The Downliners Sect’s gigs 1963-1968

Welcome to another 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.  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.

The Downliners Sect, August 1965 in Fabulous 208. Clockwise from left: Don Craine, Keith Grant, Johnny Sutton, Terry Gibson and (centre) Pip Harvey. Photo may be subject to copyright

Formed from the ashes of The Downliners, whose original members included Don Craine (real name: Mick O’Donnell), the original line-up below is from July 1963.

Keith Grant – lead vocals/bass

Don Craine – rhythm guitar/autoharp/lead vocals

Terry Gibson – lead guitar

Johnny Sutton – drums

1963

6 October 1963 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (website: http://eelpieislandmusic.com/eel-pie-island-roll-call)

1964

3 January 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

13 January 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

15 January 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (see website above)

16 January 1964 – Coronation Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey with MI4 (Kingston & Malden Borough News)

18 January 1964 – Chez Don, Dalston, north London (Don Craine’s diary)

20 January 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

22 January 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (see website above)

24 January 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

26 January 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

29 January 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (Don Craine’s diary)

31 January 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

 

1 February 1964 – Oxford Town Hall, Oxford (Don Craine’s diary)

2-4 February 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

7 February 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

8 February 1964 – Ricky Tick, Olympia, Reading, Berkshire with The Blues Committee (Poster)

9-10 February 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

12 February 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (see website above)

14 February 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

17 February 1964 – Riverboat Jazz Club, Colwyn Bay, Wales (Don Craine’s diary)

19 February 1964 – Star Hotel, Croydon, Surrey (Don Craine’s diary)

22 February 1964 – Trinity Jazz Club, Wandsworth, south London (Don Craine’s diary)

23 February 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

26 February 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (see website above)

28 February 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

29 February 1964 – Club Noreik, Tottenham, north London (Don Craine’s diary)

 

1-2 March 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

4 March 1964 – Hammersmith Town Hall, Hammersmith, west London (Don Craine’s diary)

6 March 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

7 March 1964 – Kingston Ballroom, Portsmouth, Hants (Don Craine’s diary)

8 March 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (afternoon) (Don Craine’s diary)

8 March 1964 – Trinity Jazz Club, Wandsworth, south London (evening) (Don Craine’s diary)

9 March 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

10 March 1964 – Railway Hotel, Harrow Wealdstone, Middlesex (Don Craine’s diary)

11 March 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (see website above)

13 March 1964 – Café Royal, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

14 March 1964 – Nottingham University, Nottingham (Don Craine’s diary)

15 March 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (afternoon) (Don Craine’s diary)

15 March 1964 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, Kent (Don Craine’s diary)

16 March 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

18 March 1964 – Blue Beat Club, Hayes, Middlesex (Don Craine’s diary)

19 March 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London (see website above)

20 March 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

21 March 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

22 March 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (afternoon) (Don Craine’s diary)

22 March 1964 – Trinity Jazz Club, Wandsworth, south London (evening) (Don Craine’s diary)

23 March 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

24 March 1964 – Technical College, Dagenham, Essex (Don Craine’s diary)

25 March 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (see website above)

26 March 1964 – Ealing Town Hall, Ealing, Middlesex (Don Craine’s diary)

27 March 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

28 March 1964 – Disc A Go Go, Bournemouth, Dorset (Don Craine’s diary)

29-30 March 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

 

1 April 1964 – Dancing Slipper, Nottingham (Don Craine’s diary)

Photo from Richard Goddard

2 April 1964 – Feathers Hotel, Lydney, Gloucester, Gloucestershire (Don Craine’s diary)

3 April 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

4 April 1964 – The Loft, Banbury, Oxfordshire (Don Craine’s diary)

5 April 1964 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Don Craine’s diary)

8 April 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (see website above)

10 April 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

11 April 1964 – Rendezvous Club, Portsmouth, Hants (Don Craine’s diary)

12 April 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

14 April 1964 – Borough Assembly Rooms, Aylesbury, Bucks (Don Craine’s diary)

17 April 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

18 April 1964 – Trinity Jazz Club, Wandsworth, south London (evening) (Don Craine’s diary)

18 April 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (All Nighter) (Don Craine’s diary)

19 April 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

22 April 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (see website above)

24 April 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

25 April 1964 – South Eastern Technical College, Dagenham, Essex (evening) (Don Craine’s diary)

25 April 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London with Them (All Nighter) (Melody Maker/Don Craine’s diary) Them was a West London group who changed name to Themselves when Van Morrison’s group arrived in London

26 April 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

28 April 1964 – Britannia Hotel, Barking, Essex (Don Craine’s diary)

29 April 1964 – Disc A Go Go, Bournemouth, Dorset (Don Craine’s diary)

Around this point, Ray Sone joined on harmonica

1 May 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

2 May 1964 – Trinity Jazz Club, Wandsworth, south London (Don Craine’s diary)

3 May 1964 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Don Craine’s diary)

5 May 1964 – Concorde, Southampton, Hampshire (Don Craine’s diary)

13 May 1964 – Northampton College, London (Don Craine’s diary)

17 May 1964 – Savoy Ballroom, Catford, southeast London (Don Craine’s diary)

19 May 1964 – Concorde, Southampton, Hampshire (Don Craine’s diary)

22 May 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

23 May 1964 – Club Noreik, Tottenham, north London (Don Craine’s diary)

24 May 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (afternoon) (Don Craine’s diary)

24 May 1964 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, Kent (evening) (Don Craine’s diary)

27 May 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (see website above)

29 May 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

31 May 1964 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Don Craine’s diary)

 

