The Beatles School Gig - Roxburgh Hall, Stowe School, 4th April 1963 (2023)

In a rare moment of hubris, the Empress Valley label have announced the release of ‘School Gig’, this new 2 CD set contains what remains of the recording from the Beatles concert at Stowe School on the 4th April, 1963. Premiered in part on the BBC on the Front Row programme by top journalist Samira Ahmed who lead the investigation in to the school concert, played as the Beatles were breaking in to superstardom, this investigation pushed two new tapes, unknown to collectors before, in to the light.

The first, an amateur recording by one of the pupils at the school of the best part of the concert, was played in part through the BBC documentary, before being given to the British Library where it can be heard via headphones in their registered listening rooms. The second tape is a rather lesser quality ‘interview’ with the band, directed by two school girls whose father craftily secreted a microphone in to a flower pot. The second tape does not appear here.

Despite assurances to the validity of the recording here, we hear that there’s a ripple of distrust attached to this tape that EV have presented. We look forward to hearing the set and offering a review in full.