Welcome to the first posting of a series of gig listings for 1960s bands. None of these lists is exhaustive and my idea is to add to them in the comments section below over time. They are here for future researchers to draw on and, where possible, I have added the sources used, whether they are newspapers or websites.  I have also added a few interesting bits of information and will add images in time.

I’d like to encourage band members to get in touch to share memories, or for anyone to send corrections/clarifications to my email: Warchive@aol.com 

Equally important, if you attended any of the gigs below or played in the support band, please do leave your memories below in the comments section for future historians to use. If you know of any missing gigs, please add them too, if possible, with the sources.

Formed in late 1959, Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds comprises the following line-up by spring 1963:

Chris Farlowe (lead vocals)

Bobby Taylor (lead guitar)

Ricky Charman (bass)

Vic Cooper (organ, sax, piano)

? Hines (drums)

1962

25 August 1962 – Hi-Fi Hop, Weybridge Hall, Weybridge, Surrey (Woking Herald)

1963

9 March 1963 – Long’s Ballroom, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with Ron Diamond & The Cutters (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

Jimmy Campbell joined on drums around May 1963.

19 May 1963 – New Central Ballroom, Aldershot, Hampshire with Don Lenon Trio (Aldershot News)

31 May 1963 – Whitehall, East Grinstead, West Sussex with Lee Paris & The LPs (Brighton Evening Argus) Billed as Chris Farler & The Thunderbirds

1 June 1963 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire (Cambridgeshire Times)

29 July 1963 – Marquee, Oxford Street, London with (Mann-Hugg) Blues Brothers (Tony Bacon book: London Live)

9 August 1963 – Green Man, Blackheath, London (Melody Maker)

18 October 1963 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Melody Maker)

Johnny Wiseman replaced Jimmy Campbell on drums around about now.

2 November 1963 – Long’s Ballroom, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with Brian Poole & The Tremeloes (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

17 November 1963 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Harrow Weekly Post)

6 December 1963 – Ricky Tick, Reading St John Ambulance Hall, Reading, Berkshire (David Else’s research)

27 December 1963 – Ricky Tick, Guildford Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey (Ricky Tick website: https://www.rickytick.com/) Surrey Advertiser has Plaza Ballroom

1964

18 February 1964 – Stereo Club, Woking, Surrey (Woking News & Mail)

Vic Cooper left around March.

29 March 1964 – Riverside Club, Cricketers Hotel, Chertsey, Surrey (Woking Herald)

5 April 1964 – Savoy Rooms, Catford, southeast London (Kentish Mercury)

12 April 1964 – Ricky Tick, Olympia Ballroom, Reading, Berkshire (Bucks Free Press)

18 April 1964 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, Tony Holland & The Pack-A-Beats and The Renegades (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

19 April 1964 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex with The Impacts (Dorothy Bullock list)

21 April 1964 – Fender Club, Kenton, Middlesex with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Harrow Observer & Gazette)

22 April 1964 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

30 April 1964 – Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex with Dean Austen & The Dominators (Essex Chronicle)

15 May 1964 – Pussycat Club, Bruce Grove Ballroom, N17, London with The Zephyrs (Tottenham Weekly Herald)

25 May 1964 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

David Greenslade joined on keyboards around June and Albert Lee took over from Bobby Taylor on lead guitar.

9 June 1964 – Jumbo Club, King George’s Hall, Esher, Surrey with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Melody Maker)

18 June 1964 – Civic Hall, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Luton News)

27 June 1964 – Continental Dancing Club, Edmonton, Middlesex (Tottenham Weekly Herald)

29 June 1964 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

11 July 1964 – Galaxy Club, Haymarket Lounge, Basingstoke, Hampshire (Hampshire & Berkshire Gazette)

1 August 1964 – Attic Club, 1a High Street, Hounslow, Middlesex with The Ray Clevelands (Kingston & Malden Borough News)

4 August 1964 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

22 August 1964 – West Runton Pavilion, West Runton, Norfolk (North Norfolk News)

3 October 1964 – 2-3-4 R&B Club, Britannia Hotel, Barking, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

4 October 1964 – Trend Club, Colchester, Essex (Essex County Standard)

6 October 1964 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

9 October 1964 – Trend Club, Colchester, Essex (Essex County Standard)

13 October 1964 – Nurses Club, Jolly Gardners, Isleworth, Middlesex with Preacher Brown & The Witnesses (Middlesex Chronicle)

3 October 1964 – 2-3-4 R&B Club, Britannia Hotel, Barking, east London (Rebridge & Ilford Recorder)

30 October 1964 – Trend Club, Colchester, Essex (Essex Chronicle)

9 November 1964 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

13 December 1964 – Alley Club, Cambridge (Cambridge News)

15 December 1964 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

1965

10 January 1965 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, London (Melody Maker)

17 January 1965 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Harrow Weekly Post/Greenford Weekly Post)

23 January 1965 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with The Shakedowns (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

Ian Hague took over from Johnny Wiseman on drums in February.

11 February 1965 – Rocky Rivers’ Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford (Ampthill News & Weekly Record)

14 February 1965 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, London (Melody Maker)

4 March 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

14 March 1965 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, London (Melody Maker)

16 March 1965 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

18 March 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

Bernie Greenwood joined on sax and Gerry Temple joined on congas and vocals during April.

