Name: Big Beat '64
Genre: Music
Rating: 8.9
Cast: David Jacobs, Jimmy Savile, John Banks

"Big Beat 64" is a filmed record of the 1964 New Musical Express Poll Winner's concert shown in two parts with part 1 first shown on the ITV network on 03 May 1964 (and despite its Sunday afternoon slot, it attracted 5.9 million viewers) and part 2 followed a week later. It opens with Ross McManus (Elvis Costello's dad) and the Joe Loss Blue Beats singing 'Patsy Girl' and then a very serious looking David Jacobs welcomes the audience with an interruption from Jimmy Savile. The Hollies kick off their two song repertoire with 'Rockin' Robin' and complete with 'Just One Look' and then Jimmy Savile introduces the Rolling Stones who do 'Not Fade Away', 'I Just Wanna Make Love To You' then Charlie Watts comes out from behind the drum kit to introduce Bo Diddley's 'I'm Alright' which closes part 1. Suddenly the rawness of the Stones performance is replaced with a grinning Joe Loss introducing his orchestra playing 'The Peanut Vendor'. David Jacobs comes back on to introduce the Swinging Blue Jeans who give the audience 'Shake Rattle And Roll' then 'Good Golly Miss Molly'. (Both sound very similar.) Liverpool legends the Searchers are then introduced by Jimmy Savile. It's the original hit lineup with Tony Jackson and Mike Pender sharing a mike to belt out 'Farmer John'. Then after some sound problems drummer Chris Curtis introduces their latest record, 'Don't Throw Your Love Away' which has some mix problems, and then Chris announces that their final number will be the Ray Charles song 'What Can I Say' which is in fact 'What'd I Say'. Sadly this is not the best interpretation of the song with the drummer stopping and seemingly improvising and then stopping the song a couple of times to tell the audience to join in which kills the rhythm of Tony Jackson and John McInally who had been giving it their all. Pretty terrible really. This ends part 2 and at the opening of part three we can see the 'roadies' on stahe who appear to be dressed like hospital porters wearing white coats shifting the instruments around. Jimmy Savile announces Freddie And The Dreamers who starts off with a manic cackle before getting started with a fairly anaemic version of 'Kansas City'. They then slow the pace down with 'Send Me Some Loving' which is played for laughs and they stop for some slapstick which doesn't really hold the audience. After someone's trousers fall down they launch into 'Short Shorts' with more trouser dropping. A rather disapproving David Jacobs comes on to introduce Brian Poole And The Tremeloes who at least keep their trousers on while doing 'Candy Man' then 'Do You Love Me'. And for viewers at home that was as much as you got for week 1.

Part 2 opens with Jimmy Savile introducing the Manfreds featuring Manfred Mann on keyboards which seem to be twice as loud as everyone else in the band. Their first song is 'Sticks And Stones' then 'Hubble Bubble Toil And Trouble'. David Jacobs introduces Jet Harris who does about 30 seconds of 'The Man With The Golden Arm' then morphs into his #1 hit 'Diamonds'. He then announces 'Big Bad Bass' which he says flopped in sales but clearly he liked it. David Jacobs then hands Jet his award as top instrumentalist as Jet has to rush off to another gig. Jimmy Savile introduces Kathy Kirby who seems to be the first singer who has no sound problems, but then she was from the world of belting songs out and that's just what she does with 'You're The One'. She is quite well received by the audience considering it was mainly teenagers there to see beat groups. Her next song was a surprise as it was 'Acapulco 1922', a track from Kathy Kirby Sings 16 Hits From Stars And Garters which was not out as a single although the arrangement is identical to the single issued by Johnny B Great. The Dakotas get an introduction from David Jacobs but we see them with their lead singer Billy J Kramer so it could be that they performed their hit 'The Cruel Sea' before he came on and that may have been cut. Billy J's third hit 'I'll Keep You Satisfied' is followed by 'They Remind Me Of You' which was the b side of 'Little Children' and surprisingly that's all we get from the big guy. Part 3 opens with the Merseybeats with an abbreviated version of their biggest hit 'I Think Of You' and they then introduce their latest record 'Don't Turn Around' then finish with the uptempo 'I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry Over You'. Jimmy Savile then introduces the only American performer on the show, Big Dee Irwin who says his first song 'Happy Being Fat' was written especially for him. The audience doesn't seem sure how to react to this but the song is lively enough, sounding a little like 'Swinging On A Star' but with a riveting sax solo courtesy of Sounds Incorporated who backed many of the acts on show. Then on comes Joe Brown singing 'I'm 'Enery The Eighth I Am' which lasts just over a minute and then an unusual choice instrumental from Bizet's 'Camen' and just in case anyone thought he had gone bonkers, he comes up with 'What A Crazy World'. Joe then receives his award from Roy Orbison (who unfortunately doesn't get to sing - or if he did it didn't show on the final broadcast cut). There appear to be some technical issues - David Jacobs says something about a power cut while introducing Gerry And The Pacemakers - and Gerry mentions problems before singing 'I Like It' (and getting some of the words mixed up), 'I'm The One'and his new release 'Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying' (and he gets the words wrong again). NME editor Maurice Kinn (the man who invented the UK singles charts in 1952) comes on to talk about the NME awards and introduces Roger Moore who is going to present them (and that gets a big scream from the crowd). He gives the DJ Runner Up award to Jimmy Savile, and top disc jockey of the year goes to David Jacobs. Runners up in the British vocal section are the Searchers (more screaming) and the top female singer category Kathy Kirby, the artist most voted for to appear in the Poll Concert is Billy J Kramer, top British big band for the second year in succession goes to Joe Loss and there is an audible lowering of enthusiasm in the audience while he collects. Top new disc or TV singer award goes to Gerry Marsden, then getting a bunch of awards are the Beatles who come on to loud screams and then go off again. There's an appearance by the American DJ Murray The K who gives a big build up to the Beatles announcing their names individually and creating mass excitement. (His style is quite a contrast from David Jacobs.) Then at long last here they are - the Beatles and above the screams we get to hear 'She Loves You' with John Lennon getting the right words in the wrong order (as Eric Morecambe might say). Next up is 'You Can't Do That' An extremely young looking Paul McCartney introduces 'Twist And Shout' which sounds excellent and there are lots of shots of Ringo hammering the skins. Then it's on to the title track of the Beatles latest EP 'Long Tall Sally with Paul doing his Little Richard bit. Paul then thanks everyone who voted for them and points to an imaginary watch on his arm to let the screamers know this is the last song and it's 'Can't Buy Me Love'. They take their bows and the audience scream and then it's all over until 1965. The performances are all very live and energetic but it appears to be only a two camera operation and Empire Pool seems like a bad venue as many of the audience are sat behind the performers and only get to see the backs of their heads, but this captures a unique event that was the only time in history the Beatles and the Stones shared the same bill. One last point -some of the credits for this show are incorrect. Mike D'Abo did not join the Manfreds until 1966 and the Dave Clark Five did not appear.

The music genre features stories showcasing musical performances, music-related documentaries and recordings of live concerts and music festivals.

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Big Beat '64

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