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Most books say that the Quarrymen made their Cavern Club debut on 7th August 1957. Is that really the first date they played the Cavern?
This myth has been perpetuated because 7th August 1957 is the first date for which the Cavern actually mentioned the Quarrymen by name in their regular listings advertisements in the entertainments column of Liverpool’s daily evening newspaper - the Liverpool Echo.
However the Quarrymen had been engaged to play several times at the Cavern in early 1957. The owner of the Cavern, Alan Sytner, was a member of the Lee Park Golf Club at which Nigel Walley became an apprentice towards the end of 1956. Nigel was able to secure a booking for the Quarrymen at the golf club and that particular show was seen by Alan Sytner - who then engaged the Quarrymen to play at the Cavern, which opened its doors in January 1957.
The Quarrymen were just one of the many skiffle groups who played at what the Cavern advertised as “Skiffle Sessions”. Only the best-known groups were actually mentioned by name in the very small newspaper listings in the Liverpool Echo. The Quarrymen did not achieve that distinction till the announcement for the Cavern’s show of 7th August 1957.
Incidentally, on Page 60 of Hunter Davies’ book on the Quarrymen, Rod Davis is quoted as saying that he argued on stage with John about playing rock ‘n’ roll in the Cavern and antagonising the audience and annoying the owner, Alan Sytner. Also on Page 68 Rod says “The last gig I can clearly remember was on August 7th at the Cavern….”
Rod’s memory was however playing him false and he subsequently discovered in his father’s old passport that he and his family had entered France at Boulogne on 29th July 1957 whilst travelling by car to France on a camping holiday. So Rod was unable to attend that Cavern appearance. (Rod sends his apologies to Hunter!)
Rod’s argument on stage with John definitely took place however but it must have occurred at an earlier Quarrymen performance.