Twenty Sixth Annual Beatle Convention
in Liverpool.
Wednesday 23rd - Tuesday 29th August 2006
INTERNATIONAL BEATLE WEEK FESTIVAL 2006
Wednesday, August 23rd to Tuesday, August 29th
Though previously the convention lasted from Friday to Monday, in the last years, as people are very fond of it, it has extended two more days.
So, the shows began on Thursday 24 and during that day we enjoyed different performances in the Cavern Pub as well as in the 2 stages of the Cavern Club.
On Friday the offer is bigger and we could also enjoyed performances in the Adelphi. Friday is a magical day. We run into some old friends, with the enjoyment of a reunion after a year, when we said good-bye just in the end of the previous edition. That is the greatness of The Beatles. Perhaps along the year it is people does not have anything in common with us, but when arrives the convention you gather with them and speak as time has not passed. In our case, we can mention to Elena and Belén of Madrid, 2 friends that we met in the convention of 1998. With both of them, we share the emotion to obtain an autograph of Paul McCartney after his concert in Madrid in 2004, and we meet them every year in Liverpool. We can also mention to Ricardo Calderón of Mexico, Steve Holmes, Jean Catharell and others.
It was the day of our arrival. When we arrived at LIVERPOOL JOHN LENNON AIRPORT, we could see again the bronze statue of 2,15 mts of high of John Lennon, created by the sculptor Tom Murphy. It was inaugurated in March 15, 2002, with the presence of Yoko Ono.
Outside the airport, we could find the yellow submarine that during years was situated in Chavasse Park. This submarine has a curious history. It was created by Graham Burgess in 1984 for the Liverpool International Garden Festival in Otterspool, where it was one of the main attractions. In 1997 it was transferred to Chavasse Park, where it was placed in front to the entrance of the airport. We hope this movement will be the last.
Last August 23rd began a new edition of the Beatle Week that already arrives to its 25th edition. In 1983 it began as a small convention in which a reduced number of fans met to speak, to exchange records and to be able to buy some Beatles material. But in last years it has became to an authentic luxury attraction for the city of Liverpool, in which 300.000 people go out into the street for enjoying everything that the city offers to them during the Bank Holiday, independently that they are or not followers of the Fab Four.
After leaving the suitcases we went to the LIPA, where is celebrated the traditional auction Saturday morning. The afternoon prior to the auction you can enter inside in order to see more accuratelly the auctioned items. After we looked our favourite items we went to the Adelphi hotel, really the heart of the Convention. In it, with a little luck, you can see the majority of the artists that act along the Convention, since the majority of them lodge in it.
Along the afternoon, we could see with the title of "The Beatles at The Grammy' s", the performances of the MerseyBeatles, Instant Karma (with Yoko included) and Banned on The Run. Three great bands to delight us with the classics of Beatles, John and Paul.
At night, in the Liverpool Empire Theatre one of the main courses of the convention, the performance of The Bootleg Beatles, one of the best bands of this edition. Nevertheless, the high value of the entrance (20 pounds), as well as the fact that they performed in Barcelona few months before, we opted for going to the Cavern Pub, where we could see in the first row the performance of the spanish group LOS ESCARABAJOS. To emphasize the legion of fans that went to the concert, the majority from Seville. For this reason, they were very relaxed, doing a great performance. Later, we saw THE REPEATLES, from Sweden, who also performed very well. Julia Baird, the sister of John Lennon, was in the audience, and we can make a photo with her!!!
Saturday began at the LIPA, with the auction that in this occasion celebrated its 16ª edition. The highlights of the auction were a 1962 photo signed by the 4 (1500 pounds), the 7” Please Please Me signed by Paul, George, Ringo and Freda Kelly (1300 Pounds) and the book Songs By George Harrison, signed by George (840 pounds). We think this year the auction had less people than the previous years.
LIVERPOOL BEATLES AUCTION 2006 - Click here for more photos.
MIKE McCARTNEY SIGNING - Click here for more photos.
After a small rest, we go to Pier Head, where The Herman’s Hermits will play. We go with the idea to be able to see Peter Noone, lider of the group,but the only original member was... the drummer Barry Whitwam. Nevertheless, we enjoy wiht the songs of the Hermits!!!
After this perfomance, we go at The Empire Theatre. For us this was the HIGHLIGHT of the Convention. A concert with the Original QUARRYMEN, TONY SHERIDAN and DONOVAN, an icon of the 60’s.
