Pete Best was recently the special guest at a Dec. 17 celebration at the Casbah Club in Liverpool -- the beat club founded by his mother Mona -- paying tribute to the Beatles' first gig in their hometown after coming back from Hamburg. (See our earlier story.)
David Bedford, author of "Liddypool: Birthplace of the Beatles," who was there for the show, sent his thoughts about the evening's events:
I spoke to Pete before the gig and he was naturally excited about it, in his own reserved way. He had received many gifts from around the world from grateful fans, and he was the one who was grateful for the support he has received over the years. At the end of a long year for touring, everything was being geared up to this anniversary gig at The Casbah – plus he was raising money for “Merseycats” – www.merseycats.com – which is run by musicians and bands from the Merseybeat era and raise money for Merseyside-based childrens’ charities.Outside it was freezing cold – we were in the middle of having 4 inches of snow falling suddenly and the roads were really dangerous, so some people couldn’t make it. However, the place was still packed! The Pete Best Band took to the “stage” – i.e. the small area behind the metal railings put up in 1960 to stop the musicians from being crushed – at about 11.15pm and you got the feeling that you could have been back on 17 December 1960. We were all standing, crushed against each other with the band members literally 12 inches in front of the crowd, face to face. How I wish it was 17 December 1960 because I would have loved to have been there for that historic night.The atmosphere was electric, and we all sang along to every song: “The One after 909”, “I Saw Her Standing There”, “P.S. I Love You” and other great covers the Beatles played back then, like “Three Cool Cats” and “Please Mr. Postman”.Special sing-alongs to “My Bonnie” and “Twist and Shout” meant that it was a fantastic performance and a great night, and, on a night when it was snowing heavily with temperatures around – 6 degrees, we all sang a rendition of “White Christmas” with the band.I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. Just a shame that it was overshadowed by Macca’s gigs in London that same night and the upcoming Liverpool gig on 20th December.I was there to celebrate the birth of The Beatles – the Casbah was the only place to be that night.
Comments
Oh great. So now Macca is supposed to clear his schedule with Pete Best's first so as not to overshadow a guy who was briefly in the Beatles' band 50 years ago. What is wrong with people for ALWAYS looking for some way to slam Paul. Mr. Bedford, your passive-aggressive comments about Paul are deeply offensive, considering that you wouldn't have written a book at all had it not been for John, PAUL, George and Ringo.
Sentences like this about Pete: "he was the one who was grateful." Because Paul isn't? Mr. Bedford, your comments are appalling. I've got to stop reading it, it's making me so angry. It's bad enough Paul has had people in Liverpool suggesting he was supposed to disappear for much of the fall of 2010 because Oct-Dec were only supposed to be about honoring John Lennon. Again.
No matter what Paul does for Liverpool, it's never enough. He still has to put up with passive-agressive BS comments from people like Bedford who only made money on the back of Paul's work and achievements (as well as the other Beatles'). Enough.
Sousa, you're reading too much into this. Pete's being grateful has nothing to do with Paul. As far as the show goes, it is noteworthy when Pete Best celebrates a Beatles anniversary and is worthy of attention. That's all he was saying.
Nice write up. Enjoyed reading it.
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