All You Need is Love (and a sense of adventure). Inspired by true events, James Corden and of course, the music of the Beatles…..
Our travel itinerary had us staying at the Ruthin Castle located in North Wales with its origins dating back to 1277 AD. Looking at the map, we were approximately 34 miles from Liverpool, England. I quickly surmised this would be the closest dad and daughter would be to Beatlemania Ground Zero for our entire United Kingdom trip. It was now or never.
A quick negotiation with the hotel concierge and 160 British pounds ($205 USD) later, a driver would arrive at the hotel at 8:30 pm to drive us to Liverpool. He would return to Liverpool at 2:00 am for the pickup and transport back to the Wales. We skipped the dessert portion of the group dinner and excitedly headed out into the night.
Our driver arrived on time. Marco was a young man in his thirties, a transplant from a small village in Italy. He and his family moved here seven years ago to care for his wife’s ailing father. I told him of our plan. “That’s so cool,” he laughed. His car radio was tuned into tribute show for Aretha Franklin, the iconic American singer (Queen of Soul) who passed away only two days earlier. I secretly hoped this was a sign from the music gods that tonight would be special.
We raced along on the A494, as the red sun was setting over the beautiful countryside of Denbighshire, Wales. I dreamed of what lay ahead. Suddenly we approached signs for the Queensway Tunnel, crossing the River Mersey, we arrived at a busy plaza as the giant sign proclaimed – Welcome to Liverpool. Home to Everton F.C. and Liverpool F.C. - Use Soccerbus. For U.S. travelers, picture crossing the Holland Tunnel from New Jersey into New York City at nightfall with pedestrians, neon signs and cars everywhere. It felt just like that.
Lauren clicked on her GPS. I grabbed the paper list of the Beatles sites we wished to photograph and pressed play on my iPod. Come Together echoed in the black Liverpool Saturday night. We looked at each other and smiled. Here we go!
We headed over the Beatles Story Experience at Albert Dock for our first photo op. The exhibit was closed but houses the largest permanent collection of Beatles memorabilia, attracting fans from all over the world. We walked over to the John Lennon Peace Monument on Kings Dock near the ACC Liverpool stadium. The sculpture was unveiled on October 9, 2010 which would have been Lennon’s 70th birthday. Next stop was Pier Head to photograph the life size sculptures of the Fab Four walking by the Mersey.
I gazed down at my watch. It read 10:35pm.
So far, Lauren and I crossed off only three items on our Beatles Bucket List. We had many more to go. The clock was ticking. We needed help.
We walked up Brunswick Street to Georges Dockway when I spotted a black taxi van.
“Hello,” said the driver in a gruff voice. “Where are you heading?”
“My daughter and I are trying to visit various Beatles sites tonight. We have a list of places we wish to photograph; Penny Lane, Eleanor Rigby’s grave, and Paul McCartney’s house on….”
“His home is located at 20 Forthlin Road,” said the taxi driver. “What about John Lennon’s house? Let me see your list. I know where all these places are. Hop in, mates.”
Alan was 52 years old. He has lived in Liverpool his entire life. Over the course of the next two hours he gave us a personalized tour of his beloved hometown. We learned about his four daughters, passed the flat where he and his wife Julia lived after they married. Alan and I discussed our mutual love of music on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. He reminiscenced about the very first ‘single’ he bought (Oliver’s Army) by this new popular artist named Elvis Costello, his first album (The Boomtown Rats) as well as his love of U2 and post Genesis - Phil Collins music.
He spoke about the emergence of Prime Minister Thatcher, the riots between blacks and the police, the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana, the end of the cold war and following every news story he could about my country from across the Pond – America.
Our first stop was Penny Lane located in the Mossley Hill section of Liverpool. Alan took a photo of Lauren and I by the legendary sign. It was here I copped to having this idea after seeing the recent James Corden ‘Carpool Karaoke’ skit with Paul McCartney. Alan having heard about the video laughed saying he has experienced a slight increase in business after that episode aired about a month ago.
He took us to Paul McCatrney and John Lennon’s childhood homes now both owned and operated by the National Trust. We visited Eleanor Rigby’s gravesite at St. Peter’s Church, Woolton. Alan came prepared with a flashlight, so we were able to locate the headstone within minutes. I joked with Lauren, that we would have spent hours here in the pitch black night trying to find her gravesite.
Next we drove to the site of the inspiration of song, Strawberry Fields Forever, on Beaconsfield Road. It was once a Salvation Army children’s home that was in close proximity to where John Lennon lived with his Aunt Mimi and Uncle George. It is now a church and prayer center. Alan was once again handy providing us with a Sharpie so dad and daughter could sign the facade near the red entrance gates.
At the intersection of Smithdown Road, Allerton Road and Penny Lane sits “the shelter in the middle of the roundabout” made famous in the song, Penny Lane. Across the street is the barber shop also immortalized in the same song. At the roundabout sits an empty restaurant named Sgt. Peppers Bistro currently vacant.
Alan saved the best stop for last - Mathew Street. Mathew Street is Mecca for all things Beatles in Liverpool city centre. It was a Saturday night and the party was the happening!
On Mathew Street sits the Eleanor Rigby statue and John Lennon statue outside the original Cavern Club. It was at the Cavern Club on February 9, 1961 after returning home from Hamburg, Germany, the Beatles made their first appearance at the club. The Beatles played the club nearly 300 times from 1961 to 1963 before heading to America where they would experience international success.
It was here we parted ways with Alan both of us tearing up ever so slightly when I doubled his fare rate telling him “this would be a night my daughter and I would never forget.”
Lauren and I walked into the legendary Cavern Club as a Beatles tribute band on stage in the basement of the club launched into Ticket to Ride.
If these walls could talk!
Photographs and signed bricks lined these hallowed walls representing bands and artists that have played here since the bar first opened as a jazz club on January 16, 1957 before becoming Ground Zero for Liverpool’s rock and roll scene in the 60s.
Turns out, Beatles tribute bands have been arriving all week in anticipation of the 32nd Liverpool International Beatle Week (IBW) running from August 22 – 28, 2018. Celebrations include “50 Years of The White Album” and “50 Years of Apple” including guest appearances from Patti Boyd and other folks associated with the band from their heyday.
Dad and daughter shared a few pints walking around this iconic venue in a semi-conscious state. Are we actually here? Is this really happening tonight?
After Lauren purchased a t-shirt, we headed down the street to The Grapes. Back in the day, the Cavern Club did not serve alcohol, so the boys would head to The Grapes after their gigs. The pub contains Beatles memorabilia from those fabulous days gone by.
I looked down at my watch which now read 1:30am.
Our “Cinderella Night” was quickly coming to an end. We headed to the plaza near the tunnel just as Marco arrived, right on time. Our smiles were lighting up the black Liverpool night!
Admittedly, the ride back to Wales was a bit fuzzy. I do remember telling him about our night, recalling every little detail but eventually losing my battle with weariness, dozing off ever so slightly before we arrived at Ruthin Castle.
I do remember my daughter giving me the biggest and longest hug before we retired for the night saying, “Dad, thanks for tonight. This was the best night of my life.”
Thanks, Alan. It was truly a Magical Mystery Tour!