8 April 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire with Brian Auger Trinity (Dave Allen research)

11 April 1965 – Riverside Club, Cricketers Hotel, Chertsey, Surrey (Woking Herald)

18 April 1965 – Studio, Westcliffe, Essex with The Flowerpots (Southend Standard & Essex Weekly Advertiser)

24 April 1965 – New Georgian Club, Uxbridge, northwest London (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)

30 April 1965 – Ricky Tick, Guildford Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Ricky Tick website: https://www.rickytick.com/)

2 May 1965 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, London (Melody Maker)

7 May 1965 – Ricky Tick, Plaza Ballroom, Guildford, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser)

11 May 1965 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

23 May 1965 – Riverside Club, Cricketers Hotel, Chertsey, Surrey (Woking Herald)

25 May 1965 – The Bluesday Club, Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

27 May 1965 – Ettington Park Hotel, Alderminster, Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

7 June 1965 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London (Melody Maker)

10 June 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

11-12 June 1965 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Doris Troy (Melody Maker)

1 July 1965 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

11 July 1965– Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book)

16 July 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

24 July 1965 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/)

25 July 1965 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, London (Melody Maker)

29 July 1965 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Hertfordshire with The Saracens (website: http://www.coda-uk.co.uk/60’s_music_scene.htm)

31 July 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

Dave Quincy took over from Bernie Greenwood on sax during August.

7 August 1965 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/)

21 August 1965 – Milford R&B, Strutt Arms, Milford, Derbyshire (Derby Evening Telegraph)

22 August 1965 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book)

3 September 1965 – Pontiac, Zeeta House, southwest London (NME)

9 September 1965 – Ritz Club, Skewen, south Wales with The Applejacks and The Eyes of Blue (South Wales Evening Post)

David Else notes that the band was due to play at the Ricky Tick at Guildford Civic Hall on 10 September but were replaced by The Alan Price Set

11 September 1965 – Pontiac, Zeeta House, Putney, southwest London (Melody Maker)

12 September 1965 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

13 September 1965 – Garden of Eden Club, Blackbird Leys Community Centre, Wheatley, Oxfordshire with The Un-named (Oxford Mail)

16 September 1965 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

17 September 1965 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)

24 September 1965 – Archer Hall, Billericay, Essex with The Trends (Southend Standard & Essex Weekly Advertiser)

26 September 1965 – Galaxy Club, Woburn Park Hotel, Addlestone, Surrey (Woking Herald)

30 September 1965 – Farnborough Rag Week, RAE Assembly Hall, Farnborough, Hampshire with Sounds Incorporated and The Thee (Aldershot News)

3 October 1965 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/)

14 October 1965 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

23 October 1965 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

24 October 1965 – Ricky Tick, Plaza Ballroom, Guildford, Surrey (Ricky Tick website: https://www.rickytick.com/)

2 November 1965 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Herts with Colin Wilkie and Shirley Hart (Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire Express)

5 November 1965 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Artwoods, Tony Knight’s Chessmen and The Crawdaddies (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book/Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

11 November 1965 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

12 November 1965 – Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham with The Spencer Davis Group, The King Bees and The Cock O Hoops (Birmingham Evening Mail)

14 November 1965 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

15 November 1965 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London (Tottenham Weekly Herald)

16 November 1965 – Ricky Tick, Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks (website: http://aylesburymusictown.co.uk/)

19 November 1965 – Armco Sports & Social Club, Letchworth, Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with The Various Others (Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire Express) Colin Jamies, bass player with The Various Others, got in touch to say his group was called The Various Others

21 November 1965 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book)

21 November 1965 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear (website: http://www.readysteadygone.co.uk/club-agogo-newcastle-2/)

24 November 1965 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

26 November 1965 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

27 November 1965 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear (website: http://www.readysteadygone.co.uk/club-agogo-newcastle-2/)

6 December 1965 – Star Hotel, Croydon, south London (Chris Broom book: Rockin’ and Around Croydon)

8 December 1965 – Farnborough Town Hall, Farnborough, Hampshire (Aldershot News)

12 December 1965 – The Downs, Hassocks, West Sussex with John L Kingdon’s Humperdinks (Mid Sussex Times)

24 December 1965 – Manor House (most likely north London) (Beat Instrumental)

25 December 1965 – Cavern Club, Manchester (Beat Instrumental)

26 December 1965 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with Jimmy Cliff, Ayshea, Pete Hodges and The New Generation and The Tribe (Evening Sentinel)

27 December 1965 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with The Javelins (East Kent Times)

28 December 1965 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)

29 December 1965 – Starlight Ballroom, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (Beat Instrumental)

31 December 1965 – Starlight Ballroom, Greenford, west London (Beat Instrumental)

1966 

Bruce Waddell took over from Ricky Charman on bass in January

1 January 1966 – King Edward School, Southampton, Hants (Beat Instrumental)

2 January 1966 – Stonecross Hall, Harlow, Herts (Beat Instrumental)

5 January 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

7 January 1966 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Beat Instrumental)

8 January 1966 – Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex (Beat Instrumental)

9 January 1966 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (The Star)

12 January 1966 – Orford Cellar, Norwich (Eastern Evening News)

14 January 1966 – Exeter University, Exeter, Devon (Beat Instrumental)

15 January 1966 – Flamingo, Soho, Wardour Street, central London (Beat Instrumental)

16 January 1966 – Blue Moon, Hayes, west London (Beat Instrumental)

18 January 1966 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London (Beat Instrumental)

20 January 1966 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Beat Instrumental)

21 January 1966 – Rialto Club, Derby (Beat Instrumental)

22 January 1966 – Chelsea College, Chelsea, southwest London (Beat Instrumental)

23 January 1966 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

25 January 1966 – College of Advanced Technology, Birmingham (Beat Instrumental)

27 January 1966 – BRC Club, Stafford (Boyfriend magazine)

28 January 1966 – Leeds University, Leeds, West Yorkshire (Beat Instrumental)

29 January 1966 – Big Beat Club, the Ballroom, Two Puddings Hotel, Hackney, north London (Beat Instrumental) Boyfriend magazine also has In Crowd, Hackney as second gig on this night

