#dickmatthews

Photos from the very first Operation Big Beat night held at Tower Ballroom, New Brighton, Wallasey on the 10th November 1961. The night was put on by promoter Sam Leach and featured The Beatles and Rory Storm and The Hurricanes on the same bill, along with Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Remo Four and Kingsize Taylor and The Dominos. The Beatles played first at 8pm, then rushed over to Knotty Ash village for another gig before returning to New Brighton for a second set.  At the end of the night The Beatles and The Hurricanes had a car chase, through the Mersey Tunnel, back to Liverpool city centre.

The Beatles with the Shimmy Shimmy Queens; Marie Williams, Joan Pratt, Maureen O'Donnell, at the Aintree Institute, Longmoore Lane, Aintree, Liverpool on the 19th August 1961. The bottom photo shows the girls performing on stage with the Beatles. Paul took a shine to them, apparently.