2 June 1964 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)

3 June 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (see website above)

5 June 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

6 June 1964 – Rendezvous Club, Portsmouth, Hants (Don Craine’s diary)

7 June 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

9 June 1964 – Concorde, Southampton, Hampshire (Don Craine’s diary)

12 June 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

13 June 1964 – Nottingham University, Nottingham (Don Craine’s diary)

14 June 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

16 June 1964 – Greenwich Town Hall, Greenwich, southeast London (Don Craine’s diary)

17 June 1964 – Forum Balloom, Oxford (Don Craine’s diary)

19 June 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

20 June 1964 – Centre Youth Club, Crawley, West Sussex (Don Craine’s diary)

21 June 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

22 June 1964 – Masonic Hall, Harrow & Wealdstone, Middlesex (Don Craine’s diary)

24 June 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (see website above)

Photo may be subject to copyright

25 June 1964 – Lotus Ballroom, Forest Gate, east London (Don Craine’s diary) Ilford Recorder has this as the Kavern Club in the Lotus Ballroom

26 June 1964 – Alexandra Palace, north London with The Rolling Stones, Millie & The Five Embers, John Lee Hooker, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, The Barron Knights, Jimmy Powell & The Five Dimensions, Tony Colton & The Crawdaddies, Alexis Korner and others (Clapham Advertiser/Don Craine’s diary)

27 June 1964 – Trinity Jazz Club, Wandsworth, south London (Don Craine’s diary)

28 June 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

29 June 1964 – King Edward Hall, Windsor, Berkshire (Don Craine’s diary)

 

1 July 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (website: http://eelpieislandmusic.com/eel-pie-island-roll-call)

2 July 1964 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, Middlesex (Leyton and Leytonstone Guardian)

Photo may be subject to copyright

The Middlesex Chronicle ran an article and photo (see above) on the band in its 3 July 1964 issue, page 2

3 July 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

4 July 1964 – El Rondo Ballroom, Leicester (Don Craine’s diary)

10 July 1964 – Rock Boat Trip, Bournemouth, Dorset (Don Craine’s diary)

14 July 1964 – Concorde, Southampton, Hants (Don Craine’s diary)

15 July 1964 – Disc A Go Go, Bournemouth, Dorset (Don Craine’s diary)

16 July 1964 – Kimbells, Portsmouth, Hants (Don Craine’s diary)

17 July 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

18 July 1964 – Rendezvous Club, Portsmouth, Hants (Don Craine’s diary)

19 July 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

Photo may be subject to copyright

21 July 1964 – The Downs, Hassocks, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times) Missing from Don’s diary so may have been cancelled

22 July 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (Don Craine’s diary)

24 July 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

25 July 1964 – BEA, London Airport, Middlesex (evening) (Don Craine’s diary)

25 July 1964 – Club Noreik, Tottenham, north London (All Nighter) (Don Craine’s diary)

26 July 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (afternoon) (Don Craine’s diary)

26 July 1964 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (evening) (Don Craine’s diary)

27 July 1964 – Bromley Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley (Don Craine’s diary)

 

28 July 1964 – Bristol Chinese R&B Club, Corn Exchange, Bristol (Don Craine’s diary/Western Scene)

30 July 1964 – Lotus Ballroom, Forest Gate, east London (Don Craine’s diary)

31 July 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

 

2 August 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

7 August 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

8 August 1964 – Runcorn Town Hall, Runcorn, Cheshire (Don Craine’s diary)

9 August 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

11 August 1964 – McKilroys Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire (Don Craine’s diary)

14 August 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, centralLondon (Don Craine’s diary)

15 August 1964 – Bure Country Club, Bure, Dorset (Don Craine’s diary)

16 August 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary) Beat Monthly also lists the band playing at the Blue Moon in Hayes on the same night but which was first?

21 August 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

22 August 1964 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/)

23 August 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (afternoon) (Don Craine’s diary)

23 August 1964 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, Kent (evening) (Don Craine’s diary)

24 August 1964 – EMI Friday Spectacular radio show, London (Don Craine’s diary)

26 August 1964 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Don Craine’s diary)

28 August 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

29 August 1964 – Denis Drew Dance Studios, Hackney, north London (evening) (Don Craine’s diary)

29 August 1964 – Club Noreik, Tottenham, north London with Laurie Jay Combo (All Nighter) (Melody Maker)

30 August 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

Photo may be subject to copyright

31 August 1964 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts (Don Craine’s diary)

 