30 January 1966 – Youth Club, Portland (most likely London) (Beat Instrumental)

31 January 1966 – Star Hotel, Croydon, south London (Beat Instrumental)

2 February 1966 – Farnborough Town Hall, Farnborough, Hampshire (Aldershot News)

3 February 1966 – Blue Moon, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Gloucester Citizen)

3 February 1966 – Star Hotel, Croydon, London (Chris Broom book: Rockin’ and Around Croydon) Beat Instrumental has this on 31 January and says the band play Blue Moon in Cheltenham today

4 February 1966 – Iron Curtain Club, Sidcup, Kent (Beat Instrumental)

5 February 1966 – Big Beat Club, Stratford (possibly London) (Beat Instrumental)

6 February 1966 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book)

10 February 1966 – Blue Triangle Club, Ealing, west London (Beat Instrumental)

11 February 1966 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Beat Instrumental)

12 February 1966 – Reading University, Reading, Berkshire (Beat Instrumental)

13 February 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, London (Melody Maker)

14 February 1966 – Manor House, Ipswich, Suffolk (Beat Instrumental)

15 February 1966 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Beat Instrumental)

18 February 1966 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Boyfriend magazine)

19 February 1966 – Marcam Hall, March, Cambridgeshire (Beat Instrumental) Advertised as Markham Hall so just needs confirmation/Boyfriend magazine has the band at Leascliff Hall, Folkestone on this date

23 February 1966 – Orford Cellar, Norwich (Eastern Evening News)

25 February 1966 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Beat Instrumental)

26 February 1966 – Jigsaw, Manchester (Beat Instrumental)

27 February 1966 – Cosmo Club, Carlisle, Cumbria (Beat Instrumental)

28 February 1966 – Top Rank, Queen’s Ballroom, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Beat Instrumental)

1 March 1966 – Top Rank, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Beat Instrumental)

2 March 1966 – Rag Week ’66, College of Advanced Technology, Great Hall, Gosta Green, West Midlands with Acker Bilk (Birmingham Evening Mail)

3 March 1966 – Plebeians Jazz Club, Halifax, West Yorkshire with Thursday’s Children (website: http://www.musictrailuk.com/index.php/venues/the-plebeians-jazz-club) Beat Instrumental has BR3 Club in Stafford on this date

4 March 1966 – Mr McCoys, Middlesbrough (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

5 March 1966 – Leeds University, Leeds, West Yorkshire (Beat Instrumental)

6 March 1966 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (The Star)

7 March 1966 – Barratts Youth Centre, South Ockenden (Beat Instrumental)

8 March 1966 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

10 March 1966 – Thorngate Hall, Gosport, Hants (Beat Instrumental)

11 March 1966 – Digbeth Hall, Digbeth, Birmingham (Beat Instrumental)

12 March 1966 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Fleur De Lys and The Essex Five (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

13 March 1966 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, London (South East London Mercury) Beat Instrumental has Top Rank in Southampton on this date

14 March 1966 – Woodhall Community Centre, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire with Trekkas (website: http://www.coda-uk.co.uk/60’s_music_scene.htm)

15 March 1966 – Civic Hall, Grays, Essex (Beat Instrumental)

17 March 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Burnley, Lancashire (Beat Instrumental)

18 March 1966 – Durham University, Durham (Beat Instrumental)

19 March 1966 – Burton’s, Uxbridge, west London (Beat Instrumental)

20 March 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Beat Instrumental)

21 March 1966 – Majestic Ballroom, Reading, Berkshire (Beat Instrumental)

23 March 1966 – Swansea University, Swansea, Wales (Beat Instrumental)

24 March 1966 – Brighton University, Brighton, Sussex (Beat Instrumental)

27 March 1966 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

Dave Quincy and Gerry Temple both left around about now reduced the band to a quintet.

6 April 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, London (Melody Maker)

11 April 1966 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Artwoods, Jimmy James & The Vagabonds and The Rockhouse Band (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book/Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

14 April 1966 – West Bromwich Baths, West Bromwich, West Midlands (Trend & Boyfriend)

15 April 1966 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Trend & Boyfriend)

18 April 1966 – Carousel Club, 1 Camp Road, Farnborough, Hampshire (Aldershot News/Camberley News)

24 April 1966 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Chatham, Rochester and Gillingham News)

During May, Dave Greenslade briefly left to join Julian Covey & The Machine as they support John Lee Hooker on a UK tour but returned to The Thunderbirds soon after.

1 May 1966 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, London (South East London Mercury)

7 May 1966 – RAE Assembly Hall, Farnborough, Hampshire with Five Proud Walkers (Aldershot News)

8 May 1966 – Dereham Tavern, Dereham, Norfolk with Ian and Danny Eves with Sounds Reformed (Eastern Evening News)

14 May 1966 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

15 May 1966 – Downs Hotel, Hassocks, West Sussex with Mike Stuart Span (Mid Sussex Times)

17 May 1966 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

18 May 1966 – Orford Cellar, Norwich (Eastern Evening News)

20 May 1966 – Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Cherokees (Berkhamsted Gazette & Tring and District News)

22 May 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

25 May 1966 – Top Rank Ballroom, Cardiff, Wales (Beat Instrumental)

27 May 1966 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, west London (Melody Maker)

28 May 1966 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London with The Stormsville Shakers (Melody Maker)

29 May 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Beat Instrumental)

30 May 1966 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire with John McCoy’s Crawdaddies (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

31 May 1966 – Corn Exchange, Bristol (Disc & Music Echo)

1 June 1966 – Farnborough Town Hall, Farnborough, Hampshire (Aldershot News/Camberley News)

3 June 1966 – Bruce Grove Ballroom (Beat Instrumental)

4 June 1966 – Co-op Hall, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire and Beachcomber, Nottingham (Beat Instrumental)

