The Beatles Winter 1963 Helen Shapiro Tour

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The Beatles Winter 1963 Helen Shapiro Tour
Tour by The Beatles
LocationUnited Kingdom
Start date2 February 1963
End date3 March 1963
Legs2
No. of shows14
The Beatles concert chronology

Danny Williams.[1] They were also joined briefly by Billie Davis during the latter part of the tour.[2]

The tour was organised by the Arthur Howes Agency. This was the first time that the Beatles had worked with Howes.[3]

Programme

The programme for the tour[1] was:

  • Red Price Band
  • The Honeys
  • Dave Allen
  • The Beatles
  • Dave Allen
  • Danny Williams
—Interval—
  • Red Price Band
  • The Kestrels
  • Kenny Lynch
  • Dave Allen
  • Helen Shapiro

Set list

The Beatles typical

lead singers noted):[4]

  1. ")
  2. ")
  3. "A Taste of Honey" (Paul McCartney)
  4. "Please Please Me" (John Lennon / Paul McCartney)

Two other songs were used as prepared alternatives during the tour:

  1. "Love Me Do" (Paul McCartney / John Lennon)
  2. "Beautiful Dreamer" (Paul McCartney)

Winter 1963 Helen Shapiro Tour dates

The Shapiro tour was split into two parts.

Part 1

The first part lasted from 2 to 10 February, although the Beatles did not play on the 10th, as they needed to be in London early on the 11th. The Beatles played two dates at the

Cavern Club, Liverpool
on 3 and 4 February, before joining the Shapiro tour again on the 5th.

Date City Country Venue
2 February 1963 Bradford England Gaumont
5 February 1963 Doncaster Gaumont
6 February 1963 Bedford Granada
7 February 1963 Wakefield ABC Cinema
8 February 1963
Carlisle
Regal
9 February 1963
Sunderland
Sunderland Empire Theatre

All dates from Lewisohn[5]

On 11 February, the Beatles recorded the ten tracks that, together with their two previously released singles, formed their debut album, Please Please Me. From 12 to 22 February, they played a number of dates on their own, before joining the Shapiro tour again on the 23.

Part 2

The second part lasted from 23 February until 3 March. Travelling to

From Me To You
".

Date City Country Venue
23 February 1963 Mansfield England Granada
24 February 1963 Coventry Coventry Theatre
26 February 1963 Taunton Gaumont
27 February 1963 York Rialto
28 February 1963 Shrewsbury Granada
1 March 1963 Southport Odeon
2 March 1963 Sheffield Sheffield City Hall
3 March 1963 Hanley Gaumont

All dates from Lewisohn[5]

Instruments and equipment

Instruments The Beatles had on the tour, shown here for each member of the group.[6]

John Lennon

Paul McCartney

George Harrison

  • 1957
    Gretsch Duo Jet
    hollowbody electric guitar
  • 1962
    electro-acoustic guitar
    (used as backup)
  • 1962
    Vox AC-30
    amplifier

Ringo Starr

  • Premier Mahogany drum kit[11]
    • 20×17" bass drum
    • 12×8" rack tom
    • 16×16" floor tom
    • 14×4" Premier Royal Ace wood-shell snare drum

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Lewisohn 1996, p. 98.
  2. ^ Lewisohn 1996, p. 101.
  3. ^ The Beatles 2000, p. 89.
  4. ^ Lewisohn 1996, pp. 361–365.
  5. ^ a b Lewisohn 1996, pp. 98–102.
  6. ^ Babiuk 2002, p. 81.
  7. ^ a b Babiuk 2002, p. 72.
  8. ^ a b Babiuk 2002, p. 67.
  9. ^ Babiuk 2002, p. 64.
  10. ^ Babiuk 2002, p. 53.
  11. ^ Babiuk 2002, p. 70.
Bibliography
  • Lewisohn, Mark (1996). The Complete Beatles Chronicle. London: Bounty Books. .
  • The Beatles (2000). The Beatles Anthology. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. .
  • Babiuk, Andy (2002). Beatles Gear. San Francisco: .