1 September 1964 – Dancing Party radio show, EMI, London (Don Craine’s diary)

3 September 1964 – Lotus Ballroom, Forest Gate, east London (Don Craine’s diary)

4 September 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Monthly) This is missing from Don Craine’s dates

5 September 1964 – Rendezvous Club, Portsmouth, Hants (Don Craine’s diary) Beat Monthly has the band playing on the Attic in Hounslow on this date

6 September 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

Photo may be subject to copyright

10 September 1964 – Ipswich Corn Exchange, Ipswich, Suffolk (Essex County Standard)

11 September 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

12 September 1964 – Goldhawk Social Club, Shepherd’s Bush, west London (Don Craine’s diary)

13 September 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

Photo from Richard Goddard

17 September 1964 – Gloucester Town Hall, Gloucester, Gloucestershire with The Primitives and The Bee Jays (courtesy of Richard Goddard) Missing from Don Craine’s gig list

18 September 1964 – Glenlyn Ballroom, Forest Hill, southeast London (Don Craine’s diary)

19 September 1964 – Private Function, Oakham, Rutland (Don Craine’s diary)

20 September 1964 – Attic Club, Hounslow, Middlesex (Don Craine’s diary)

21 September 1964 – EMI Friday Spectacular radio show, London (Don Craine’s diary)

23 September 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (website: http://eelpieislandmusic.com/eel-pie-island-roll-call)

24 September 1964 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, Middlesex (Don Craine’s diary)

25 September 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

26 September 1964 – Attic, Hounslow, Middlesex (Beat Instrumental) This is missing from Don Craine’s diary

27 September 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

30 September 1964 – St Albans Market Hall, St Albans, Herts (Don Craine’s diary)

 

1 October 1964 – Trowbridge Town Hall, Trowbridge, Wiltshire (Don Craine’s diary)

2 October 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

3 October 1964 – Nottingham University, Nottingham (Don Craine’s diary)

4 October 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

6 October 1964 – The Church Elms, Dagenham, Essex (Don Craine’s diary)

7 October 1964 – The Jazz Cellar, Norwich, Norfolk (Don Craine’s diary)

9 October 1964 – Co-op Hall, Peckham, south London (Don Craine’s diary)

10 October 1964 – Rendezvous Club, Portsmouth, Hants with The Challengers (Don Craine’s diary/Portsmouth News)

11 October 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

13 October 1964 – Red Lion, Leytonstone, east London (Don Craine’s diary)

16 October 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

17 October 1964 – Lainsbury Hall, Stanford, Norfolk (Don Craine’s diary) Beat Instrumental has a gig in Grantham on this date

18 October 1964 – St Michaels Hall, Camden Town, north London (Don Craine’s diary) Beat Instrumental has a gig at Studio 51 on this date and another in Putney

Photo may be subject to copyright

19 October 1964 – Hermitage Hall, Hitchin, Herts (Don Craine’s diary)

20 October 1964 – New Civic Hall, Grays, Essex (Don Craine’s diary)

21 October 1964 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Don Craine’s diary)

22 October 1964 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, Essex (Don Craine’s diary) Beat Instrumental has the band appearing on BBC 2 Beat Room on this date

23 October 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

24 October 1964 – Queen Mary’s College, Mile End Road, east London (Don Craine’s diary)

29 October 1964 – Robin Hood, Dagenham, Essex (Don Craine’s diary)

30 October 1964 – Southampton University, Southampton, Hants (Don Craine’s diary)

31 October 1964 – Attic Club, Hounslow, Middlesex (Don Craine’s diary)

 

1 November 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

4 November 1964 – South West Essex Technical College, Walthamstow, north London (Don Craine’s diary)

5 November 1964 – Kidderminster Town Hall, Kidderminster, Worcestershire

6 November 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

7 November 1964 – Rendezvous Club, Portsmouth, Hants (Don Craine’s diary)

8 November 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

9 November 1964 – Bath Pavilion, Bath with The Toggery Five (Don Craine’s diary/Western Scene)

10 November 1964 – Wallington Public Hall, Wallington, Surrey (Don Craine’s diary)

Photo may be subject to copyright

11 November 1964 – Corn Exchange, King’s Lynn, Norfolk with Ricky Wilson  & The Three Quarters and The Charades (Don Craine’s diary/Lynn News)

12 November 1964 – STV appearance, Glasgow, Scotland (Don Craine’s diary)

13 November 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

15 November 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

16 November 1964 – Glenlyn Ballroom, Forest Hill, southeast London (Don Craine’s diary)

17 November 1964 – Guildford Odeon, Guildford, Surrey (Don Craine’s diary)

18 November 1964 – Unknown venue in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire (Don Craine’s diary)

19 November 1964 – Granada, Aylesbury, Bucks with Manfred Mann, The Soul Sisters, The Spencer Davis Group, Wayne (Kelly) Gibson and The Dynamic Sounds, Bern Elliott & His Klan, The Mark Leeman Five, Blues by Five and Dave Kaffey (Don Craine’s diary/Bucks Advertiser)