5 June 1966 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Beat Instrumental)

6 June 1966 – Atlanta Ballroom, Woking, Surrey (Aldershot News)

9 June 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Beat Instrumental)

10 June 1966 – Mr McCoys, Middlesbrough (Beat Instrumental)

11 June 1966 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Hertfordshire with Saracens (website: http://www.coda-uk.co.uk/60’s_music_scene.htm) This is missing from Beat Instrumental/Trend and Boyfriend has Drill Hall, Stamford Links on this date. However, Hertfordshire Express does

13 June 1966 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex with 4-Bidden (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)

15 June 1966 – Top Rank Ballroom, Doncaster, South Yorkshire (Beat Instrumental)

16 June 1966 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Beat Instrumental)

17 June 1966 – Keeble College, Oxford (Beat Instrumental)

18 June 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)

19 June 1966 – Sunshine Ballroom, East Dereham, Norfolk (Beat Instrumental)

20 June 1966 – Christ College, Oxford (Beat Instrumental)

23 June 1966 – Hastings College 1066 Rag Appeal Dances, Pier Ballroom, Hastings, East Sussex with The In Crowd (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website/Beat Instrumental/Hastings and St Leonards Observer)

24 June 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Beat Instrumental)

25 June 1966 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with The Wreckers (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

25 June 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Beat Instrumental)

26 June 1966 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (Fabulous 208)

27 June 1966 – Manor House, St Matthew’s Baths, Ipswich, Suffolk (Fabulous 208)

30 June 1966 – Ritz Ballroom, Skewen, South Wales (Fabulous 208)

1 July 1966 – Gaiety Ballroom, Grimsby (Beat Instrumental)

2 July 1966 – Spa Ballroom, Bridlington (Beat Instrumental)

3 July 1966 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

4 July 1966 – Top Rank, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Beat Instrumental)

6 July 1966 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, London (Chris Broom book: Rockin’ and Around Croydon) Beat Instrumental has Bromley Court Hotel on this date which is still possible

8 July 1966 – Portland Buildings, Nottingham University, Nottingham (Fabulous 208/Beat Instrumental)

8 July 1966 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press) This must be another date or was moved

9 July 1966 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with The Nite People (East Kent Times)

10 July 1966 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey (Aldershot News/Camberley News)

11 July 1966 – Top Rank Ballroom, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

13 July 1966 – Top Rank Ballroom, Doncaster, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

14 July 1966 – Mayfair Ballroom, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Beat Instrumental)

16 July 1966 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with Billy Storm & The Original Falcons (Cambridgeshire Times)

17 July 1966 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

19 July 1966 – Torquay Town Hall, Torquay, Devon with Raynors’ Secrets and The Travellers (Herald Express)

23 July 1966 – Blue Lagoon, Kimbells, Southsea, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

24 July 1966 – Starlite, Greenford, northwest London with The En-Devers Ltd (Melody Maker)

29 July 1966 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Fabulous 208)

The South East London Mercury’s 29 July 1966 edition, page 1, has a good band story and picture. The line up is Chris Farlowe, Albert Lee, Bruce Waddell, Ian Hague and Dave Greenslade

30 July 1966 – New Cornish Riviera Lido, St Austell, Cornwall (West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette)

31 July 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

2 August 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Bristol (Evening Post)

4 August 1966 – Locarno Ballroom, Bristol (Evening Post)

5 August 1966 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Washington DCs (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

6 August 1966 – Floral Hall, Southport, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)

9 August 1966 – Ram Jam, Brixton, London (Melody Maker)

11 August 1966 – Ricky Tick, Harpenden Public Hall, Harpenden, Hertfordshire (Poster)

12 August 1966 – The Gaff, North Bar, Banbury, Oxfordshire (Fabulous 208)

13 August 1966 – Drill Hall, Grantham, Lincolnshire with The Delcounts and Breed (Grantham Journal)

18 August 1966 – Bedford Corn Exchange, Bedford (Bigglewade Chronicle)

23 August 1966 – Kinema, Dunfermline, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

25 August 1966 – Palais, Dundee, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

26 August 1966 – City Hall, Perth, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

27 August 1966 – Market Assembly Hall, Carlisle, Cumbria with The Atoms and The Conquests (Cumberland News)

28 August 1966 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Skyliners (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book/Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

29 August 1966 – Grays Club, Grays Court, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208/Beat Instrumental)

31 August 1966 – Mr Magoos, Edinburgh, Scotland (Beat Instrumental)

1 September 1966 – Mr Magoos, Edinburgh, Scotland (Beat Instrumental)

2 September 1966 – Grimsby Mecca, Grimsby, Humberside (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)

3 September 1966 – King Mojo Club, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Beat Instrumental)

4 September 1966 – Olympia Ballroom, Cromer, Norfolk (Beat Instrumental)

8 September 1966 – Assembly Hall, Worthing, West Sussex (Worthing Herald)

9 September 1966 – Beat Festival, Scunthorpe United Football Ground, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire with Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, The Troggs, Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers, Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas, The Ram Jam Band, The Creation, The Mindbenders and The Fenmen (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)

10 September 1966 – Casino Ballroom, Taggs Island, Hampton Court, Middlesex (Fabulous 208)

11 September 1966 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey (Aldershot News/Camberley News)

16 September 1966 – Corn Exchange, Newbury, Berkshire (Fabulous 208)

17 September 1966 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Otis Redding & his American Band, The Gates of Eden, The Rising Sons and The Ferryboys (Lincolnshire Standard)

18 September 1966 – The New Scene, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

18 September 1966 – Beachcomber, Nottingham with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Nottingham Evening Post)

22 September 1966 – Salisbury City Hall, Salisbury, Wiltshire with The Impacts (Frogg Moody and Richard Nash’s book Hold Tight!)

