Liverpool Beatle Week 26 August 2000

The pub 'Ye Crake'.
Beatles auction at LIPA.
Quarry Bank Day with
Clube Big Beatles and The Quarrymen.
Concerts with
The Parrots, Hocus Pocus,
THE FAB FAUX and Liverpool.

	YE CRACKE, Rice Street, was the pub for students from the nearby Art College (JOHN's school) and Art College (PAUL's and GEORGE's school). Here supposedly JOHN and STU SUTCLIFFE met for the first time in 1959. JOHN and CYNTHIA spent many hours here as their romance blossomed.
Bengt outside Ye Cracke

For the first time we make a visit inside LIPA (Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts) and The Beatles memorabelia auction there. Thanks to the driving force of PAUL McCARTNEY, together with the support of many individuals, organisations and Government, LIPA could be officially opened on 30 January 1996 in the presence of PAUL. Six months later, on 7 June 1996, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II performed the Royal Opening of the building with PAUL again in attendance.

Well, we hadn't got the money required for buing any item, so we left after an hour. A very beautiful hall though.

Today it's QUARRY BANK DAY. That means that we all meet at JOHN's old school to celebrate his forthcoming 60th birthday with music and much more.

QUARRY BANK SCHOOL (now Calderstones School) on Harthill Road, Woolton was JOHN's school September 1952 - July 1957. He left with the reputation of being one of the worst pupils the school had ever known. The school report read: "Hopeless. Rather a clown in class. He is just wasting other pupils' time. Certainly on the road to failure." Whilst being a pupil here JOHN formed his first band, aptly named THE QUARRYMEN. John's closest friend at Quarry Bank was PETE SHOTTON. I asked PETE, if it was true, that he and JOHN were driving the teachers crazy, and he confirmed. And he hadn't longed back! Today was the first time he made a visit here since leaving school. And he really enjoyed it, sitting on the school steps, smoking and drinking red-wine!

Quarry Bank School

QUARRY BANK SCHOOL HALL. John's QUARRYMEN played here during the sixth-formers' dance in July 1957. The hall today must look exactly as it did in the 50's, totally unrenovated! The only difference - the ceiling will fall down any day! And the toilets! Unaltered since John's days! A must to use them!

For the sixth time in Liverpool CLUBE BIG BEATLES from Brazil made an another excellent performance. A great band!


Colin Hanton	Eric Griffiths

THE QUARRYMEN had the same line-up as "the day JOHN met PAUL" on 6 July 1957 at the Garden Fete, St. Peter's Church in Woolton. That meant ERIC GRIFFITHS (guitar), COLIN HANTON (drums), LEN GARRY (lead vocals, guitar), PETE SHOTTON (washboard, tea-chest bass) and ROD DAVIS (guitar). These gentlemen really liked to perform, and we were entertained with many anecdotes from the Quarry Men days and lots of good music.


Len Garry	Pete Shotton

	The Quarrymen was initially reunited forty years after "the day John met Paul", on 6 July 1997. They played then two sets on the St. Peter's Church Field in front of a huge crowd of villagers and Beatles fans who travelled from all over the world to be there. The band had so much fun, that they went back on the road playing in Holland, Dublin, Vegas, Canada, U.S.A...
Rod Davis

THE PARROTS from Japan was a nice surprise. A very tight band with a good singer!

Time now for ONE OF THE VERY BEST bands in Liverpool - HOCUS POCUS from Brazil. AGGEU MARQUES (ex. Sgt. Pepper) was joined on stage by JO ANDRADE (drums), WALTER ANDRADE (bass), EDUARDO GALLO (keyboards) and, the sensation of this year, PEDRO 'DOCA' ROLIM (guitars). The band made an excellent concert. Outstanding vocals by Aggeu and the others. And the musicians were that good! Then suddenly 'DOCA' started to play 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'...

	And how 'DOCA' played! We had never head such a wonderful version! Like coming to heaven! My beard stood right out from my face! wowWowWOW!!! (Sorry for the bad picture, but that's the only one I've got.)
'Doca' plays 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'

THE FAB FAUX from New York City entered the stage in colourful suits and lined up with their backs towards the public. Then they started with 'Tomorrow Never Knows' of all tunes! A knock-out start! WILL with - megaphone! Wow! The band mixed earlier and later Beatles songs without any problems. And which power and enthusiasm! JIMMY in 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'. Wow WOW!! We were lifting from the ground!

Will - with megaphone!

Could it be better? Yes, the ENCORES! First 'Everybody Got To Hide Except Me And My Monkey' (thank you, FRANK!). We blew over! The whole arena boiled! Then JACK popped up to the middle of the stage and sang 'Helter Skelter'!!! Unbelievable - wowWowWOW!!! We were all flying around high up in the sky! We had just heard THE BEST BEATLES TRIBUTE BAND IN THE WORLD! The band even surpassed THE BEATLES' original versions!

THE FAB FAUX are WILL LEE (bass, guitars), JIMMY VIVINO (keyboards, guitars), RICH PAGANO (drums), FRANK AGNELLO (guitars) and - not the least - JACK PETRUZELLI (keyboards, guitars). (More info on the "The Fab Faux plays 'Abbey Road' at the Adelphi" site.)

LIVERPOOL is one of Sweden's best Beatles tribute bands. They are: Leader and Lennon-lookalike OLLE NILSSON (lead vocals, guitar), KENT SWZANDER (drums), LENNART KÅGE (guitar) and RONNIE ROOS (bass). We enjoyed another excellent show at the Adelphi. And the HIGHLIGHT - 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' - off course! Now LENNART played even better than at Barcelona the night before!

Olle Nilsson


'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' - magic, Lennart!