John Lennon's first band The Quarrymen play Romstock 2018 - in pictures
They have been playing longer than The Rolling Stones. . . and while they may not have the private jets and millions in the bank account, John Lennon's first band The Quarrymen showed they still know how to put on a show at Romstock 2018.
The four-piece – all aged in their 70s – were the highlight of the music festival staged on playing fields off St Kenelms Road in Romsley, near Halesowen.
Originally formed back in 1956 with John Lennon, The Quarrymen now features Rod Davis, a former schoolfriend of Lennon’s, Colin Hanton, Len Garry and Charles Newby.
And the skiffle band Music lovers flocked to the ‘In Spite of all the Danger’ and ‘That’ll be the Day’
Despite being in their late 70s, John Lennon's former band The Quarrymen stole the show at Romstock 2018 at the weekend.
At the same time as the Rolling Stones continue their most recent tour, music veterans The Quarrymen took to the stage at the music festival in Romsley as the headline act.
The skiffle band, who later evolved to form the Beatles, saw Rod Davis, a former schoolfriend of Lennon’s, feature alongside Colin Hanton, Len Garry and Charles Newby as they brought to an end a record breaking year for the music festival.
In its seventh year since it began in 2012, Romstock 2018 pulled in over 2000 people to raise money for youth projects in the parish.
Band Co-ordinator Mark Moran was delighted with how everything played out.
"It was a staggering success," he said.
"The cost to put together these events is so huge and we had to raise the prices to £15 this year and I was a bit worried about that, but in the end it was so worth it.
"We sold 1000 tickets before the event and reached in excess of 2000 for people on the door, it's phenomenal. Everyone had a fantastic time and it was a joyous event. Aside from the birth of my kids it was probably the best day of my life.
"It was a lovely, family-friendly day. So many bands want to come and play for us now, it really was like a field of dreams out there. A great community spirit."
Lennon founded the Quarrymen in 1956 at Liverpool's Quarry Bank school before Paul McCartney and George Harrison joined the existing line-up.
"They're legends," Mr Moran added.
"They were so nervous to start with but they came on and stormed it, it was wonderful. They're fit as a fiddle for their age and they were such lovely guys.
"What shocked me was that there were a lot of young people that came to see them. Music itself was changed because of these guys and they were the catalyst for the Beatles beginning. It was special, words can't describe how good it was. It was like a magical history tour of music taking part in our little village, I'm still on cloud nine."
The event, that takes place at Romsley Playing Fields on St Kenelms Road near Halesowen, broke its own records for attendance and money raised to help it's youth.
"The organisation from the parish is fantastic, everything worked so well. The security guards were bored in the end as everything went so smoothly. It couldn't have gone any better," Mr Moran said.
"We're trying to add to it each year with little bits hear and there. I have a plan and it's a bit ambitious, but I think people would book their tickets for next year now if they could. We're aiming to top this year and we'll do it.
"I also want to thank David Powell, the Chairman, he's taken this from a small plastic tent with 200 people and upped it a gear but still as a small village affair as we want it to be.