23 September 1966 – Top Spot, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire with Mike Starr & The Citizens (Gloucester Citizen)

24 September 1966 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London (Beat Instrumental)

29 September 1966 – New Yorker Discotheque, Swindon, Wiltshire with The Soul Men (Swindon Evening Advertiser)

30 September 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Good Time Band (Melody Maker)

1 October 1966 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

1 October 1966 – Paris Olympia, Paris, France with The Alan Price Set (Disc & Music Echo) Clashes with Birdcage gig above so may not have happened

2 October 1966 – Dereham Tavern, Dereham, Norfolk with Eyes of Blond (Eastern Evening News) Fabulous 208 refers to this venue as The Sunshine Floor

7 October 1966 – Marine Ballroom, Morecambe, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)

8 October 1966 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire with The Invasion (Fabulous 208/Evening Sentinel)

8 October 1966 – King’s Hall, Stoke, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

14 October 1966 – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Rogues (Fabulous 208/Evening Star)

15 October 1966 – Floral Hall, Southport, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)

In mid October, the band joined The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Georgie Fame, Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band, Eric Burdon & The New Animals and The Eyes of Blue for a package tour (see details in comments)

10 November 1966 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with The Original Dyaks (Cambridge News/Fabulous 208)

11 November 1966 – Hoverton Village Hall, Hoverton, Norfolk (Eastern Evening News)

12 November 1966 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

12 November 1966 – Pavilion Ballroom, Buxton, Derbyshire with Finders Keepers (Alderley & Wilmslow & Knutsford Advertiser)

13 November 1966 – Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Fabulous 208)

17 November 1966 – Victoria Ballroom, Chesterfield, Derbyshire (Fabulous 208)

18 November 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, London (Melody Maker) This may not have happened

18 November 1966 – St Malachy’s Hall, Edenork, Dungannon, Northern Ireland (City Week)

18 November 1966 – Strand Ballroom, Portstewart, Northern Ireland (City Week)

19 November 1966 – Queen’s University, Belfast, Northern Ireland (City Week)

19 November 1966 – Flamingo, Ballymena, Northern Ireland with Hi Seas (City Week)

20 November 1966 – Plaza, Belfast, Northern Ireland (City Week)

20 November 1966 – St Teresa’s, Belfast, Northern Ireland (City Week)

23 November 1966 – Plaza Ballroom, Handsworth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

24 November 1966 – Burnley Locarno, Burnley, Lancashire (Disc & Music Echo)

25 November 1966 – Regal Ammanford, Wales (Disc & Music Echo)

26 November 1966 – Manchester University (Disc & Music Echo)

26 November 1966 – Jigsaw, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

2 December 1966 – Leeds University, Leeds, West Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

3 December 1966 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Apex R&B All Stars (Cambridgeshire Times)

5-8 December 1966 – Carousel Club, Copenhagen, Denmark (Melody Maker) Disc & Music Echo says the band arrives back in the UK on 11 December

11 December 1966 – Gig in Shrewsbury (possibly Severn Club), Shropshire then Midnight City, Birmingham (Disc & Music Echo)

12 December 1966 – Oxfam Charity Show, Albert Hall, London (Melody Maker)

15 December 1966 – Aston University, Aston, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

16 December 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

17 December 1966 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire (Fabulous 208)

17 December 1966 – Nite Owl, Leicester (Leicester Mercury) Opening night of the venue

18 December 1966 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Nottingham Evening Post)

23 December 1966 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

24 December 1966 – Adelphi Ballroom, West Bromwich, West Midlands with New Street Station and Barmy Barry (Birmingham Evening Mail/Express & Star)

24 December 1966 – Civic Hall, Southport, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)

31 December 1966 – Severn Club, Shrewsbury, Shropshire (Fabulous 208)

31 December 1966 – Midnight City, Digbeth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

1967

6 January 1967 – Ricky Tick, Newbury, Berkshire (Fabulous 208)

13 January 1967 – St Luke’s College, Exeter, Devon (Fabulous 208)

14 January 1967 – Crystal Bowl Ballroom, Castleford, West Yorkshire with The Mydnites and The Squeeze (Wakefield Express/Yorkshire Evening Post)

14 January 1967 – Boulevard, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire with The Sweet Image (Yorkshire Evening Post)

15-21 January 1967 – Towers Theatre Club, Warrington, Cheshire (St Helens Newspaper/Fabulous 208)

15-21 January 1967 – Garrick, Leigh, Greater Manchester (St Helens Newspaper/Fabulous 208)

22-23 January 1967 – Club Latino, South Shields, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

22-23 January 1967 – Dolce Vita, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

3 February 1967 – Leicester University, Leicester, Leicestershire (Fabulous 208)

4 February 1967 – University Park, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire (Fabulous 208)

10 February 1967 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London (Fabulous 208)

10 February 1967 – Battersea College, Battersea, south London (Fabulous 208)

11 February 1967 – Queen Mary’s College, Mile End, east London (Fabulous 208)

13 February 1967 – Liverpool University, Liverpool with The Searchers (Fabulous 208)

18 February 1967 – Town Hall, Morley, West Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

19 February 1967 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Bluecaps (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

24 February 1967 – Durham University, Durham with Alan Price Set (Fabulous 208)

3 March 1967 – Clouds, Derby, Derbyshire (Fabulous 208)

4 March 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Edwin Starr and The Cool Combination, Root and Jenny Jackson & The Hightimers and Ray Bones (Fabulous 208 and Lincolnshire Standard)

4 March 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

7 March 1967 – St Andrew’s Hall, Norwich, Norfolk with Sensational Anglians (Eastern Evening News)

9 March 1967 – Locarno Ballroom, Coventry, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

10 March 1967 – Public Baths, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire with The Alan Price Set (The Star)

10 March 1967 – Nottingham Tech College, Nottingham with Robert Hirst & The Big Taste, Our Young and The In Crowd (Nottingham Evening Post)

