Fact #16924

Brian Thompson (fan) : I was a trad jazz fan and was a Cavern and Iron Door regular from the day these clubs opened. I must have come across The Beatles on a number of occasions but did not really take much notice. One particular night I attended a 'Riverboat Shuffle' on board the Royal Iris. Acker Bilk was top of the bill and after he'd played his first set the leather-clad Beatles began to set their equipment up for their segment of the night's entertainment. From what I can remember I may have listened to a few bars of their first number but that was enough for me. I quickly departed the scene to get a pint and some fresh air. It was jazz I'd come to hear, not this rock 'n' roll stuff. A lot of traditional jazz fans of this period felt the same. I must have had a lot of opportunities to catch The Beatles during this period with clubs such as the Cavem presenting a mixture of beat and jazz on the same night, but I chose not to take them, preferring to nip out for a pint instead.
(Source : not known)