Arguably the most famous club in the world due to its association with The Beatles. Located at 10 Mathew Street in Liverpool, opened on January 16, 1957, by Alan Sytner, modeled after the Parisian jazz cellar Le Caveau de la Huchette. The Cavern was literally a cellar—three interconnecting tunnels of brick arches beneath a warehouse. This architecture was crucial to the "Merseybeat" sound: low ceilings and brick surfaces created dense, reverb-heavy acoustics. Lack of ventilation meant condensation dripped from walls, creating a legendary "sweat-box" atmosphere.
The Beatles played here 292 times between February 1961 and August 1963, honing their stagecraft in this claustrophobic, high-energy environment. The cramped, reverberant space helped shape the Merseybeat sound that would change popular music forever. Ringo Starr made his debut here with the Eddie Clayton Skiffle Group in 1957. The original club was tragically demolished in 1973 for a never-built ventilation shaft. Rebuilt in 1984 using 15,000 bricks from the original site.
Historic venue that launched The Beatles and defined the Merseybeat sound. Now operates as both a working music venue and global tourist pilgrimage site.
London, United Kingdom
Philadelphia, United States
Philadelphia, United States
San Francisco, United States
San Francisco, United States
New York, United States
We're collecting stories from musicians who performed at The Cavern Club