For The Beatles, 1963 was the breakthrough year. Four quickfire UK hits in 12 months - the first peaking at number two, the other three hitting the top spot - kicked off their unstoppable ascent to worldwide musical domination.
In a year of incessant touring around the provinces of the UK as the band built its reputation to increasingly hysterical audience reactions, some songs were written on the road. For years, it has been known that the early lightning rod of Beatlemania, She Loves You , was written in Newcastle.
The Fab Four performed four times in the city during 1963, twice at the City Hall, and twice at the smaller Majestic Ballroom (today it's 02 Academy) on Westgate Road. It was after the June 26 show at the Majestic that The Beatles wrote She Loves You - a fact confirmed by none other than Paul McCartney.