20 November 1964 – ABC Wakefield, Wakefield, West Yorkshire (Don Craine’s diary)

21 November 1964 – ABC Ipswich, Ipswich, Suffolk (Don Craine’s diary)

22 November 1964 – Regal Boston, Boston, Lincolnshire (Don Craine’s diary)

23 November 1964 – Colston Hall, Bristol (Don Craine’s diary)

24 November 1964 – Church Elms, The Heathway, Dagenham, Essex (Don Craine’s diary)

25 November 1964 – Forum Ballroom, Oxford (Don Craine’s diary)

26 November 1964 – Town Hall, Greenwich, south London (Beat Instrumental) This is missing from Don Craine’s diary

27 November 1964 – 51 Club, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental) This is missing from Don Craine’s diary

27 November 1964 – Gig in Chippenham, Wiltshire (Beat Instrumental) This is missing from Don Craine’s diary

29 November 1964 – 51 Club, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental) This is missing from Don Craine’s diary

30 November 1964 – Bridgewater Town Hall, Bridgewater, Somerset (Don Craine’s diary)

 

1 December 1964 – Royal Forest, Chingford (Beat Instrumental) This is missing from Don Craine’s diary

2 December 1964 – Clarence Pier Ballroom, Southsea, Hants (Don Craine’s diary)

Photo may be subject to copyright

3 December 1964 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, Middlesex (Leyton and Leytonstone Guardian/Wood Green & Southgate Weekly Herald)

4 December 1964 – Fishmongers Arms, Wood Green, north London (Don Craine’s diary)

5 December 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (afternoon) (Don Craine’s diary) Beat Instrumental has this on 6th

5 December 1964 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, Kent (evening) (Don Craine’s diary) Beat Instrumental has this on 6th

8 December 1964 – Gig in Aylesbury, Bucks (Beat Instrumental) This is missing from Don Craine’s diary

9 December 1964 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, Middlesex (website: http://eelpieislandmusic.com/eel-pie-island-roll-call)

10 December 1964 – Gig in Colchester, Essex (Beat Instrumental) This is missing from Don Craine’s diary

11 December 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

12 December 1964 – Rendezvous Club, Portsmouth, Hants (Don Craine’s diary)

13 December 1964 – Civic Hall, Crawley, West Sussex (Don Craine’s diary) Beat Instrumental has a gig at Studio 51 later this evening as well

18 December 1964 – Bromley Technicl College, Bromley, Kent (Don Craine’s diary) Beat Instrumental has a gig at Studio 51 instead on this date

19 December 1964 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/Beat Instrumental has a gig in Bishop’s Stortford instead on this date

20 December 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

21 December 1964 – Eltham Baths, Eltham, Kent (Don Craine’s diary)

24 December 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental) This is missing from Don Craine’s diary

27 December 1964 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Don Craine’s diary)

28 December 1964 – Mojo Club, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Don Craine’s diary)

30 December 1964 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, Kent (Don Craine’s diary)

31 December 1964 – George Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire (Don Craine’s diary)

1965

1 January 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

3 January 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental) According to the magazine, the band also played at Boreham Wood today, which was probably the Long John Club. 

8 January 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

9 January 1965 – Market Hall, Redhill, Surrey (Beat Instrumental)

10 January 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

15 January 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

Photo may be subject to copyright

16 January 1965 – Coronation Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey with The MI4 (Kingston & Malden Borough News)

17 January 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

22 January 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

23 January 1965 – Rendezvous Club, Portsmouth, Hants (Beat Instrumental)

24 January 1965 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, Kent (Melody Maker)

Photo may be subject to copyright

24 January 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

25 January 1965 – Crown Hotel, Morden, Surrey (Beat Instrumental)

26 January 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

30 January 1965 – Gig in Norfolk (Beat Instrumental)

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

 

4 February 1965 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, Middlesex (Beat Instrumental)

5 February 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

6 February 1965 – Co-op Hall, Gray’s Inn Road, north London (Beat Instrumental)

7 February 1965 – Long John Club, Maxwell Park Youth Centre, Boreham Wood, Herts (Simon Gee research)

7 February 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

10 February 1965 – Forum Ballroom, Oxford (Oxford Mail)

11 February 1965 – College Ball, Leicester (Beat Instrumental)

12 February 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

14 February 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

19 February 1965 – University College, central London (Beat Instrumental)

21 February 1965 – Civic Hall, Crawley, West Sussex (Beat Instrumental)

21 February 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

23 February 1965 – Bluesville, Aylesbury, Bucks (website: http://aylesburymusictown.co.uk/)

26 February 1965 – Ricky Tick, Guildford Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey (Beat Instrumental)

27 February 1965 – Rendezvous Club, Portsmouth, Hants (Beat Instrumental)

27 February 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

 

2 March 1965 – Civic Hall, Grays (Beat Instrumental)

5 March 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

6 March 1965 – Ritz Dance and Social Hall, King’s Heath, West Midlands (Poster)

Photo may be subject to copyright

6 March 1965 – Brum Kavern Club, Small Heath, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

7 March 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

8 March 1965 – Bluesville, Manor House Ballroom, Ipswich, Suffolk (Essex County Standard)

Photo may be subject to copyright

11 March 1965 – Liberal Hall, Yeovil, Somerset with Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas (Western Gazette)

14 March 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental) According to the magazine, the band also played at Boreham Wood today, which was probably the Long John Club. 

