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Photos: The Beatles' Early Years Displayed In West Hollywood Gallery
A collection of images of the Beatles' early years is set to be exhibited at the Leica Gallery on Beverly Boulevard in West Hollywood, beginning September 7 and running through October 19.
The photographs were taken by Astrid Kirchherr, who, at age 22, met the band when they played at a club in Hamburg, Germany. According to a press release, Kirchherr knew she had to document the band as soon as she laid eyes on them.
“It was like a merry-go-round in my head. They looked absolutely astonishing," she said. "My whole life changed in a couple of minutes. All I wanted was to be with them and to know them.”
The collection tracks the musicians as they gained fame, and includes pictures that have never been seen before, some candid and some posed.
Kirchherr, now 75, got engaged to the Beatles' one-time bass player, Stuart Sutcliffe, after she met the band, but he died tragically of a brain hemorrhage at the age of 21. She then went on to travel with the Beatles, photographing them extensively after they became famous and as they filmed the movie, "A Hard Day's Night."
A book of Kirchherr's work, "Astrid Kirchherr: A Retrospective," was published in 2008.
The Leica Gallery is located at 8783 Beverly Blvd. West Hollywood, CA 90048. An opening reception for the Kirchherr exhibit will take place on September 7, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
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