The Beatles in Manchester
Early February 1962
The Beatles first played at the Oasis Club on February 2, 1962. Six days later they were at The Playhouse Theatre to audition for a BBC radio performance. They passed the audition, so on March 7 they were back at the same theatre to record three songs for the BBC radio show, “Teenager’s Turn – Here We Go.” It was the first time they wore suits in front of an audience. The show was aired the next day. What do all of these things have in common? They all took place in Manchester!
Note: on a special page we’ve compiled 43 informative and entertaining links that’ll take you on a deep dive into all that’s discussed in this episode. See: Manchester Episode Links
The Beatles wisely chose Manchester as their first opening to the nation. In retrospect, it makes good sense to include Manchester among "Beatles cities" that would propel the group to the toppermost (alongside Liverpool, Hamburg, New York and London).
Located about 35 miles east of Liverpool, Manchester was in 1962 (and still is) the prime gateway for all media in the North of England. Radio appearances recorded in Manchester and their first television appearance filmed by Manchester’s Granada TV would give The Beatles their first national exposure. It could be said that Manchester wasn’t just a random stop along the way to London. It was the main route that had to be taken. In this episode of the Beatles60 podcast, we have some special guests! Beatles historian Steve Bradley and radio presenter Phil Salter are area natives. They're the voices behind the mics on the Arrive Without Travelling podcast. It’s an information-packed discussion, and our guests make it perfectly clear that the Beatles’ path to nationwide fame would begin in Manchester, the north's media centre.