11 March 1967 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with The Nite People (East Kent Times & Mail)

15 March 1967 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with The Question (Cambridge News)

18 March 1967 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London (Melody Maker)

20 March 1967 – Star Hotel, Croydon, south London (Fabulous 208)

23 March 1967 – The Cavern, Liverpool with The Fix and The Klubs (Fabulous 208/Phil Thompson’s Story of the Cavern book)

25 March 1967 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire with The Academy (Dave Allen research)

26 March 1967 – Ricky Tick, Newbuy Plaza, Newbury, Berks (Ricky Tick website: https://www.rickytick.com/)

27 March 1967 – Barnsley Civic Hall, Barnsley, South Yorkshire with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich, The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band, The Tiles Big Band, The Pityful and Moss’s Mixtures (Barnsley Chronicle & South Yorkshire News/Melody Maker)

27 March 1967 – Northwich Memorial Hall, Northwich, Cheshire (Crewe Chronicle)

31 March 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex (Crawley Advertiser)

5 April 1967 – St Michael’s Youth Centre, Sydenham, southeast London with Citations (Fabulous 208)

7 April 1967 – Ricky Tick, Assembly Borough Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks (Melody Maker)

8 April 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Lunar-2 Honey Band (Melody Maker)

9 April 1967 – Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, central London (Fabulous 208)

14 April 1967 – Il Rondo, Leicester, Leicestershire (Fabulous 208)

15 April 1967 – Adelphi Ballroom, West Bromwich, West Midlands (Express and Star)

18 April 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Wynder K Frog (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

20 April 1967 – Town Hall, Loughborough, Leicestershire (Fabulous 208)

21 April 1967 – Gondola Club, Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

22 April 1967 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire (Nuneaton Evening Tribune)

24 April 1967 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

30 April 1967 – Starlite, Greenford, northwest London with Shinn (Melody Maker)

In early May, Dave Greenslade left to join Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band. Ian Hague departed about the same time to join PP Arnold & The Nice. Carl Palmer took his place on drums.

5 May 1967 – Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)

7 May 1967 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

12 May 1967 – Central Pier, Morecambe, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)

13 May 1967 – Nottingham University, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire (Fabulous 208)

14 May 1967 – Ricky Tick, Newbury Plaza, Berkshire (Melody Maker/Newbury Weekly News)

19 May 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Crew (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

20 May 1967 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Motown Trinity (Cambridgeshire Times)

20 May 1967 – Night Owl, Leicester with Pesky Gee (Fabulous 208/Leicester Mercury)

21 May 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (Fabulous 208)

23 May 1967 – Swansea College, Swansea, Wales (Fabulous 208)

26 May 1967 – Town Hall, Loughborough, Leicestershire with Mike Stuart Band (Fabulous 208/Leicester Mercury)

27 May 1967 – The Belfry, Wishaw, West Midlands with The Protection Racket (Birmingham Evening Mail)

10 June 1967 – Supreme Eastern Esplanade, Ramsgate, Kent with Len Marshall Show (East Kent Times & Mail)

11 June 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

13 June 1967 – Caius College, Oxford, Cambridge with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Fabulous 208) Disc & Music Echo has 14 June

17 June 1967 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent (Fabulous 208/Melody Maker)

18 June 1967 – Brands Hatch Radio London Motor Racing and Pop Festival, Brands Hatch, Kent with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick and Tich and Episode Six (Sutton & Cheam Advertiser)

23 June 1967 – Benn Memorial Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire (Fabulous 208)

24 June 1967 – Hull University, Hull (Disc & Music Echo)

25 June 1967 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

30 June 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Syrian Blues and All Night Workers (Melody Maker)

7 July 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Chanters (Melody Maker)

9 July 1967 – Pavilion, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (Fabulous 208)

11 July 1967 – Klooks Kleek, West Hampstead, north London (Geoff Williams research: Decca Studios and Klooks Kleek book)

12 July 1967 – Corn Exchange, King’s Lynn, Norfolk (Fabulous 208)

13 July 1967 – Oak Leaf Ballroom, Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire with The Denmen and Steve Brown Soul Sect (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

15 July 1967 – Swan, Yardley, West Midlands with The Flowers (Birmingham Evening Mail/Coventry Evening Telegraph/Fabulous 208)

16 July 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

21 July 1967 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Fabulous 208)

22 July 1967 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with The Martells and St Willie Cool School (Essex County Standard)

28 July 1967 – Palace Ballroom, Douglas, Isle of Man (Fabulous 208)

29 July 1967 – Riviera Club, Carlyon Bay, Cornwall (Fabulous 208)

30 July 1967 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Fabulous 208)

4 August 1967 – Nautilus, South Pier, Lowestoft, Norfolk (Eastern Evening News)

5 August 1967 – Pier Pavilion, Hastings, East Sussex (Fabulous 208)

24 August 1967 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent (East Kent Times & Mail)

26 August 1967 – Matlock Bath Pavilion, Matlock, Derbyshire with The Vip Vop Band (Derby Evening Telegraph/Derbyshire Times)

27 August 1967 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

1 September 1967 – Marine Ballroom, Morecambe, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)

1 September 1967 – Twisted Wheel, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

9 September 1967 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire with The Taylor Upton Big Jump Band (Nuneaton Evening Tribune)

11 September 1967 – Queen’s Ballroom, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Express & Star)

12 September 1967 – Lotus Ballroom, Forest Gate, east London (Newham & Stratford Express)

13 September 1967 – Cosmo, Carlisle, Cumbria (Cumberland News)

16 September 1967 – Nautilus, South Pier, Lowestoft, Norfolk (Eastern Evening News)

17 September 1967 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (Poster)

20 September 1967 – Fifth Dimension Club, Leicester, Leicestershire (Fabulous 208)

23 September 1967 – Winter Gardens, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset (Fabulous 208)

24 September 1967 – Hotel Leofric, Coventry, West Midlands with Legay (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

