Live: Star-Club, Hamburgo

This was the opening date of The Beatles’ third and final residency at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany, situated on Große Freiheit off the infamous Reeperbahn. During this trip they performed a total of 39 hours on stage over 13 days. The Beatles had previously appeared at the Star-Club on two occasions, in April-May and November 1962.This time around they each received a fee of 750 DM (£67) per week. They performed for three hours each night until 31 December 1962, with a night off on Christmas Day.By December 1962 The Beatles’ career in the UK was definitely on the up. Their debut single Love Me Do had charted well; they had recorded a follow-up, Please Please Me; and Brian Epstein’s management gave them a professionalism they had lacked for so long.The Beatles were reluctant to fulfil this contractual obligation, as their profile in Britain was rapidly ascending. Back home they were enjoying burgeoning chart success, more prestigious live shows, plus television and radio appearances. Despite the enduring fondness they felt towards Hamburg and its residents, there was little the city could do for their career now.