Events › Roll Over Beethoven, Meet the Beatles in Hamburg

Long before the world knew their names, three working-class lads from Liverpool spent hard nights in the clubs of Hamburg.

Between 1960 and 1962, in the gritty, neon-lit district of the Reeperbahn in Hamburg, a young band called The Beatles played marathon sets of raw American rock ’n’ roll. Night after night, they performed in seedy venues, sharpening their sound, stamina, and swagger.

It was here that John Lennon famously reflected,
“I may have been raised in Liverpool, but I grew up in Hamburg.”

Those “hard day’s nights” forged the chemistry, confidence, and edge that would soon ignite a global revolution in music and culture. Before the stadiums, before the screaming fans, before Beatlemania — there was Hamburg.

Join us in reliving the HAMBURG DAYS — where it all truly began.

Accessibility
Need sign language interpretation or other accessibility assistance for this event? Please call (312) 747-8184 or email access@chipublib.org to request accommodations. Requests must be made at least 14 business days before the event.