19 March 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

21 March 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

26 March 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

27 March 1965 – Gig in Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Beat Instrumental)

28 March 1965 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, Kent (Melody Maker)

28 March 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

 

1 April 1965 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London (Wood Green & Southgate Weekly Herald)

2 April 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

3 April 1965 – Gig in Chelmsford, Essex (Beat Instrumental)

4 April 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental) According to Beat Instrumental, the band played in Boreham Wood earlier, which was probably the Long John Club

5 April 1965 – Bluesville, Manor House Ballroom, Ipswich, Suffolk (Essex County Standard)

6 April 1965 – Bluesville, Borough Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks (website: http://aylesburymusictown.co.uk/)

6 April 1965 – Bristol Chinese R&B Club, Corn Exchange, Bristol (Western Scene)

7 April 1965 – Manor House, Harringay, north London (Beat Instrumental)

8 April 1965 – Trade Hall, Watford, Herts (Beat Instrumental)

11 April 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

16 April 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

17 April 1965 – Bure Club, Mudeford, Hants (Southern Echo)

18 April 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

19 April 1965 – Rendezvous Club, Portsmouth, Hants (Beat Instrumental)

20 April 1965 – Gig in Uxbridge, Middlesex (possibly Burton’s)

23 April 1965 – The Lido Ballroom, Winchester, Hants with The Renegades (Southern Echo)

23 April 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

Around this time Ray Sone left and Pip Harvey joined on harmonica

25 April 1965 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Beat Instrumental)

27 April 1965 – Hen & Chickens, Langley, West Midlands with Go Go Binz (Birmingham Evening Mail)

28 April 1965 – Cavern, Liverpool (Beat Instrumental)

29 April 1965 – Blue Note, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear (Beat Instrumental)

30 April 1965 – Upper Park, Stockton-on-Tees, Teesside (Beat Instrumental)

 

1 May 1965 – Kokono Club, Gateshead, Tyne & Wear (Beat Instrumental)

2 May 1965 – Upper Park, Darlington (Beat Instrumental)

3 May 1965 – Blue Moon, Hayes, west London (Dorothy Bullock list) This is the most likely year. However Beat Instrumental has The Manor in Ipswich, Suffolk on this date

4 May 1965 – Bluesville, Aylesbury, Bucks (website: http://aylesburymusictown.co.uk/)

6 May 1965 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London (Wood Green & Southgate Weekly Herald/Walthamstow Guardian)

7 May 1965 – Manor House, Harringay, north London (Beat Instrumental)

8 May 1965 – 234 Club, Grays (Beat Instrumental)

9 May 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

10 May 1965 – Adelphi Ballroom, West Bromwich, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

Photo may be subject to copyright

11 May 1965 – Liberal Hall, Yeovil, Somerset with The Honeycombs and The Codiaks (Western Gazette)

14 May 1965 – Oasis, Manchester (Beat Instrumental)

15 May 1965 – Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex (Essex Chronicle) Beat Instrumental notes they play at the Club Noreik in Tottenham, north London afterwards

16 May 1965 – Studio 51, Leicester Square, central London (Beat Instrumental)

16 May 1965 – Black Prince, Bexley, southeast London (Beat Instrumental)

17 May 1965 – Adelphi, West Bromwich, West Midlands (Beat Instrumental)

22 May 1965 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks with Crow (Bucks Free Press)

25 May 1965 – McKilroys, Swindon, Wiltshire (Beat Instrumental)

27 May 1965 – Pavilion, Southsea, Hants (Beat Instrumental)

28 May 1965 – Casino, Walsall, West Midlands (Beat Instrumental)

29 May 1965 – College of Arts, Brighton, Sussex (Beat Instrumental)

30 May 1965 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

Photo may be subject to copyright

3 June 1965 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Herts with The Stalkers (Herts Express)

4 June 1965 – Pontiac, Zeeta House, Putney, southwest London with Boston Dexters (Melody Maker)

18 June 1965 – The Avenue R&B Club, Green Pond Road, east London (Leyton, Leytonstone and Waltham Forest Guardian)

19 June 1965 – 234 Club, Grays (Beat Instrumental)

Photo may be subject to copyright

19 June 1965 – Jazz & Blues Festival, Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London with The Dutch Swing College, Solomon Burke, Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band, Unit 4 Plus 2, The Spencer Davis Group, The Loose Ends, Alan Elsdon’s Jazzband, Brian Green New-O-Stompers and The Epitaph Soul Band (Bexley Heath & Welling Observer and Kentish Times)

21 June 1965 – Manor House, Ipswich, Suffolk (Beat Instrumental)

24 June 1965 – Gig in Salisbury, Wiltshire (Beat Instrumental)

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

Photo: Surrey Mirror, 25 June 1965. Photo may be subject to copyright

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

20 July 1965 – Bristol Chinese R&B Club, Corn Exchange, Bristol (Western Scene)

 