30 September 1967 – Bracknell Sports Centre, Bracknell, Berkshire with The Ziggy Turner Mob (Windsor, Slough and Eton Express/Bracknell News)

5 October 1967 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

6 October 1967 – Queens Rink Ballroom, Hartlepool, County Durham with The Sect and The Tony King Sound (Hartlepool Mail)

7 October 1967 – Reading University, Reading, Berkshire (Fabulous 208)

8 October 1967 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford,  northwest London (Fabulous 208)

14 October 1967 – Southampton University, Southampton, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)
15 October 1967 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with Phil Ryan & The Scorpions (Crewe Chronicle)

20 October 1967 – Locarno Ballroom, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

21 October 1967 – At the Union, Manchester with The Waterboard (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

22 October 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

23 October 1967 – Staffordshire Yeoman, Stafford (Stafford Newsletter)

28 October 1967 – Sheffield University, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

29 October 1967 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Skyliners (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

17 November 1967 – Salford University, Salford, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)

18 November 1967 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with The Dual Purpose (East Kent Times & Mail)

22 November 1967 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

25 November 1967 – St James’ Spectacular, Chesterfield, Derbyshire with The Shape of The Rain (Derbyshire Times)

30 November 1967 – Queen’s Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

During December Pete Solley joined on keyboards.

1 December 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex (Fabulous 208)

7 December 1967 – Marimba, Middlesbrough (Disc & Music Echo)

8 December 1967 – Crown & Cushion, Perry Barr, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

16 December 1967 – Westminster Technical College, Westminster, central London with Hamilton’s Blues Messengers (Melody Maker)

21 December 1967 – Central Hall, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire (The Star)

23 December 1967 – Leyton Baths, Leyton, east London (Disc & Music Echo)

23 December 1967 – Lotus Ballroom, Forest Gate, east London (Newham & Stratford Express)

31 December 1967 – Plaza Ballroom, Handsworth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

31 December 1967 – Plaza Ballroom, Old Hill, Bearwood, West Midlands (Express & Star)

1968

5 January 1968 – Chateau Impney, Droitwich, Worcestershire (Fabulous 208)

6 January 1968 – Southend gig (but not sure of venue) with support (Southend Standard)

7 January 1968 – Tudor Club, Mercers Arms, Coventry, West Midlands (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

8 January 1968 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Finders Keepers and Barmy Barry Show (Express & Star)

12 January 1968 – Leicester College of Education (Scraptoft), Leicester with Deuce Coupe and Pandoras Box (Fabulous 208/Leicester Mercury)

13 January 1968 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire (Frogg Moody and Richard Nash’s book Hold Tight!)

14 January 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex (Crawley Advertiser)

28 January 1968 – Carlton Ballroom, Erdington, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

30 January 1968 – Cheltenham Spa Lounge and Ballroom, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Gloucester Citizen)

2 February 1968 – Queen’s Hall, Leeds, West Yorkshire with Chuck Berry, The Herd, The Move, Edwin Starr, Brian Auger Trinity, Julie Driscoll, Sammy Small, The Union Blues Rave Band, Th Accent (Yorkshire Evening Post)

9 February 1968 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear (website: http://www.readysteadygone.co.uk/club-agogo-newcastle-2/)

10 February 1968 – Drill Hall, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire with Pesky Gee (Grantham Journal)

16 February 1968 – Impsela Club, Chateau Impney, Droitwich, Worcestershire (Redditch Indicator)

17 February 1968 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with supporting groups (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

18 February 1968 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Blackouts (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)

19 February 1968 – Mercers Arms, Coventry, West Midlands (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

25 February 1968 – Swan, Yardley, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

29 February 1968 – Zodiac Club, Eden Park Hotel, Beckenham, southeast London (Melody Maker)

3 March 1968 – Redcar Jazz Club, Coatham Hotel, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Friendly Apple (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book/Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

7 March 1968 – City of Coventry Confederation of Colleges, Locarno Ballroom, Coventry, West Midlands with The Spencer Davis Group, St Louis Union and Piccadilly Line (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

8 March 1968 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)

9 March 1968 – Cat-Balou Club, Grantham, Lincolnshire (Melody Maker/Grantham Journal)

16 March 1968 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with The New England Mood (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

16 March 1968 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury with Generation (Somerset County Gazette)

23 March 1968 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury, Somerset with Generation (Western Gazette)

29 March 1968 – Crown and Cushion, Perry Barr, West Midlands with The Vogues (Birmingham Evening Mail)

31 March 1968 – 76 Club, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Burton Daily Mail)

1 April 1968 – Mercers Arms, Coventry, West Midlands with The Soul Express (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

12 April 1968 – Club Rado, Belfast, Northern Ireland with The Shades of Blue (City Week)

13 April 1968 – Club Rado, Belfast, Northern Ireland with Taste (City Week)

20 April 1968 – Winter Gardens, Banbury, Oxfordshire with Wages of Sin (Brackley Advertiser)

21 April 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

27 April 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with Le Gaye (East Kent Times)

28 April 1968 – Hotel Leofric, Coventry, West Midlands (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

6 May 1968 – Queen Mary Ballroom, Dudley Zoo, West Midlands with Sound Syndicate (Express & Star)

8 May 1968 – Top Rank Suite, Leicester with Simon Peters (Leicester Mercury)

11 May 1968 – Kesteven College, Grantham, Lincolnshire with The Cortinas (Paul Griggs book)

According to Paul Griggs, Albert Lee did not appear at the above gig and he recommended his friend Alan Shacklock as a replacement when Lee left soon after. 

