New discovery - Beatles performing live in UK. At Stowe School April 4th '63

Share the latest updates from the Fabs/Friends. Links to interviews and articles go here.
Post Reply
User avatar
Choking Smoker
Posts: 169
Joined: Mon Jun 28, 2021 5:17 am
Has thanked: 37 times
Been thanked: 38 times

Re: (MERGED TOPICS) New discovery - Beatles performing live in UK. At Stowe School April 4th '63

Post by Choking Smoker »

simond9X wrote: Sun Apr 09, 2023 7:29 am Interesting! Fingers crossed

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/ ... the-nation

The setlist....

Stowe concert set list: 4 April 1963
I Saw Her Standing There
Too Much Monkey Business
Love Me Do
Some Other Guy
Misery
I Just Don’t Understand
A Shot of Rhythm and Blues
Boys!
Matchbox
From Me To You
Thank You Girl
Memphis Tennessee
A Taste of Honey
Twist and Shout
Anna
Please Please Me
Hippy Hippy Shake
I’m Talking About You
Ask Me Why
Till There Was You
Money
I Saw Her Standing There (reprise)

plus possibly
Sweet Little Sixteen
Long Tall Sally
Fascinating set list, what a unique concert in so many ways. I wonder if 'Matchbox' was sung by Ringo? probably as it immediately follows on from 'Boys' and probably represented a little bit of "Starr Time". It would be great to have a version with John singing, I've always loved the BBC versions of "Honey Don't with John on vocals.
Much2Much
Posts: 2019
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2021 8:57 am
Has thanked: 588 times
Been thanked: 51 times

Re: (MERGED TOPICS) New discovery - Beatles performing live in UK. At Stowe School April 4th '63

Post by Much2Much »

Thank you to all you kind people who provided your own downloads of the BBC programme and press information and commentary.
User avatar
Lord Reith
Posts: 4602
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2021 8:22 am
Location: BBC House
Has thanked: 139 times
Been thanked: 3964 times

Re: (MERGED TOPICS) New discovery - Beatles performing live in UK. At Stowe School April 4th '63

Post by Lord Reith »

Anyone have any thoughts about why they did ISHST twice? Was it a request? Or was this just a little chaser like they used to do at the end of their later sets with From Me To You?

We really need to hear this. Sounds like the guy is receiving some good advice, although going by the article he's going to have it played in an exhibition rather than over the air.
Women there don't treat you mean, in Abilene
User avatar
Lord Reith
Posts: 4602
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2021 8:22 am
Location: BBC House
Has thanked: 139 times
Been thanked: 3964 times

Re: (MERGED TOPICS) New discovery - Beatles performing live in UK. At Stowe School April 4th '63

Post by Lord Reith »

I'm also reminded of the sheer balls on these guys. For starters, even to walk down the street in early 1963 with that haircut - let alone appear on stage and national television - would have been incredibly conspicuous. People would literally have been doing a double take. It's not so bad making a fashion statement if you're part of a movement of thousands, but in 1962-early 63 they were a movement of exactly four. But that pales besides the self confidence needed to get up on stage before an audience of teenage boys and play a soppy song like Till There Was You, when it hadn't even been released or heard on radio. I would love to hear the boys' reaction to that. One can only assume that after hearing The Beatles establish their rock and roll credentials with almost an hour's worth of loud numbers, they were able to put aside their disbelief and enjoy hearing this other side to the group. It would be interesting also to hear how Paul introduces it, and whether John has anything to say.
Women there don't treat you mean, in Abilene
User avatar
tymime
Posts: 70
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2021 3:52 pm
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: (MERGED TOPICS) New discovery - Beatles performing live in UK. At Stowe School April 4th '63

Post by tymime »

Lord Reith wrote: Sun Apr 09, 2023 10:03 pm We really need to hear this. Sounds like the guy is receiving some good advice, although going by the article he's going to have it played in an exhibition rather than over the air.
If there isn't someone there covertly recording it somehow...
User avatar
Lord Reith
Posts: 4602
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2021 8:22 am
Location: BBC House
Has thanked: 139 times
Been thanked: 3964 times

Re: (MERGED TOPICS) New discovery - Beatles performing live in UK. At Stowe School April 4th '63

Post by Lord Reith »

Here are some pictures of the machine used to make the recording: a Butoba MT5 battery operated model from a German watchmaker (!)

Sadly we can see why the recording is so distorted now: although it has two knobs for volume and tone and a "magic eye" in leiu of a VU meter, it doesn't actually have any record level control! It must have had its puny electrics blasted by The Beatles' high amplitude.

Ironically, if he hadn't tried to do it professionally with a microphone at the front of the stage, and just sat it on his lap where he was sitting eight rows back, it not only would have caught the vocals better but probably not have been so distorted. Or at least he would have seen the magic eye overloading and possibly taken steps. Hindsight is a great thing isn't it!
mt5-top-medium.jpg
mt5-top-medium.jpg (28.86 KiB) Viewed 808 times
s-l1600-18.jpg
s-l1600-18.jpg (167.82 KiB) Viewed 808 times
Women there don't treat you mean, in Abilene
BDJ
Posts: 240
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2021 2:30 pm
Has thanked: 67 times
Been thanked: 28 times
Contact:

Re: (MERGED TOPICS) New discovery - Beatles performing live in UK. At Stowe School April 4th '63

Post by BDJ »

Lord Reith wrote: Mon Apr 10, 2023 9:10 am
Sadly we can see why the recording is so distorted now: although it has two knobs for volume and tone and a "magic eye" in leiu of a VU meter, it doesn't actually have any record level control! It must have had its puny electrics blasted by The Beatles' high amplitude.

Ironically, if he hadn't tried to do it professionally with a microphone at the front of the stage, and just sat it on his lap where he was sitting eight rows back, it not only would have caught the vocals better but probably not have been so distorted. Or at least he would have seen the magic eye overloading and possibly taken steps. Hindsight is a great thing isn't it!
Another reason it sounds distorted is possibly the equlaisationj curve of the Butoba. It uses its own EQ curve, hence it should be played back on a Butoba recorder! I hope someone will take that into consideration when restoring the tape ;)
hallucalation
Posts: 161
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2021 7:27 pm
Has thanked: 17 times
Been thanked: 14 times

Re: (MERGED TOPICS) New discovery - Beatles performing live in UK. At Stowe School April 4th '63

Post by hallucalation »

Did someone made flacs out of those excerpts they played? Just music. I would love if Lord Reith updates his Kicks Kudos and Cash again (and also patch new source for Money intro on Decca)
georgefromhenley
Posts: 182
Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2021 6:22 am
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 11 times

Re: (MERGED TOPICS) New discovery - Beatles performing live in UK. At Stowe School April 4th '63

Post by georgefromhenley »

Could this be distored during the airplay? I understand they played the tape lout in the hall and recorded this live for the radio...
User avatar
Lord Reith
Posts: 4602
Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2021 8:22 am
Location: BBC House
Has thanked: 139 times
Been thanked: 3964 times

Re: (MERGED TOPICS) New discovery - Beatles performing live in UK. At Stowe School April 4th '63

Post by Lord Reith »

georgefromhenley wrote: Mon Apr 10, 2023 3:29 pm Could this be distored during the airplay? I understand they played the tape lout in the hall and recorded this live for the radio...
No, some of the sections are inline.

I had another listen last night and am still convinced there is nothing to be done for this tape qualitywise. You can't retrieve information that is not there, and in this case much of the audio is just distortion. Of cource it would still be enormously interesting to hear and NEEDS to be heard in full. It would be rich in revelation.
Women there don't treat you mean, in Abilene
Post Reply