5 August 1965 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London (Wood Green & Southgate Weekly Herald)

7 August 1965 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with The Exiles (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

9-19 August 1965 – Tour of Finland (Beat Instrumental)

20-25 August 1965 – Tour of Sweden (Beat Instrumental)

 

5 September 1965 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, west London (Harrow Observer & Gazette)

9 September 1965 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London (Wood Green & Southgate Weekly Herald)

Photo may be subject to copyright

12 September 1965 – The Downs, Hassocks, West Sussex with The Evil Eyes (Mid Sussex Times)

Photo may be subject to copyright

17 September 1965 – Cheltenham Town Hall, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire with The Primitives, The Roadhogs and The Bee-Jays (Gloucester Citizen)

Photo may be subject to copyright

2 October 1965 – Public Hall, Heacham, Norfolk with The Planets (Lynn News)

5 October 1965 – Bristol Chinese R&B Club, Corn Exchange, Bristol (Western Scene)

Photo may be subject to copyright

9 October 1965 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire (Evening Tribune)

13 October 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Arthur Brown Union (Melody Maker)

20 October 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Arthur Brown Union (Melody Maker)

21 October 1965 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London (Wood Green & Southgate Weekly Herald)

Photo may be subject to copyright

23 October 1965 – Coronation Hall, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London with The Hi-Jackers (Surrey Comet)

Photo may be subject to copyright

26 October 1965 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Herts (Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire Express)

27 October 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London (Beat Instrumental)

29 October 1965 –  Red Cross Hall, Sutton, southwest London (Beat Instrumental)

30 October 1965 –  Nottingham University, Nottingham (Beat Instrumental)

 

1 November 1965 –  Gig in Bridgwater, Somerset (Beat Instrumental)

5 November 1965 – Gig in Trowbridge, Wiltshire (Beat Instrumental)

7 November 1965 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, west London (Beat Instrumental)

13 November 1965 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, west London (Beat Instrumental)

14 November 1965 – Union Rowing Club, Trent Bridge, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

18 November 1965 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge with Bob Kidman & Dorothy Orchestra, Fernando’s Hideaways, Roy Black & The Senators and The Xabec Four (Cambridge News)

20 November 1965 – Gig in Waltham (Beat Instrumental)

24 November 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Five Proud Walkers (Melody Maker)

27 November 1965 – Chelsea College, Chelsea, southwest London (Beat Instrumental)

 

1 December 1965 – Bristol Corn Exchange, Bristol (Western Scene)

4 December 1965 – Gig in Watford, Herts (Beat Instrumental)

9 December 1965 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London (Wood Green & Southgate Weekly Herald)

10 December 1965 – Town Hall, Colchester, Essex (Beat Instrumental)

11 December 1965 – Blue Moon, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Beat Instrumental)

16 December 1965 – Gig in Bexhill on Sea, East Sussex with The Birds (Ron Wood’s 1965 diary)

16 December 1965 – Delaware Pavilion, Boxhill, Surrey (Beat Instrumental)

Photo may be subject to copyright

31 December 1965 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire (Evening Tribune)

1966

4 January 1966 – Bristol Chinese R&B Club, Corn Exchange, Bristol (Western Scene)

 

11 February 1966 – Chislehurst Caves, Chislehurst, London (South East London Mercury) Opened the venue

 

1 March 1966 – Ready Steady Go Club, Aylesbury, Bucks (website: http://aylesburymusictown.co.uk/)

4 March 1966 – Cricketers Inn, Westcliff, Southend, Essex with support (Southend Standard)

Photo may be subject to copyright

5 March 1966 – ABC Promotions, Public Hall, Heacham, Norfolk with The Astrobeats (Lynn News)

Photo may be subject to copyright

11 March 1966 – Parkside Hall, Ampthill, Bedfordshire with The Mantis Set (Luton News)

Photo from Richard Goddard

30 March 1966 – Stonehouse Church Hall, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire (courtesy of Richard Goddard/Gloucester Citizen)

 

9 April 1966 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire (Nuneaton Evening Tribune)

23 April 1966 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with The Just Five (Surrey Advertiser)

Around this time Pip Harvey left

28 May 1966 – Harpenden Public Hall, Harpenden, Hertfordshire with Hudson’s Night Train (Luton News)

29 May 1966 – Taggs Island, Hampton Court, Middlesex with The Fleur De Lys (Keith Guster’s diary)

 

5 June 1966 – Black Prince, Bexley, London (Fabulous 208/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)

11 June 1966 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with Billy Storme & The Falcons (Hertfordshire Express)

Photo may be subject to copyright

18 June 1966 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Hertfordshire with The Cat (website: http://www.coda-uk.co.uk/60’s_music_scene.htm)

 

9 July 1966 – Penthouse, Birmingham with Deep Feeling and Andy Ferris (Birmingham Evening Mail)

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

13 July 1966 – Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with En-Devers Ltd (Berkhamsted Gazette & Tring and District News)

