saturday 28 April 1962, The Beatles performed their 15th night at Hamburg's Star-Club during their first residency at the venue — a 48-show run from 13 April to 31 May 1962. Located at Grosse Freiheit 39, the Star-Club was the largest and most prestigious venue The Beatles had played in Hamburg, with a capacity of approximately 2,000. This engagement represented the final chapter of their Hamburg education, just weeks before Pete Best's departure and the EMI sessions that produced Love Me Do.

Read the full story: The Beatles at the Star-Club, Hamburg – 28 April 1962

28 April 1963 – John Lennon and Brian Epstein Holiday in Barcelona

On Sunday 28 April 1963, John Lennon departed for a 12-day holiday in Barcelona, Spain with Beatles manager Brian Epstein — one of the most discussed and debated episodes in Beatles history. The trip took place just three weeks after the birth of Lennon's son Julian, while the other Beatles holidayed separately in Tenerife. In a 1980 Playboy interview, Lennon addressed the trip directly, describing it as an important bonding experience between manager and artist.

Read the full story: John Lennon & Brian Epstein in Barcelona – 28 April 1963

28 April 1964 – Around The Beatles TV Special Recording

On Tuesday 28 April 1964, The Beatles recorded the ITV television special Around The Beatles at Wembley Studios, Studio 5AB, in front of a live audience (9:00pm–10:15pm). Produced by Rediffusion Television and directed by Daphne Shadwell, the programme featured a comedic Shakespeare segment — Lennon as Thisbe, McCartney as Pyramus, Harrison as Moonshine, Starr as Lion — alongside a seven-song set mimed to pre-recordings made at IBC Studios on 19 April. The special was broadcast on ITV on 6 May 1964 and on ABC in the US on 15 November 1964.

Read the full story: Around The Beatles TV Special Recording – 28 April 1964

28 April 1965 – Help! Filming: Pub Scene & Grammy Presentation

On Wednesday 28 April 1965, The Beatles continued production on Help! at Twickenham Film Studios, completing the interior pub scene — including Ringo Starr's trapdoor gag — and an unused sequence featuring Frankie Howerd and Wendy Richard. During filming, actor Peter Sellers arrived on set to present The Beatles with Grammy Awards for their 1964 achievements, including Best Performance by a Vocal Group and Best New Artist, in an informal ceremony that included an impromptu performance of It's A Long Way To Tipperary.

Read the full story: Help! Filming & Grammy Presentation – 28 April 1965

28 April 1966 – Recording: “Eleanor Rigby”

On Thursday 28 April 1966, The Beatles recorded the string octet backing for Paul McCartney's Eleanor Rigby at Studio Two, EMI Studios, Abbey Road (5:00pm–7:50pm). Produced by George Martin and engineered by Geoff Emerick, the session featured four violins, two violas, and two cellos — performed without vibrato and recorded with unusually close microphone placement, creating the track's stark, immediate sound. Fourteen takes were recorded; take 14 was selected as the master. The track was released on Revolver on 5 August 1966.

Read the full story: Recording “Eleanor Rigby” – 28 April 1966

28 April 1972 – John Lennon & Yoko Ono Press Conference, Washington DC

On Friday 28 April 1972, John Lennon and Yoko Ono held a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington DC, organised by the National Committee for John and Yoko to build public opposition to Lennon's potential deportation from the United States. The Nixon administration had issued a deportation order in February 1972, citing a 1968 UK cannabis conviction. The case was ultimately resolved in Lennon's favour in October 1975, when a US Court of Appeals ruled the conviction did not constitute grounds for deportation.

Read the full story: John Lennon & Yoko Ono Press Conference, Washington DC – 28 April 1972

28 April 1974 – John Lennon at March of Dimes Walkathon, New York City

On Sunday 28 April 1974, John Lennon attended the March of Dimes Walkathon in Central Park alongside Harry Nilsson, making an informal public appearance at the annual 20-mile charity walk. During the same New York stay, Lennon met with Mark Lapidos, who was organising an early Beatles fan convention — donating a signed guitar for a charity raffle that helped seed the first Beatlefest convention later that year. Lennon was at this time in the middle of his so-called “Lost Weekend” separation from Yoko Ono.

Read the full story: John Lennon at March of Dimes Walkathon – 28 April 1974

28 April 1978 – Laurence Juber Auditions for Wings

On Friday 28 April 1978, guitarist Laurence Juber auditioned for Wings at MPL Communications in central London, in a session attended by Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Denny Laine, and drummer Steve Holley. The session involved reggae tracks and rock 'n' roll standards; McCartney extended an invitation to join on the spot. Juber accepted, forming part of Wings' final line-up — which recorded Back to the Egg (1979) and undertook the UK Wings Over the World Tour before the band's dissolution in 1981.

Read the full story: Laurence Juber Auditions for Wings – 28 April 1978

28 April 1997 – Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band Live: Moore Theatre, Seattle

On Monday 28 April 1997, Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band performed at the Moore Theatre in Seattle — the opening night of a 30-date North American tour. The 1997 line-up featured Peter Frampton, Jack Bruce, Gary Brooker, Simon Kirke, and Mark Rivera, performing their own hits alongside Beatles classics including Yellow Submarine and With a Little Help From My Friends.

Read the full story: Ringo Starr All-Starr Band, Moore Theatre, Seattle – 28 April 1997

28 April 2003 – Paul McCartney Live at Kölnarena, Cologne

On Monday 28 April 2003, Paul McCartney performed the second of two consecutive nights at the Kölnarena (now Lanxess Arena) in Cologne, Germany, as part of the Back In The World Tour. The 33-date European tour was the international counterpart to the 2002 Driving World Tour, featuring the same band and production across major European arenas.

Read the full story: Paul McCartney at Kölnarena, Cologne – 28 April 2003

28 April 2010 – George Martin Speaks in Aid of Deafness Research UK

On Wednesday 28 April 2010, Sir George Martin appeared at a charity evening at King's Place in London in support of Deafness Research UK, taking part in an on-stage conversation with BBC presenter Andrew Marr. The event was attended by Sir Paul McCartney. Martin reflected on his career at EMI, his work with The Beatles, and landmark recordings including Please Please Me, the Abbey Road medley, and A Day in the Life.

Read the full story: George Martin speaks for Deafness Research UK – 28 April 2010

28 April 2014 – Paul McCartney Live at Estadio de Liga, Quito

On Monday 28 April 2014, Paul McCartney performed at the Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado in Quito, Ecuador, as part of the Out There Tour. This was McCartney's first-ever concert in Ecuador. Quito's altitude of approximately 2,850 metres above sea level made it one of the most physically demanding stops on the tour.

Read the full story: Paul McCartney at Estadio de Liga, Quito – 28 April 2014

28 April 2015 – Paul McCartney Live at Nippon Budokan, Tokyo

On Tuesday 28 April 2015, Paul McCartney performed at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo as part of the Out There Tour, attended by 11,833 fans. The show featured the first-ever live performance of the Beatles song Another Girl (from Help!, 1965). The Budokan holds unique significance in Beatles history as the venue for The Beatles' only Japan concerts in 1966.

Read the full story: Paul McCartney at Nippon Budokan, Tokyo – 28 April 2015