Beatles Lovers are in for a pre-Valentine’s Day Treat when King’s Heath’s All You Need Is Love Festival returns with a special Now and Then theme
Now: The Beatles have recently returned to the top of the charts with the long lost John Lennon song “Now and Then” so to celebrate Beatles fans will Come Together again over the weekend of 10 & 11 Feb 2024 to celebrate the day in 1963 when Beatlemania first came to King’s Heath and Birmingham!
Then: 61 years ago on 15 February 1963 The Beatles made their Birmingham debut at King’s Heath’s tiny now burnt down Ritz Ballroom next to the Hare and Hounds. They had originally been booked to appear on 11 January but blizzard like conditions prevented them from arriving so the gig was re-arranged for 15 February. And Ma and Pa Regan who ran the Ritz were delighted because they had persuaded Brian Epstein not to increase their fee even though The Beatles were now No.1 in the charts for the first time with “Please Please Me”. Beatlemania had just started and the Fab Four were only able to enter the ballroom from the rear via a ladder in Milford Place. They returned again to the Ritz to play a second hurriedly re-arranged gig on 5 July 1963. But the next time they returned to Birmingham they would play the much larger venues of The Hippodrome and the Town Hall and the rest is history!
On Saturday 10 February doors will open at 7 pm at King’s Heath Cricket & Social Club on Alcester Road South for a special show by one of the finest tribute bands around The Beatles Sound. Renowned for creating that perfect sound, gone are the gimicky wigs and costumes and instead the group concentrate on recreating the legendary harmony lead vocals of Lennon & McCartney! Regularly playing at venues throughout the Midlands, The Beatles Sound have also headlined at Liverpool’s Cavern Club. Included in their set will be some of the songs that The Beatles performed at their two 1963 Ritz Ballroom shows plus hit after hit after Beatles hit!
Advance Tickets at the all seated venue cost £9.90 from www.wegottickets.com/event/603874
Any remaining tickets will cost £12 on the door. Licensed bar and fee paying car park at rear of club
On Sunday 11 February doors will open at 2.15 pm at Cartlands Independent Tea Rooms at King’s Heath Park House for a great afternoon’s entertainment showcasing some excellent local musicians who will perform their favourite Beatles songs in a special All You Need Is Love Session. Expect a range of musical styles including the acoustic sounds of Acoustica, jazz soul of Blue Silk, the folk rock of Mr Apollo plus the solo guitar of Peters plays Lennon.
Advance Tickets at the all seated venue cost £6 from Cartlands or £6.60 from www.wegottickets.com/event/604334
Any remaining tickets will cost £8 on the door. Licensed bar and free car park off Vicarage Road.
The Beatles Sound said “We are delighted to be working with King’s Heath Walk Of Fame, a brilliant organisation who celebrate the rich musical heritage of King’s Heath. We are looking forward to headlining their fantastic mini festival to commemorate the 61st Anniversary of the Fab Four’s Birmingham debut at King’s Heath’s Ritz Ballroom. Although the Ballroom sadly burnt down some years ago, we will give the audience a real sense of what it was like to be there in 1963”.
Bob Prew and Ken Whittaker, joint organisers of King’s Heath Walk of Fame, said “Our mini Beatles Festival will be a real treat for all fans of the Fab Four. It is quite amazing to think that they originally made their Birmingham debut at a tiny venue on a King’s Heath side street. But they were not the only ones to do so. The Rolling Stones, The Kinks and Pink Floyd also made their first appearances at the Ritz Ballroom and more recently UB40, Ed Sheeran and Laura Mvula made early appearances next door at The Hare & Hounds. We expect people from all of the country to come to our Beatles Festival and hope they will return to see some stars of the future”.
King’s Heath Walk Of Fame is a small charity that aims to celebrate King’s Heath’s amazing musical, cultural and sporting heritage through wall plaques, pavement stars and live events so as to encourage young people to become the stars of the future!
Attached is a photo of The Beatles performing at the Ritz Ballroom on 15 February 1963 courtesy of Jane Chapman, The Beatles Sound live on stage and the festival’s All You Need Is Love logo
Web site: www.kingsheathwalkoffame.org.uk Twitter: @KHWalkofFame
Facebook: www.facebook.com/kingsheathwalkoffame
Contact: bob@kingsheathwalkoffame.org.uk