Feburary 23rd – On This Day In Beatles History

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 9:09 am

1962 – The Beatles perform four shows at three venues. First they play a lunchtime show at the Cavern Club, Liverpool. That evening they perform at the Tower Ballroom, New Brighton, Wallasey. The Beatles then rush to Technical College Hall in Birkenhead for a half-hour performance, after which they hurry back to the Tower Ballroom for a second performance.

1963 – The Beatles’ first single “Please Please Me/Ask Me Why” (Parlophone 4983) reaches No.1 on the “Disc” chart in the U.K, the first No.1 record for The Beatles. On March 2 it is No.1 on the “New Musical Express” chart (for the week ending March 1) and also No.1 on the “Melody Maker” chart. It also reaches No.1 on the BBC and “Record Mirror” charts. The Beatles perform on opening night of the second leg of the Helen Shapiro tour. They play at the Granada Cinema, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, performing for two “houses.” Before their first performance, The Beatles crowd into Helen Shapiro’s dressing room to watch their most recent appearance on the television program “Thank Your Lucky Stars,” which had been taped on the 17th.

1964 – The Beatles travel to Teddington Studio Centre to record their second appearance on the ABC Television variety show “Big Night Out.” Recording is done in front of a studio audience. The Beatles participate in three comedy skits, one of them showing customs inspectors searching The Beatles’ luggage as they are returning from America and finding the suitcases are all filled with cash. Then The Beatles play lip-sync performances of “All My Loving,” “I Wanna Be Your Man,” “Till There Was You,” “Please Mr. Postman,” “Money,” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” Broadcast on February 29.

1965 – The Beatles begin filming in the Bahamas for the movie “Help!” (tentatively titled “Eight Arms To Hold You”). First filmed are shots of Ringo listening to conch shells at a dock-side location (this scene would not be included in the final film). Then all four Beatles swim about fully clothed in the pool at the Nassau Beach Hotel (for the scene where The Beatles are escaping from the temple, diving through an opening in the hollow altar, into water, and surfacing at a busy hotel swimming pool).

1967 – The Beatles in the recording studio, Studio Two, EMI’s Abbey Road Studios, London. They start recording “Lovely Rita,” taping eight takes of the rhythm track and a McCartney bass overdub.

1972 – Paul McCartney and Wings completes its first tour with a performance at Oxford University.

1998 – John Lennon compilation album “Lennon Legend” (EMI/Parlophone 21954-2) is released in the U.S. The album is subtitled “The Very Best of John Lennon.” All tracks were digitally remastered. Tracks: “Imagine,” “Instant Karma,” “Mother” (single edit), “Jealous Guy,” “Power to the People,” “Cold Turkey,” “Love,” “Mind Games,” “Whatever Gets You Through the Night,” “No.9 Dream,” “Stand By Me,” “(Just Like) Starting Over,” “Woman,” “Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy),” “Watching the Wheels,” “Nobody Told Me,” “Borrowed Time,” “Working Class Hero,” “Happy Xmas (War Is Over),” and “Give Peace a Chance.