On Friday 23rd August, we had the pleasure of witnessing a historic moment, not just for the Liverpool music scene, but for music history in general. Hundreds turned up to Liverpool's The Jacaranda to see the historic site of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and Pete Best’s first performance as The Beatles be honoured with an official commemorative plaque from World Origin Site.
Graham Stanley, Director of The Jacaranda: "We have always been proud of our Beatles heritage, but we haven’t had a clear way to explain it until now. Being awarded World Origin Site status is an amazing privilege for us. It probably wasn’t a big gig for the band; their name and reputation were really made during the Hamburg tour which began just days later. But our venue is where they adopted the most famous band name in history".
It'll be a day the city will remember for decades to come as it truly felt as if the entire Liverpool music scene had gathered to pay homage to one of Merseyside's most prestigious music landmarks, The Jacaranda. All three floors of the venue were packed out with the crowds spilling out onto the street, creating a nostalgic street party atmosphere as Beatles fans, musical legends, industry professionals and all-round music lovers shared stories in the sun on Slater Street.
The day was a celebration of live music, with many bands that had played some of their first gigs at The Jacaranda returning to show their appreciation with live performances coming from the likes of Red Rum Club, MT Jones, The Cheap Thrills and many more. The big surprise of the event was a performance by The Zutons' frontman Dave McCabe, who had played with members of The Zutons at The Jacaranda nearly 25 years ago.
Dave McCabe, Frontman of The Zutons: "Grassroots music venues like The Jacaranda are so important because without them there’s no growth, there’s no education and there’s no real experience. They give you a chance to learn about what it is you love about music and find an answer as to why you wanted to do it in the first place".
The event also attracted plenty of Beatles and Liverpool royalty, including John Lennon’s sister, Julia Baird, The Beatles’ secretary, Freda Kelly, and Holly Johnson from Frankie Goes To Hollywood, among many others. The plaque was revealed by Leah Williams, daughter of Allan Williams, the founder of The Jacaranda and former manager of The Beatles, alongside Graham Stanley, the current Director of The Jacaranda.
The sense of excitement and community throughout the evening was just beautiful. As you looked around you could see old friends reconnecting, new connections being formed and the next generation of music fanatics being enlightened on the history and heritage of The Jacaranda, The Beatles and Liverpool as a music city.
What was particularly special about the evening was that it was not merely a celebration of the past, but a celebration of the future as well as attendees were encouraged to look back on how the The Jacaranda has provided a platform for so many young artists and learn from that what it means to support new talent. The line up on the evening featured many of Merseyside's most exciting newcomers including Dylan Robert, The Drivers Club, Fionna Lennon and Bright Town, highlighting how The Jacaranda continues play a vital role in developing local acts and remains THE venue in Liverpool for discovering the best new music.
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