Rare Beatles footage unearthed at a Sydney flea market

Rare Beatles footage has been unearthed at a Sydney flea market by a musician who found an old box of 8mm film.

Rare Beatles footage has been uncovered at a Sydney flea market by a musician who found an old box of 8mm film he thought could contain something interesting.

Greg Perano told A Current Affair he saw the old box of film for $11 at a Surry Hills flea market so he bought it.

When he looked through the box he found one of the films had The Beatles written on it and soon discovered it was a recording of the fab four playing at Sydney Stadium in 1964.

Musician Greg Perano found an old box of 8mm films at a flea market in Sydney which contained rare footage of The Beatles. Picture: A Current Affair/ Nine

“I sat down, and I went, ‘the guy’s on stage. He’s filming on stage’,” Mr Perano said.

“It’s really good, beautiful black and white, 8mm quality … it just brought back all those memories, because it’s not like a big band now playing up to the cameras.

“It’s a band who look like they’re in a small club really enjoying playing.

“You see a band in its formative stage where they were really good live.”

Making the discovery even more special, Mr Perano recalled how he had climbed a mountain as an 11-year old boy in Picton, New Zealand where he lived hoping to hear the Beatles play live.

“I figured if you went up and the wind was blowing in the right direction you might be able to hear some of the concert,” he said.

He said there were 12 of them who went up there.

“Of course we could not hear them but it was just that we knew they were 100km away doing a show.”

Mr Perano said it was absolute magic to find 60-year old footage of a band you loved.

“I think I was supposed to be the person to discover it, and it was an incredible moment to see it was really The Beatles,” he said.

Sun Herald music writer Gil Wahlquist was the filmmaker who shot footage of The Beatles playing at Sydney Stadium in 1964. Picture: A Current Affair/ Nine

Mr Perano also tracked down the filmmaker which he discovered was Sun Herald music writer Gil Wahlquist whose name was written on the box containing the film, but he has passed away.

“Being that person who could actually get that close to The Beatles … John, Paul and George are singing straight to him,” he said.

The filmmakers family gave Mr Perano their blessing to keep the film, and he has since received offers for the footage, but he hopes to find a home where other people can “enjoy” it as well.

“I have gone back and listened to the songs, and it is those songs that almost make you cry,” Mr Perano said.

Originally published as Rare Beatles footage unearthed at a Sydney flea market