Maybe were The Quarrymen who did a better perfomance. The Quarrymen are formed by original members Colin Hanton, Len Garry and Rod Davis, with John Duff Lowe that joined the band a bit later. The perfomance, without pretensions, with the only intention to give us a good time, like 49 years ago. Between songs they counted some anecdotes, like the perfectionism of Paul, telling Collin how to play drums. They played, among others, Come Go With Me, In Spite of all the Danger and Rock Island Line.
After The Quarrymen, Tony Sheridan,appeared on stage, accompanied by his habitual band. He interpreted classics of Rock, as well as a version of Yesterday on his own. We do not doubt his quality as musician, because he is a great musician, but seems as if he denied his past with the Beatles. And the audience wants to ear the songs they recorded for Polydor, after all... it’s a Beatle Convention
Finally, appeared Donovan. It played all his classics (Sunshine Superman, Catch the Wind, Colours, Lalena, Jennifer Juniper, Sand and Foam, The Promise, Josie, Yellow Submarine, Universal Soldier, Young Girl Blues, Hurdy Gurdy Man, Season of the Witch, Mellow Yellow and There is to Mountain) and introduced them with funny comments, some of them related to the Beatles, like when he helped Paul with Yellow Submarine (Sky of blue and be of green) And George helped he with a verse of Hurdy Gurdy Man (When the truth gets buried deep, Beneath to thousand years asleep, Time demands to turnaround, And eleven again, the truth is found) although he finally it did not include in the single version.
The following day, we visit with The Beatles Shop, the Gallery and the Cavern Walks.
After buying a few items at he Beatles Shop, we go to the Mathew Street Gallery. Robert Whitaker, was on the Gallery, as his photographs were for sale. He signed us the poster of the event. Later we go at the Cavern Shopping (old Cavern Walks), where is the sensational Lucy in the Sky Coffee, and in the upper part the store FROM ME TO YOU (with a fabulous collection of t-shirts, and cells of the Beatles Cartoons really SPECTACULAR! !!).
ROBERT WHITAKER GALLERY 2006 - Click here for more photos.
Later, we go to the Adelphi. In the central room, are the stands with a lot fab items for sale, though, like each year, some of them inaccessible for us. Nevertheless, you can find interesting pieces at accessible prices.
But the convention is not alone the central room. Also we find three different stages where you can listen a lot of bands playing all day.
Another room, the Video Room, with films and clips, selected by Keith Badman, some of them unpublished.
Also, a exposition dedicated at the book "The Beatles in Rishikesh" and a conference room, where we could listen to Mark Lewisohn, Pete Best, Tony Sheridan, Allan Williams, Ken Brown and Donovan. Donovan delighted us again with his anecdotes and he was promoting his biography. Later you can buy it directly from him, but with a small surpise. The book has 2 prices (15 pounds signed and 10 pounds without). Nevertheless he was very kind with the people and signed all the items we give him.
Among the stands, we could find The Quarrymen, accessible to everyone, some true gentlemans, and in another stand we find the other side of the game, Pete Best. Perhaps it would be better to call him PETE BEST, INC. An enormous sign, notifies us that he only will sign material bough at his stand. Later, he was at the bar and we try to get an album signed, but he said no while continued drinking. Isn’t it a Pity?
Monday is the big day with The Mathew Street Festival. It’s a party for all the city and there are a lot of stages, playing all kinds of music.
PHOTOS WITH FAMOUS PEOPLE - Click here for more photos.
“Dios Salve a la Reina” is a clone of Queen, and the singer is like Freddie Mercury. Also we find band clones of the Beach Boys, the Beached Boys and of other many stars.
At night, in the Liverpool Empire, a constellation of stars of the 60, played in the stage of the theatre. The Undertakers (without Jackie Lomax), Beryl Marsden, the Swinging Blue Jeans, the Merseybeats and the Searchers that delighted us with their classic "Needles and Pins". An unforgettable evening.
Unfortunatelly, we had to go this day. The next day, Joey Molland, guitarist and the only surviving member of Badfinger, played two concerts at the Cavern Club.
We missed that, but we have enjoyed so much along all these days. Nevertheless not was a farewell, but a ... See you next year! !!!!
AND NOW...
 NEWSPAPERS |
 BROCHURES |
 MORE PHOTOS |
© 1998 MELGAR PRODUCTIONS.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
©1998 Jordi and Amparo. ©2000 Jordi, Amparo and Jordi Jr. ©2002 Jordi, Amparo, Jordi Jr and Marian.
