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Today in History: Mona Best launches Casbah Club with Quarrymen

8/29/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On 29 August 1959 Mona Best launched the Casbah Coffee Club in her Liverpool home’s cellar, modeling it after London’s 2i’s Coffee Bar. The inaugural gig featured John Lennon’s Quarrymen, the skiffle group that would later become the Beatles, marking the venue’s first rock-and-roll showcase.

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Story summary

On 29 August 1959 Mona Best launched the Casbah Coffee Club in her Liverpool home’s cellar, modeling it after London’s 2i’s Coffee Bar. The inaugural gig featured John Lennon’s Quarrymen, the skiffle group that would later become the Beatles, marking the venue’s first rock-and-roll showcase.