Photo may be subject to copyright

17 July 1966 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

Photo may be subject to copyright

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

Photo may be subject to copyright

25 July 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Excels (Melody Maker)

Photo may be subject to copyright

30 July 1966 – Torquay Town Hall, Torquay, Devon with The Modest, The Sixth Sense and The Solitaires (Torquay Times & South Devon Advertiser/Herald Express)

Photo may be subject to copyright

5 August 1966 – Civic and Wulfrun Halls, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with MI Five, Blues Ensemble, Tony Barry & The Sounds of Three, Gerry Byrnes & The Invaders and The N’ Betweens (Express & Star)

Photo may be subject to copyright

6 August 1966 – 2 ‘B’s Club, Ashford, Kent with support (Kentish Express)

14 August 1966 – Bromel Club, Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, London (Melody Maker)

28 August 1966 – Casino Ballroom, Leicester (Fabulous 208)

Around early September, future Procol Harum keyboard player Matthew Fisher joined the band for about six weeks.

16 September 1966 – Dancing Slipper, Nottingham with Our Young (Nottingham Evening Post)

31 September 1966 – Stoke Hole, Stoke Hotel, Guildford, Surrey with The Primevals (Surrey Advertiser)

 

5 October 1966 – Flamingo, Soho, central London with Timebox (Melody Maker)

Fisher departed mid-October to join Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers just in time for a major tour with The Hollies, The Small Faces, Paul Jones and others, which started on 15 October. He then joined Screaming Lord Sutch & The Roman Empire in December 1966.

26 October 1966 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Hertfordshire with Saracens (see website above)

Photo may be subject to copyright

29 October 1966 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website/Hastings and St Leonards Observer)

Photo may be subject to copyright

9 November 1966 – Gravesend R&B Club, Clarendon Royal Hotel, Gravesend, Kent (PACE magazine) Billed as New Downliners Sect

20 November 1966 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

20 November 1966 – Black Prince, Bexley, southeast London (Fabulous 208/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)

Around this time Johnny Sutton and Terry Gibson left. Don Craine and Keith Grant relaunched the band with guitarist Bob Taylor from The Soul System, plus organist Barry Cooper and drummer Kevin Flanagan

9 December 1966 – Police Ballroom, Coventry, West Midlands with The Matadors (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

Photo may be subject to copyright

13 December 1966 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

17 December 1966 – Willesden College of Technology, Willesden, London with The Bo Street Runners and The Torque (Poster)

30 December 1966 – Tiger’s Head, Downham, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

31 December 1966 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinkley, Leicestershire with The Renegades and The Shellies (Leicester Mercury)

1967

The Port Talbot Guardian‘s 27 January issue has a photo of the new line up and notes that they will play at the Empire in Neath and Swansea Jazz Club the next week

19 February 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London (Melody Maker) Billed as Don Craine’s New Downliners Sect

Photo may be subject to copyright

25 February 1967 – Civic Centre, Corby, Northamptonshire with The Good Thing (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

 

27 March 1967 – White Buck Inn, Burley, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo) Billed as The New Downliners Sect

 

15 April 1967 – The Thing-a-me-jig Club, Reading, Berkshire (Reading Evening Post)

 

9 June 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Nashville Teens (Melody Maker)

24 June 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede and The Ebonys (Melody Maker)

 

8 July 1967 – Hoffman Ballroom, Chelmsford, Essex with Lee Scott & The Roulettes (Essex Chronicle)

Photo may be subject to copyright

22 July 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Survivors and The Klubs (Melody Maker)

Photo may be subject to copyright

2 August 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Billed as Downliners Sect Show) (Melody Maker)

9 August 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Billed as Downliners Sect Show) (Melody Maker)

16 August 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Billed as Downliners Sect Show) (Melody Maker)

 

2 September 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Magic Lanterns, Change Place and The Big Roll Band (Melody Maker)

30 September 1967 – “Big C”, 1 Camp Road, Farnborough, Hampshire (Aldershot News)

Sometime around this period Don Craine left. Australian guitarist and singer Michael Chapman took his place.

2 October 1967 – Wycombe CLP Club, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)

Photo may be subject to copyright

7 October 1967 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

 

4 November 1967 – Clockwork Orange, King’s Chester, Cheshire with Phil Ryan & The Scorpions (Melody Maker/Northwich Chronicle)

Photo may be subject to copyright

6-8 November 1967 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London (Melody Maker)

9 November 1967 – Grotto, Ilford, Essex (Melody Maker)

10 November 1967 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London (Melody Maker)

11 November 1967 – Cricketers Inn, Westcliff, Essex (Melody Maker)

13 November 1967 – WMC Kettering, Kettering, Northamptonshire (Melody Maker)

14 November 1967 – Blaises, central London (Melody Maker)

25 November 1967 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts (Welwyn Times)

 

