The Itchyworms became the second Filipino band to perform at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England, the venue where the iconic British group The Beatles was discovered by Brian Epstein, who later became the band’s manager.
Following in the footsteps of the Reo Brothers nearly a decade ago, this milestone by The Itchyworms took place last June 23 as part of their ongoing U.K. tour, which included stops in Manchester and London.
The Liverpool set featured their longtime session guitarist and Ciudad frontman Mikey Amistoso, who rejoined the band for this international run. For a group that carved out their own corner in the local scene with offbeat humor and classic pop hooks, stepping onto one of British music’s most iconic stages was a moment that tied their journey to a larger lineage.
“When we got on that stage, I just had to feel the texture of the walls with my hands,” drummer Jazz Nicolas tells Rolling Stone Philippines. “And while we were playing, I couldn’t help but imagine the POV of the Beatles as they played here decades ago. Kel jokingly asked if there was still any trace of Beatle DNA in there.”
Whet Crisostomo of the band For Old Time’s Sake shared a photo of the band online, capturing the moment Jugs Jugueta, Jazz Nicolas, Mikey Amistoso, and Weckl Mercado stood under the signature brick-arched ceilings of the Cavern Club. The image echoed decades of music history. “To top it off, they were invited to the iconic front stage — the very spot where The Beatles were discovered by Brian Epstein,” Crisostomo wrote. “A true honour and milestone for Filipino music on the global stage.”
Amistoso reposted the photo and shared how the opportunity unfolded. While playing their set at the Cavern Club’s Live Lounge, the club’s director happened to catch the band in the middle of their performance. “We got offered a chance to play and sing a few Beatles songs that same night at the adjacent front stage,” Amistoso said. The invitation was a spontaneous result of their set and a rare chance to play in the same space where The Beatles were once scouted.
“Watching documentaries, we’d always see The Cavern Club, and last night, stepping onto the exact same stage where John, Paul, George, and Ringo once played, was truly surreal.” bassist Kelvin Yu says.
The Reo Brothers first broke ground for Filipino acts at the Cavern Club in 2015, performing during Liverpool’s International Beatleweek Festival. That legacy has now continued through The Itchyworms, who took the moment with the same ease and confidence they’ve long brought to their performances. For all the tours local acts have booked abroad, few can claim the kind of symbolic weight that comes with playing on the same floorboards where British rock history began.
