The lot comprises of two setlists, the first setlist dates to the early stages of the band’s career from a concert during their early performing years. During this infantile stage of the group’s progression the band’s name was The Silver Beetles and the band’s line-up was also different, Sir Paul McCartney was not the singer and bassist within the line-up but was the drummer. The first setlist is from 1960 and is written by McCartney, the setlist is for a performance at Liscard’s Grosvenor Ballroom located in the town of Wallasey within the English county Merseyside. The setlist includes various covers played at the gig including the Elvis song ‘Stuck On You‘, as well as Beatles original ‘One For 909‘.

The year of the setlist is a mere three years before the initial formation of what would become the multi-hitmakers Beatles. The second setlist is dated from 1963 and is also from the early years of the band’s career. A year before the writing of the setlist Sir Ringo Starr joined the group as their drummer, completing the group and cementing the band line-up with which they rose to fame. The setlist is from a gig held on 17th April 1963 at the Majestic Ballroom located in Luton and was written on the back of a publicity postcard belonging to record label Parlophone. Signed by the four band-members, included in the setlist is ‘Love Me Do‘ and cover of Little Richard hit ‘Long Tall Sally‘.

Within this same year of 1963, the group released two studio albums, the first being their debut album ‘Please Please Me’. The album was produced by their long-term collaborator, producer George Martin, who is often referred to as the fifth Beatle due to his heavy involvement within the band’s sound and career. Eight months after the release of the Beatles’ debut studio album the second album of the year ‘With the Beatles’ was released on 22nd November 1963, the album featured George Harrison’s first solo composition, ‘Don’t Bother Me’.

The importance of the setlists’ worth is clearly due to the rarity in which each holds, there are only eight setlists by the Beatles which currently exist. Both setlists are predicted to sell for between $150,000 and $250,000, the auction is being held by international auction house Bonhams. Howard Kramer, the Senior Specialist responsible for the music lots within the auction houses’ Popular Culture department has spoken to Rolling Stone concerning the first setlist. “At this point, the Beatles were about to become a band in the truest sense, Pete Best had yet to join the band and the first Hamburg engagement was about two months out. Pretty soon, there was no looking back.”

Kramer has also spoken to Rolling Stone concerning the second setlist, “This setlist shows them as a working band that understands their role as entertainers, This is just one set of two played that night but we can see that they are still balancing their own developing work with songs from other artists and diverse sources.” The Senior Specialist also provided the following comment on the band’s career and the scope in which the setlists hold within their value. “Setlists generally have a short life, Once the gig is over, they’ve served their purpose. Collecting scraps of paper from pop bands wasn’t a thing yet in 1960 and 1963. That scarcity is what makes these setlists so interesting. “The Beatles’ career was relatively brief and there’s very few tangible, physical items directly used by the band that become available to the public, The Beatles are still the most collectible

Starr has recruited some of music’s generational giants for the benefit, including American musician Sheryl Crow, singer-songwriter Ben Harper, and none other than longtime friend and Beatles bandmate, Sir Paul McCartney.

The fundraiser will also include previously unseen performance footage of Ringo and Paul during the height of The Beatles era, as well as exclusive at-home performances from the stellar lineup. Famed for enlisting amazing lineups year after year, the 2019 ‘Peace and Love’ included David Lynch, Nils Lofgren and Benmont Tench.

Divided between four vital charities, donations from the Livestream fundraiser will be split between Black Lives Matter Global Network, WaterAid, The David Lynch Foundation, and MusiCares. Starr also showed his support towards the Black Lives Matter movement, recently writing on his official twitter page: “The Beatles always stood for equal rights and justice, and I’ve never stopped working for peace & love ever since. #BlackLivesMatter, #PeaceIsPossible, I send my peace love & continuous support to everyone marching and speaking up for justice & a better world” 

This is not the first birthday gig the Beatles bandmate has hosted: for the past 12 years, Starr has orchestrated the world-famous ‘Peace and Love’ event in his adopted city of Los Angeles, California. Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, this year’s installment of ‘Peace and Love’ marks the first at-home Livestream of the famous celebration.

In the wake of his milestone birthday, the British superstar took to Instagram today with news of the Livestream fundraiser to 846,000 overjoyed followers. The post featured a video of Starr being photographed and posing with his classic peace signs stance. Starr was also displayed repping various ‘Peace and Love’ branded face masks, the video itself conveying colourful cartoon animations reminiscent of 1960’s psychedelia.

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Ringo’s 80th birthday is just a week away! Join him in spreading a global wave of Peace & Love at noon your time on 7/7!

A post shared by Ringo Starr (@ringostarrmusic) on Jun 30, 2020 at 8:25am PDT

In the short video, Starr relayed his reasoning behind altering the 2020 installment of ‘Peace and Love’ to an at-home Livestream. Starr delivered a positive message about the event to fans worldwide: “At 12 noon, July 7th, 2020, you go ‘Peace and Love’. ‘Peace and Love’. That’s all I ask. Wherever you are; on a bus, down the mine, in a spaceship, in a rocket” 

The already popular post was met with a delightful response from Starr’s giant Instagram following, receiving over 72,000 likes in just one day. The post was accompanied by the following caption: “Ringo’s Birthday Update! Ringo’s 80th birthday is just a week away! Join him in spreading a global wave of Peace & Love at noon your time on 7/7!” 

What’s My Name, the 20th studio album and latest record from Ringo Starr, was released last year and is available on streaming platforms everywhere.