The Beatles Azena Ballroom concert poster – The Beatles 12 February 1963

The Beatles Azena Ballroom concert poster – The Beatles 12 February 1963 The Beatles spent Monday 11 February 1963 recording ten of the songs that go to make up Please, Please Me, the bands debut album. It is well known that the recording session, had all but destroyed John Lennon’s voice with the recording of the Isley Brothers song Twist and Shout for the album being the breaking point. It has been noted that even at the time John Lennon was disappointed with his one-take performance in the song stating “…I could sing better than that, but now it doesn’t bother me. You can hear that I’m just a frantic guy doing his best.” A second take was attempted, but Lennon had nothing left to give and it was abandoned. Since the recording, The Beatles’ version of “Twist and Shout” has been called “the most famous single take in rock history.” with writer Mark Lewisohn in his book The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions going as far as to suggest the performance is “arguably the most stunning rock and roll vocal and instrumental performance of all time.” The Beatles Azena Ballroom concert poster 2 April 1963… the real date! The concert was originally booked at the home of Peter Stringfellow’s Black Cat Club, St Aiden’s Hall in Oldham. However, as the band’s success rose in the spring of 1963, so did ticket sales. With 2,000 tickets sold for a venue that was supposed to hold less than 500 people,  police advised that the show be moved because of the large crowds expected. Stringfellow had no option to find a bigger venue. He tried to book Sheffield’s Mecca dance hall but failed and opted for the Azena Ballroom. Now whether the show was rescheduled or not is open to some debate. There are suggestions that the poster itself was an elaborate fake.A fact borne out by the inclusion of Ivor Arbitor’s “Dropped T” logo which was designed in April of that year, and not seen in public until May. Whatever reason, the Saturday 12th February show never happened and after years of speculation, later evidence suggests the show took place on 2 April 1963 instead. It was The Beatles’ third concert in Sheffield, Yorkshire. The Fab Four had already performed there several times over the past months as part of bigger package tours as support to the likes of Helen Shapiro and Roy Orbison. This time they performed two sets at the Azena Ballroom as the headlining act. The group had been booked by Sheffield promoter Peter Stringfellow, who later became a well-known London-based nightclub owner. Stringfellow had been quoted a charge of £65 to book the group. Some accounts claim that Epstein had tried to put the price up to £90 due to The Beatles’ chart success with the Please Please Me album. Given other stories about Epstein sticking to his pre-fame prices so many times it seems unlikely. Whether its true or not it is believed Epstein and Stringfellow settled on a compromise of £85. The night’s hire cost for the Azena was £29. Tickets were initially four shillings, rising to five shillings nearer the day of the concert and six shillings on the day. The Live Azena Ballroom, Sheffield listing on the BeatlesBible website explains “Predictably there were chaotic scenes both inside and outside the venue, with a number of people turned away.” An article by Errol Edwards for The Star newspaper went further saying “The scene was total carnage at the event with hundreds turning up without tickets; windows were smashed and the fire doors mysteriously opened. The band’s show at the Azena Ballroom in Gleadless is the one that has taken on almost mythical status. The Beatles Azena Ballroom concerts Support acts for the event dubbed ‘The Beatles Show’ included Mark Stone and the Aidens, plus a special appearance from Screaming Howling Horror of Fitzalan Square – Count Linsey III and the Skeletons. The event was due to begin at 7pm and finish at 11pm. A setlist written by Paul McCartney on the back of a Parlophoe postcard survives. It was picked up backstage after the concert by the drummer of one of the support bands Mark Stone The Aidens and lists the two evening sets. The first consisted of I Saw Her Standing There, Sweet Little Sixteen, Chains, Beautiful Dreamer, Misery, Hey Good Looking, Love Me Do, Baby It’s You, 3 Cool Cats, Please Please Me. The second set included Some Other Guy, Ask Me Why, Roll Over Beethoven, Taste of Honey, Boys, Keep Your Hands Off, So You Want To Know A Secret, From Me To You, Please (?) and Long Tall Sally.