On Sunday 16th February top local musicians are being lined-up to play their favourite Beatles songs in a special concert to celebrate the 51st. anniversary of the first ever Beatles gig in Birmingham at the Ritz Ballroom on King’s Heath’s York Road which was sadly destroyed by fire last year.

Fletchers Bar on York Road directly opposite the former ballroom will host the event from 3 to 6 p.m. on Sunday 16 February 51 years after the appearance of The Beatles at the ballroom.

The Beatles appeared at the Ritz Ballroom – one of 4 venues run in the 1950’s and 60’s by the legendary Irish couple Ma and Pa Regan – on 15 February 1963 shortly after releasing their second single “Please Please Me”. Originally scheduled to appear on 11 January, they had been prevented by blizzard like conditions from making the 11 mile journey to King’s Heath from one of the Regans other venues – the Plaza in Old Hill.

When they did eventually make it on 15 February Beatlemania had really started to take off and the Beatles were only able to enter the Ritz by climbing up a ladder from Milford Place. In fact, the Fab Four almost had to appear as the Fab Three after George Harrison arrived late by taxi and was trapped by screaming fans.

“Tell them to turn that racket down” is what Pa Regan is rumoured to have shouted while they were practising! But he was a very happy man really. He had persuaded their manager Brian Epstein to agree to them performing for their previously agreed fee even though they were now No. 1 in the charts! They performed the rescheduled gig at The Ritz during a break from The Helen Shapiro Tour on which they started off as only 4th out of the 11 acts on the bill!

Advance tickets cost just £3 and are available from the Kitchen Garden Cafe on York Road, King’s Heath or on-line for £3 plus a booking fee from www.wegottickets.com. Advance booking is recommended as last year’s 50th. Anniversary Event sold-out very quickly. Any remaining tickets will cost £4 on the door.