1963 TV Concert: ‘It’s The Beatles’ Live

Live, television: It’s The Beatles
3.45pm, Saturday 7 December 1963

Following their appearance on the BBC television show Juke Box Jury, The Beatles recorded a special concert appearance for the corporation at Liverpool’s Empire Theatre.

The performance took place in front of 2,500 members of The Beatles’ Northern Area Fan Club, between 3.45 and 4.30pm. It was filmed in its entirety by the BBC, and 30 minutes were broadcast that evening from 8.10pm to 8.40pm during a special programme entitled It’s The Beatles.

The group played a short version of From Me To You, followed by I Saw Her Standing There, All My Loving, Roll Over Beethoven, Boys, Till There Was You, She Loves You, This Boy, I Want To Hold Your Hand, Money (That’s What I Want), Twist And Shout, and another version of From Me To You.

Technical problems and lack of rehearsal times meant the sound balance for the concert recording was sub-standard. Both The Beatles and senior figures at the BBC later expressed concern at the often embarrassing nature of the footage, which included the absence of Ringo vocals during Boys and the director focusing on the wrong members of the group during key moments.

After the concert the BBC also recorded a two-minute interview with the group to use on the Christmas Day edition of Top Of The Pops.

The Beatles then made the short journey to the nearby Odeon Cinema on London Road where they gave two evening concerts. The police closed Pudsey Street to the public to allow the group to reach the venue unhindered.