Liverpool premiere of A Hard Day’s Night

We weren’t really apprehensive abut going back to Liverpool, for the other premiere. We’d heard one or two little rumours that people felt we’d betrayed them by leaving, and shouldn’t have gone to live in London. But there were always those detractors.

Paul McCartney, Anthology

The Beatles returned to Liverpool last night to attend the northern premiere of their film A Hard Day’s Night and, presumably, to put an end to the rumours that their popularity on Merseyside was on the wane.

In case any readers have just come from Mars, the Beatles are the four long-haired musicians who sing rock’n’roll music and have become as permanent a part of the Liverpool scene as the sight of ferry boats on the Mersey. But, unlike the Mersey ferries the Beatles have been playing in foreign waters: America, Australia, France, and what is even more obnoxiously foreign to Liverpudlians, London.

Thus the care and caution of Mr Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ manager, in organising this triumphant return. If Mr Epstein did spend any sleepless nights worrying about the Beatles’ honour in their own country he was wasting his time. Long before their aircraft from London arrived at Speke airport all the signs of a successful re-entrance to Liverpool were there. The rooftop at the airport was crowded with screaming teenagers, a prerequisite to Beatles’ entrances and exits, and there were so many policemen on duty that it looked as if they were there to protect each other.

Hysteria
The mere sight of the aircraft coming in, sent hysterical shrieking up from the rooftop. The teenagers cheered even the luggage that was being taken from the aeroplane’s hold. There were no “Welcome Home” banners, a point which John Lennon, the author of Beatle, did not miss. He pointed to an airport sign reading “Naked lights and smoking Prohibited” and wondered what kind of a welcome that was.

The crowd at the airport was nothing compared with the scene outside the town hall where the civic reception was being held. Mounted police kept the crowd back from the town hall steps, but the appearance of a Beatle on the balcony, waving in the manner of royalty, set screams with a sound almost as loud as Ringo’s drums.

Inside the town hall things were slightly more sedate, but the police brass band was playing Beatles numbers (from written-down sheet music) and the members of Liverpool’s establishment were displaying signs of Beatlemania.

Families present
The Beatles’ families were present and they all seemed to have that brand of humour which has been associated with the musical group. George’s mother, a stout woman with a rolling Liverpool accent, said the only thing that she was sorry about the reception was the fact that she hadn’t worn her topless dress, and John’s uncle, a moustachioed ex-Army man said: “The only advice I ever gave John was to get a haircut. It’s a good thing he didn’t take it.”

There were a number of personalities present, among them Alun Owen, the Liverpool born playwright who wrote the script for the Beatles’ film, and Lionel Blair, the dancer, and David Jacobs, the television personality.

At the end of the reception the Beatles got up to thank everyone for the homecoming. Paul, who with John, writes the Beatles’ songs, said that he hoped they would all enjoy the film. So the reception seemingly ended with no mishaps. Then, however, when everyone turned to leave they found that all the doors had been locked. One member of this captured audience commented in a heavy scouser accent. “Epstein must have been really anxious about the reception. He’s got us all boarded up in here.”

From The Guardian – July 11, 1964

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