The Beatles played four concerts in London over two days during their final UK tour. The first two took place at the Hammersmith Odeon on this day.
They performed 11 songs: ‘I Feel Fine’, ‘She’s A Woman’, ‘If I Needed Someone’, ‘Act Naturally’, ‘Nowhere Man’, ‘Baby’s In Black’, ‘Help!’, ‘We Can Work It Out’, ‘Yesterday’, ‘Day Tripper’ and ‘I’m Down’.
Also on this day, the New Musical Express announced the results of its annual Readers Poll. The Beatles were voted Best British Group and Best World Group, while John Lennon was voted British Vocal Personality.
Last updated: 24 January 2024
Also on this day...
- 2024: Paul McCartney live: WiZink Center, Madrid
- 2023: Paul McCartney live: Allianz Parque, São Paulo
- 2011: Paul McCartney live: Ericsson Globe Arena, Stockholm
- 2009: Paul McCartney live: Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy, Paris
- 1993: Paul McCartney live: Estadio River Plate, Buenos Aires
- 1991: George Harrison live: Osaka-jō Hall, Osaka
- 1979: Wings live: Wembley Arena, London
- 1976: Album release: Wings Over America by Wings
- 1974: George Harrison live: Boston Garden, Boston
- 1969: George Harrison live: Falkoner Theatre, Copenhagen with Delaney & Bonnie
- 1969: John Lennon and Yoko Ono meet the parents of A6 Murderer James Hanratty
- 1968: John Lennon rehearses for The Rolling Stones’ Rock And Roll Circus
- 1964: Ringo Starr leaves hospital
- 1963: The Beatles live: Gaumont Cinema, Doncaster
- 1962: The Beatles live: Cavern Club, Liverpool (lunchtime)
- 1961: The Beatles live: Hambleton Hall, Liverpool
- 1961: The Beatles live: Blue Gardenia Club, London
- 1960: John Lennon leaves Hamburg
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
I was there and they were amazing
So was I…I was 12..the Moody Blues played, but it seems like there were at least 4 other acts..does anyone remember who they were..the Fourmost, I think, & I seem to remember a boy/girl singing act.
Compere – Jerry Stevens
The Koobas
Marionettes
Paramounts
Beryl Marsden
Moody Blues
Tour Manager – John Clapson
Assistant Tour Manager – Don King
I have the book programme with the poster of the fab four.
Are you sure about the other acts?
I have been trying to find out who the other acts were for years. I was there, aged 8! It was my birthday present. I remembered the Moody Blues but I thought the Searchers were there too.
We were centre stage, 2nd row. Absolutely fantastic!!!!
Yardbirds
so was I….flew over from Germany with a plane chartered by the Star Club Hamburg….it was so cool specially after the show in the Scotch of St. James where the Beatles came to as well…..we didnt hear much during the concert as all the girls where shouting and crying….exception: the Star Club people….we were sitting there being very “cool”. gosh it is so long ago……
I was there just 12 years old I shouted and screamed and i remembered the compere kept teasing the audience that the Beatles were next on but they were on last but Amazing never forget it im 64 now stays with me forever
I was there and could not hear a thing. The girls screamed the whole show and the only thing on stage was The Beatles to one side in boxes on top of each other, each box having a letter.
I there there too and I had the screaming girls right beside me. I seeem to remember the Beatles coming on stage and just sitting strumming their guitars because every time they started to sing the screaming would start. Despite that, it remains one of my great memories
My granddad was there and he said he couldn’t hear a thing, and he was in the cheap seats, I would give anything to have been there with him. but im only 16 now lol, so no way that could have happened sadly.
I was there. I belive one of the acts was Freddy and the Dreamers. He took us to meet the Beatles!
Yes Freddy & the Dreamers he came on flying on a zip wire in a tu tu
Do any of you who have been to this concert remember any details as to how We Can Work It Out was performed? Was John playing harmonium? Was he playing a different type of keyboard? Any bit of information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Yes I’m curious too, assuming he played the part he mimed in the video… (?)
Also, it says Paul played the Vox piano on Yesterday, but I’m yet to find any audio of that anywhere on the net.. can anyone help? Note there’s a video with (random cut) footage from the show(s) but it has audio from a Japanese show.
???
I worked selling ice creams so i could see them Freddy and the dreamers , The Yardbirds with eric clapton and i think Elie Brooks was also on the cast.
One issue was that you struggled to hear anything as the girls were screaming
Can you remember how you got in Ray.
thank you Ray Burton, I remember all these acts now. The way to hear the Beatles over all the screaming was to put your fingers in your ears and you could hear them. I was with 5 or 6 friends and we were screaming too but adopted “fingers in ears” approach and could hear the fab four singing – it was the most amaziing concert ever
I was at the concert too. Never heard a thing BUT loved it.
I write a monthly article nowadays for The Huffington Post and this month I’ve chosen to write a tribute to John Lennon. The article will be called Come Together.
Hope you can check it out
I went to a Beatles concert at the Hammersmith Palais in the sixties. Gene Pitney appeared there too with them. I’m not sure which year though. Can anyone help.
My mum took me there when I was about five. I seem to remember that there was a large christmas tree painted as a backdrop on the stage and that as the artists were announced, they’d burst open their parcel and appear to the audience. The four at the bottom were obviously the Beatles. Anyone remember that?
I believe this is the show John dropped his 2nd Rickenbacker cracking the headstock, the 1964 Rickenbacker 325 c64 “Miami” SN DB-122 that he’d got at the end of the 1st US tour and had used since the 2nd Ed Sullivan show. Dropped on stage at this Hammersmith show and then in the 2nd performance John noticed the crack and that it went out of tune, he had to go back to the Rickenbacker from hamburg. The broken/ 2nd Rickenbacker was used from hard days night through to rubber soul and at Shea stadium. Within 8 days both George’s and John’s guitars from shea were broken, so sad.
I was there. Mum and Dad took my elder sister and her best friend(s). Probably an early birthday or Christmas presen for my sister. I recall Freddy and the Dreamers being lowered to the stage on coloured boxes. The screaming was crazy – couldn’t really hear very much. There was a girl in the row in front of us who was rocking back and forth so much that she kept hitting mum with her programme that she was holding above her head. Quite an experience!