Monday, December 27, 2010

Litherland Town Hall - Remember

December 27, 1960

Cold and damp outside, there was something white hot going on inside Litherland Town Hall this evening.  The denizens of the Liverpool rock scene were being shaken awake by this home grown band that had obtained something special over in Hamburg and now was bringing the magic home.  Those who were there remember a hysteria that seemed to come over the crowd.  When the Beatles began to play instead of dancing to the music, they surged forward to be closer to the stage.  Screams of excitement were heard.  No one knew it yet, but it was the first manifestation of the movement that would later be called "Beatlemania".  It was just the shot in the arm the rather despondent group needed to be re-energized.

This was the first show at which the Beatles appeared that was organized by an important person on the developing Merseybeat scene, Bob Wooller.  Because they were booked so late, posters advertising the show were amended to say "Direct from Hamburg - The Beatles!" prompting some of the patrons to comment on the boys remarkably good command of the English language.

Me, Outside Litherland Town Hall in 1998

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