Video: 'The Beatles in Hamburg'

(Tuesday, August 16, 1960, during The Beatles in Hamburg) — The largely unknown English rock group The Beatles — consisting of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Stuart Sutcliffe and brand new drummer Pete Best — embarked today on a journey from their hometown of Liverpool, England, to Hamburg, West Germany, to begin their first residency in the port city at the Indra Club the following evening.

This second major phase in the group’s history would hone their performance skills, widen their reputation and lead to their first recording, which brought them to the attention of their future manager, Brian Epstein.

The Beatles also first met Astrid Kirchherr in Hamburg, who was instrumental in their adoption of the mop topped Beatle haircut.