1961

Live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (evening)

The Beatles' final Cavern Club show of 1961 took place on this date. It was their 38th evening show at the underground venue on Liverpool's Matthew Street.

Live: Casbah Coffee Club, Liverpool

This was The Beatles' 21st performance at the Casbah Coffee Club in Liverpool's Hayman Green, a venue was owned by drummer Pete Best's mother Mona. This was the last time the group played there in 1961.

The Beatles' first photo session

In December 1961 The Beatles' manager Brian Epstein contacted a local wedding photographer, Albert Marrion, to see if he could take some pictures of the group.

Live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (evening)

The Beatles played two shows at the Cavern Club on this day; one at lunchtime, the other at night. The date would not be notable but for the attendance of Mike Smith, an A&R assistant at the Decca label, at this later show.

Live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime)

The Beatles gave their 64th lunchtime performance at Liverpool's Cavern Club on this day. This was also the 14th occasion on which they performed both lunchtime and evening shows at the venue, and the final such occurrence in 1961.

Live: Blue Gardenia Club, London

In the early hours of 10 December, following their disastrous show at the Palais Ballroom in Aldershot, The Beatles headed to London where they gave another impromptu performance at a Soho club.

Live: Palais Ballroom, Aldershot

This was the first time The Beatles had performed in the south of England. They played at the Palais Ballroom in Aldershot, Hampshire, before giving their first show in London later in the evening.