17 May 1968 – Mistrale Club, Beckenham Junction, southeast London with The Purple Dream (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)

Shacklock auditioned at a pub in Islington around this time, by which point bass player Bruce Wadell had departed and Solley played the bass pedals on his Hammond.  

24 May 1968 – Victoria & Bull, Dartford, Kent (Fabulous 208)

25 May 1968 – College of Technology, Slough, Berkshire (Fabulous 208)

1 June 1968 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with Granny’s Attic (Cambridgeshire Times)

9 June 1968 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Keith Herd Group (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

Around this time Pete Solley left to join Los Bravos and Peter Robinson took over on keyboards. Bruce Waddell also returned to play bass.

14 June 1968 – Club Rado, Belfast, Northern Ireland (City Week)

22 June 1968 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

28 June 1968 – Kursaal Ballroom, Southend, Essex with Coloured Raisins (Southend Standard)

29 June 1968 – Nags Head, Motown Club, Wollaston, Northamptonshire (Northamptsonshire Evening Telegraph)

In mid July, Carl Palmer left to join The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Palmer recommended his friend John Bonham, who has been working with Tim Rose.

Bonham has already been approached to form a new band that will become Led Zeppelin but will perform with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds until late August. 

20 July 1968 – Condor Club, Arbroath, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

27 July 1968 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire (Frogg Moody and Richard Nash’s book Hold Tight!)

1 August 1968 – Fishmonger’s Arms, Wood Green, north London (Melody Maker)

2 August 1968 – Mistrale Club, Beckenham, southeast London (Fabulous 208)

3 August 1968 – Seagull Ballroom, Ryde, Isle of Wight (Fabulous 208)

8 August 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Candy Choir (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)

10 August 1968 – The Factory, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)

16 August 1968 – Boat House, Kew, west London (Thames Valley Times)

17 August 1968 – The Factory, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)

John Bonham left at the end of August to join The New Yardbirds who soon change name to Led Zeppelin.

Colin Davy, who has been playing with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band, took his place.

31 August 1968 – Elms Court, Botley, Oxford (Fabulous 208)

2 September 1968 – Bank Holiday, Bluesology Festival, Chateau Impney, Droitwich, Worcestershire with Fleetwood Mac, The Move, The Freddy Mack Show and Family (Melody Maker)

2 September 1968 – Billing Aquadrome, Northamptonshire with Joe Cocker and Soul Committee (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

13 September 1968 – Victoria Cross, Wantage, Berkshire (Fabulous 208)

13 September 1968 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire with The Curiosity Shoppe (Warrington Guardian)

14 September 1968 – Drill Hall, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire with Donell Jackson and Broadway Crowd (Grantham Journal)

18 September 1968 – YMCA, Tunbridge Wells, Kent (Fabulous 208)

21 September 1968 – Drill Hall, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire with Donnell Jackson and The Broadway Crowd (Grantham Journal/Leicester Mercury)

22 September 1968 – Tudor Club, Mercer’s Arms, Coventry, West Midlands (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

2 October 1968 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, central London (Fabulous 208)

3 October 1968 – Broken Wheel, Macclesfield (Fabulous 208)

4 October 1968 – Goldsmith College, New Cross Gate, London (Fabulous 208)

13 October 1968 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

18 October 1968 – Chelsea College, Chelsea, London (Fabulous 208)

19 October 1968 – Bangor University, Bangor, Wales (Fabulous 208)

1 November 1968 – Brunel University, Uxbridge, London (Melody Maker)

3 November 1968 – Bridge Place Country Club, Bridge near Canterbury, Kent (Kent Herald)

8 November 1968 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

9 November 1968 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk with Journey Within (Fabulous 208/Eastern Evening News)

16 November 1968 – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard)

22 November 1968 – Top Rank Suite, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

23 November 1968 – The Factory, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)

28-29 November 1968 – Annabel’s, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

30 November 1968 – Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with Paper Lemon (website: http://aylesburymusictown.co.uk/)

6 December 1968 – Ranmore House, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

8 December 1968 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Chatham, Rochester & Gillingham Evening Post)

9 December 1968 – Leicester University, Leicester (Fabulous 208)

11 December 1968 – King’s Lynn Tech College, King’s Lynn, Norfolk (Fabulous 208)

13-14 December 1968 – Scene Two, Scarborough, North Yorkshire (Scarborough Evening News)

19 December 1968 – Shipley Club, Watton, Norfolk (Fabulous 208)

22 December 1968 – Bird Cage, Harlow, Essex (Fabulous 208)

28 December 1968 – Malvern Winter Gardens, Malvern, Worcestershire with The Basin Street Jump Band (Malvern Gazette)

1969

17 January 1969 – Teachers Training College, Edgbaston, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

18 January 1969 – St Mary’s Technical College, Twickenham, west London (Fabulous 208)

19 January 1969 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)

23 January 1969 – Alex’s Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire (Frogg Moody and Richard Nash’s book Hold Tight!)

1 February 1969 – Hatfield College, Hatfield, Herts (Fabulous 208)

7 February 1969 – The Factory, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)

8 February 1969 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with Dream Police (Folkestone & Hythe District Herald)

14 February 1969 – Leeds University, Leeds, West Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

16 February 1969 – Carousel Club, Piccadilly, central London (Fabulous 208)

1 March 1969 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

9 March 1969 – 76 Club, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire (website: http://www.76club.org.uk/gigs.html) This may be Farlowe’s final gig with The Thunderbirds – Melody Maker notes 9 March was the last one.

When the band split, Alan Shacklock went on to play with Babe Ruth. The rest of the band recorded as The Hill.

Many thanks to Alan Shacklock for his help in clarifying the band’s final lineups.

Copyright © Nick Warburton.  All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any from or by any means, without prior permission from the author.