International Beatleweek Day 3
International Beatleweek Day 3 - Sun 27th August 2023.
Our third day of International Beatleweek starts a bit later than the first 2, so everyone gets a bit more sleep.
Today, our first gig is at George Harrison’s childhood home in Speke, a suburb of Liverpool. It’s currently an Airbnb, but having contacted owner Ken, he kindly says we can play a little private event in the garden while we’re in Liverpool. We have a small guest list of invited guests coming. We arrive in good time and are met by Rob, he’s looking after the house today. The weather isn’t being kind to us though, it’s starting to rain. Rob says it’s not a problem, we can play inside instead. He shows us around the house, which has been decorated and furnished to look like it was back when George lived here (he moved out in 1962). It’s lovely. Around the allotted time (1pm) our guests start to arrive and congregate in the lounge. I also spy a car pull up outside with people taking photos. I run out to tell them what’s happening and if they’d like to come in and watch they are very welcome. They do. It was a lovely bit of spontaneity, and it was great for them to join us. We play a great little fun and energetic ‘skiffle’ set and the guests all have a great time. We pose for photos, including me copying the photo of George outside the house with guitar in hand. Then, we’re off!
There’s a bit of time to kill before the next gig so I get the guys to drop me back in central Liverpool as Roag Best had kindly given me a ticket to see the ‘Audience With Freda Kelly’ event in the Liverpool Beatles Museum (on Mathew Street). I head to the show. It’s great. Freda was Brian Epstein’s secretary and set up the original Beatles fan club. She knew the Fab Four very well and would count them all as friends. She tells some great stories.
After this, I head across town towards The Adelphi Hotel, which is where we’re next playing. I haven’t eaten though and opposite The Adelphi is a Bella Italia restaurant. I head inside for a pizza. I’m guided to a table and order an alcohol-free beer. On the table next to me, I spy a lady sitting on her own browsing the Beatleweek programme of events. I say hello, she’s from California, having a great time and promises to come and check out The TR5’s over at The Adelphi. I leave her to her meal when 2 guys I recognise, and have spoken to while we’ve been in Liverpool, Graham and Mike, come in and sit at the table opposite me. They acknowledge me and ask if I’m on my own. I say am, I’ve just been to a show on my own. They invite me to join them which is very kind. I move across. They always come to Beatleweek they say, and they’re really enjoying themselves. They have seen The TR5’s a couple of times and have it marked in their programme of events that they will be coming to see our late-night set at The Cavern later on tonight. We finish our meals and Graham says he will pay for them all. I try and refuse but he won’t let me. What a gentleman. Thanks Graham.
So, I make my way over to The Adelphi, this is another gig that was organised by the International Beatleweek people meaning we just have to plug in and play. The other guys are all here, apart from Rusty who calls me from the lobby, she’s a bit lost! It is pretty huge this Adelphi Hotel (we’re playing in the Waves Bar). The previous act finishes, and half the room empties. It was really buzzing in here so that seems like a real shame. We set up in record time again (Steve the compere remarking again how good we are). Steve also says we can start early if we like. We decide we may as well. It’s at this point that the room fills up again, and then some. Wow, there’s a lot of people who have come specifically to see us. It’s hot and sweaty and we’re really rocking. Having spoken to Richey earlier about song choices we decide to mix it up a bit and throw in ‘Hi-Heel Sneakers’, a song that isn’t directly linked to the Beatles but is a great 60’s dance tune. It goes down great. There’s mass dancing and masses of fun. Unfortunately, this great gig has come to an end though. However, as we started a little bit early and because the applause is deafening Steve says we can play an encore. Great news. Again, we decide to mix it up by playing an original song, we go for ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Good Times’. It’s very well received but apparently (we find out later) it’s kind of frowned upon to play non-Beatles related stuff. Not by the organisers, but by the audience. Steve says they might receive emails. We laugh. It was just in the heat of the moment and it is a 60’s style song so we just shrug our shoulders, smile and head off to our next gig.
Our next gig is at The Jacaranda. This is the venue that was originally owned and run by Allan Williams, the guy who managed The Beatles for a little while and got them their first bookings in Hamburg. The Beatles rehearsed and played gigs in the cellar downstairs. It’s only an open mic night that we’re booked in to play but it’s another chance for us to play another renowned Beatles-related venue. We arrive in plenty of time. There’s a guy singing in the bar. We assume this is the start of the open mic as we had been told that it takes place upstairs. We don’t want to interrupt him so we ask at the bar who we should talk to. They introduce us to the host of the open mic, Ali, who has just arrived. They say that the open mic will be downstairs tonight. Hurrah! We will be properly following the Beatles footsteps again. We load our stuff downstairs, get some drinks in and make ourselves comfortable as the open mic starts. There are some great acts, some instrumental guitar-picking guys from Argentina, Ben Owens doing his stuff and the very talented Meg. This is great. Then our time comes. Ali has put us on slap bang in the middle of the evening because we have another gig to get to later. He also says we can play 5 songs instead of the normal 3 allowed as we are a full band, and it is something a bit special. We rock out 5 of our best Beatles-related tunes and the packed cellar erupts. Another great reception. Thanks everybody. We pack up and head out in to Liverpool centre again.
Finally, we play another set on the back stage at the Cavern Club. It’s 11.30pm and the place is still rocking and packed solid to the rafters. Richey and I enjoy a drink at the bar with sweat literally pouring off us. There really is no let up from the audiences during Beatleweek. We follow a band from Brazil who have a large and very boisterous following with them. We also meet an amazingly attired band from Finland in the dressing room and I manage to spill the compere’s drink down his newly-changed t-shirt before we hit the stage, much to his and everyone's amusement. As soon as we hit the stage the adrenalin and energy kicks in and we give another high-energy set of all our Beatles-related tunes (no originals this time!). I dedicate a song to Graham and Mike for buying me dinner too! A successful end to our third day of Beatleweek. It’s going on until the early morning here but as we have more gigs to do tomorrow we head off back to the accommodation, tired but very very happy.
Lucky