A Christchurch band is marking the 60th anniversary of The Beatles’ performance at the Majestic Theatre by recreating the historic set.

This month marks the 60th anniversary of The Beatles’ performance at Christchurch’s Majestic Theatre on June 27, 1964.

The Beatles stayed at the Clarendon Hotel in central Christchurch, where thousands of fans gathered to catch a glimpse of the Fab Four.

Among the crowd was a 10-year-old named Paul Kean. Fittingly, sixty years later, Paul’s band, The Skeatles, has planned an anniversary show to commemorate The Beatles’ performance in Christchurch.

Kean, better known as the bassist for iconic NZ bands Toy Love and The Bats, also played a one-stringed tea-chest bass with The Skeatles, a six-piece skiffle group.

They played in the original style of Lennon and McCartney’s pre-Beatles skiffle band, The Quarrymen.

Other members of the band also had rich links to the Fab Four.  Drummer Dan Heatley, formerly a drummer for Shane MacGowan, shared tales of his father, an accomplished London session musician who rubbed shoulders with The Beatles at Abbey Road and even gave John Lennon fashion advice.

David Thorpe, singer and guitarist, was deeply involved in a historical American radio drama, “A Day in Their Lives,” and through this, he had chatted with Rod Davis, one of the original Quarrymen. Additionally, David’s father, a renowned British photojournalist, had assignments with The Beatles in the 60s.

“We play Lennon and McCartney songs with the energy and rawness of skiffle,” said Thorpe. “We’re not a Beatles tribute act. We’re a skiffle band playing Beatles songs… songs The Quarrymen didn’t know they were yet to write.”

The Skeatles plan to play the exact set The Beatles performed at the Majestic sixty years ago at Christchurch venue A Rolling Stone on June 30.

“This will be a fun celebration of a key moment in Christchurch’s history.”

 

Tickets from Humanitix HERE Details: What: 60th Anniversary of The Beatles in Christchurch Where: A Rolling Stone, 168 Colombo Street, Christchurch When: 4:00pm – 6:30pm, 30th June 2024