3 December 1967 – Sunday Club, Luton Boys Club, Luton, Bedfordshire (Evening Post: Hemel Hempstead)

Photo may be subject to copyright

14 December 1967 – Heron Club, RNA Yeovilton with The Copperpot Band (Western Gazette)

20 December 1967 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire (Nuneaton Evening Tribune)

26 December 1967 – Broadway Club, Dudley Zoo, West Midlands with Breakthru (Express & Star)

28 December 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

31 December 1967 – Maidstone Corn Exchange, Maidstone, Kent with The Stak (Maidstone Gazette)

1968

Around now Michael Chapman left to join Tangerine Peel and later found fame as half of the Chinn and Chapman song-writing team

Photo may be subject to copyright

13 January 1968 – Cofton Country Club, Rednal, West Midlands with Rare Breed (Birmingham Evening Mail)

28 January 1968 – Sunday Club, Park Ballroom, Plymouth, Devon with The Glass (Western Evening Herald)

31 January 1968 – Stonehouse Church Hall, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire with The Sunset Union (Gloucestershire County Gazette)

Photo may be subject to copyright

31 January 1968 – Blues Club, Dandy Lion, Brockworth, Gloucestershire (Gloucester Citizen)

 

19 February 1968 – George Hotel, Walsall, West Midlands with The Uglys (Express & Star)

Photo may be subject to copyright

1 March 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk (Eastern Evening News)

Photo may be subject to copyright

9 March 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with Simon Dupree & The Big Sound (East Kent Times)

10 March 1968 – Rendezvous Club, Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent (East Kent Times)

Photo may be subject to copyright

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

 

20 April 1968 – Harlem Highway, Victoria Ballroom, Chesterfield, Derbyshire with Gemini Zent (Derbyshire Times)

Shortly after this gig, the band split for a few months. Around July, Keith Grant reformed the band bringing back Johnny Sutton on drums and retaining guitarist Bob Taylor. The final member was keyboard player Nathaniel Dumaine.

26 July 1968 – Parlour, Portsmouth, Hants (Portsmouth Evening News) Billed as Glass Cartoon

The Hounslow Post, 13 September 1968, page 14 has a story on the new line up and mentions a single in the pipeline

5 October 1968 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with Sams Brothers Band (West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette)

Photo may be subject to copyright

25 October 1968 – Centre 185, Egham, Surrey (Staines & Egham News)

Photo may be subject to copyright

2 November 1968 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury, Somerset with Justin’s Timepiece (Somerset County Gazette/Western Gazette)

Photo may be subject to copyright

9 November 1968 – Alex Disco, Salisbury, Wiltshire (Salisbury Journal/Western Gazette)

15 November 1968 – Fishmonger’s Arms, Wood Green, north London with The Pretty Things (Melody Maker)

 

1 December 1968 – Kingston Hotel, Kingston upon Thames, southwest London (Kingston & Malden Borough News)

Photo may be subject to copyright

13 December 1968 – Ealing Tech College, Ealing, west London with Simon Dupree & The Big Sound and Free (Melody Maker)

By the end of 1968, Keith Grant had left and was replaced by bass player Paul Martinez.

Johnny Sutton, Bob Taylor, Paul Martinez and Nat Dumaine (real name Martin Maynard, Bill Maynard’s son) were recruited by Elmer of Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera to form The Gantry Band. Martinez later joined Elmer in the formation of Stretch and played on the track “Why Did You Do It?”. 

Nathaniel Dumaine, who used the stage name as a pseudonym, later changed name to Maynard Williams and became an actor, appearing in the BBC TV series “Truckers” and “Starlight Express” in the West End. He also recorded a lone solo LP for CBS called Ten Songs. Williams also became lead singer in the band Ryder, which represented the UK in the Eurovision song contest in 1986, held in Bergen, Norway.

Thanks to Don Craine for sharing his 1964 diary. Thanks also to Rolf Hannet in Germany for providing some of the Beat Instrumental dates

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.

 

 

13 thoughts on “The Downliners Sect’s gigs 1963-1968”

  1. Bob Taylor was with Richard Shirman’s band The Soul System which changed name to The Attack when David O’list joined in late 66

  2. Few more:

    The first two from 1964 are missing from Don Craine’s gigs list so may not have happened

    23 June 1964 – The Downs, Hassocks, West Sussex (Evening Argus)

    26 September 1964 – Attic Club, 1a High Street, Hounslow, Middlesex with The Clique (Kingston & Malden Borough News)

  3. I remember well seeing Downliners Sect at Trinity Jazz Club, Wandsworth in 1964, not sure of date. A man named Colin was the ‘organizer’ I believe, at the door.
    The Jazz Club was a small hall actually part of a church. Great raw sound and a delight as it was 5 minutes from where I lived. I also remember practicing at that hall as I was in a start up band playing guitar. The night I saw Downliners, it was packed and hot and a great time!

  4. I’m doing some research and looking for any photos from the Margate Dreamland ballroom show in ’68. Also I’m told DS had a new vocalist at this show. Anyone able to shed light on this?

  5. I saw the Sect at the Cavern Liverpool 28th April 1965 and I’d seen them a few weeks before at Rhos-on-Sea in North Wales; I think it was a social club. There doesn’t seem to be any mention of it on this site.

  6. An early one

    5 June 1963 – British Legion Hall, South Harrow, Middlesex (Harrow Observer) Billed as The Downliners

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