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 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.

(LES) FLEUR DE LYS

Formed in Southampton in early 1964, and originally called Les Fleur De Lys, the original line-up comprised:

Frank Smith (guitar/vocals)

Danny Churchill (bass/vocals)

Alex Chamberlain (keyboards)

Keith Guster (drums)

1964

3 October 1964 – TA Centre, Andover, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser)

9 December 1964 – Royal Pier, Southampton, Hampshire (Southern Echo)

11 December 1964 – Esso Recreation Club, Fawley, Hampshire with Dave Dee & The Bostons (Southern Echo)

15 December 1964 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

20 December 1964 – Bannister Ballroom, Southampton, Hampshire with The Soundsmen (Southern Echo)

24 December 1964 – Lido Ballroom, Winchester, Hampshire with The Daisies (Eastleigh Weekly News/Southern Echo)

28 December 1964 – Top Hat, Littlehampton, West Sussex with The Dave West Show and (Littlehampton Gazette)

1965

8 January 1965 – Royal Ballrooms, Royal Arcade, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

12 February 1965 – Steering Wheel, Weymouth, Dorset (Dorset Evening Echo)

13 February 1965 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express) Billed as Les Fleur De Lys

5 March 1965 – Three Coins, Albion Walk, Leeds, West Yorkshire (Yorkshire Evening Post)

20 March 1965 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Searchers and The Nomads (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

26 March 1965 – Shirley Warren Youth Club, Shirley Warren School, Southampton, Hants (Southern Echo) Billed as Les Fleur de Lys

1 April 1965 – Thorngate Ballroom, Gosport, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

9 April 1965 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser)

17 April 1965 – Princes Theatre & Ballroom, Yeovil, Somerset with The Megatons (Western Gazette)

23 April 1965 – St Barnabas Club, Southampton, Hants (Southern Echo) Billed as Les Fleur de Lys

7 May 1965 – Guildhall, Axminster, Devon (Bridport News)

19 May 1965 – TA Centre, Andover, Hampshire with The Birds and Ten Feet Five (Andover Advertiser)

29 May 1965 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk with The Wayfares (Eastern Evening News)

7 June 1965 – Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, Dorset (Bridport News)

18 June 1965 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser)

19 June 1965 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Hollies (East Kent Times & Mail)

27 June 1965 – New Victoria, Halifax, West Yorkshire with Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders, Denny & The Witchdoctors, The Bondsmen, The New Blues and The Dave Little Trio (Halifax Daily Courier & Guardian)

7 August 1965 – Salisbury City Hall, Salisbury, Wiltshire with Ricky Vermone & The Pathfinders (Frogg Moody and Richard Nash’s book Hold Tight!)

15 August 1965 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)

19 August 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

10 September 1965 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser)

23 October 1965 – Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, Dorset (Bridport News)

6 November 1965 – Wimbledon Palais, Wimbledon, southwest London (Keith Guster’s diary)

13 November 1965 – Orchid Ballroom, Oxford, Oxfordshire with The Shakeouts (Oxford Mail)

Around this time, Danny Churchill left and Gordon Haskell joined from Bournemouth band The Dowlands.

14 December 1965 – Youth & Adult Centre, Andover, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser)

1966

During February, The Les Fleur De Lys worked in West Germany for a month. While there, they met former Cheynes guitarist Phil Sawyer, who is working with Johnny Deen & The Deacons and invited him to join.

However, when the band returned to the UK, Alex Chamberlain departed.

4 March 1966 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser)

5 March 1966 – Princess Pavilion, Falmouth, Cornwall with The Climates (West Briton & The Royal Cornwall Gazette)

12 March 1966 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and The Essex Five (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

13 March 1966 – Tower Ballroom, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk with The Cheaters (Eastern Evening News)

24 March 1966 – Salisbury City Hall, Salisbury, Wiltshire with The Fortunes (Frogg Moody and Richard Nash’s book Hold Tight!)

15 April 1966 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Guy Darrell and The Rising Sons (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

21 April 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Caterham Weekly Press)

Around this time, Frank Smith departed leaving Keith Guster as the only original member. Sawyer recommended his friend Chris Andrews as a lead singer. The band worked as a quartet for a short while before adding keyboard player Pete Sears.

By this point, the band have dropped the “Les” from their name and are billed as The Fleur De Lys.

13 May 1966 – Tower Ballroom, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk with Mood Indigoes (Eastern Evening News)

29 May 1966 – Crawdaddy, Taggs Island, Hampton Court, Middlesex with The Downliners Sect (Keith Guster’s diary)

4 June 1966 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire with The Kinks, The Reflections and Five of a Kind (Burnley Express & News)

9 July 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Klubs and The Eyes (Melody Maker)

15 July 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Summer Set (Keith Guster’s diary)

22 July 1966 – Southampton Guildhall, Southampton, Hants with Rob Chance & The Chances and The Earth Angels (Southern Evening Echo)

30 July 1966 – Blaises, Queensway, west London (Keith Guster’s diary)

5 August 1966 – Southampton Guildhall, Southampton, Hants with The Nite People, The Footprints and The Blue Stars (Southern Evening Echo)

7 August 1966 – Playboy Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

10 August 1966 – Scotch of St James, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

13 August 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with Johnny & John (ex-Merseybeats) and group, Sonny Childe & TNT, The Rising Suns and The Ferryboys (Lincolnshire Standard)

19 August 1966 – 32 Club, Harlesden, northwest London (Keith Guster’s diary)

27 August 1966 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough and Eton Express)

30 August 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

Guster says Tony Rivers & The Castaways were billed to play as well at the Flamingo on the 30th August but failed to turn up

6 September 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Fenmen (Keith Guster’s diary)

9 September 1966 – Blaises, Queensway, west London (Keith Guster’s diary)

13 September 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

16 September 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)

17 September 1966 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with The Roosters (straight from Flamingo, Soho) (Eastern Evening News)

20 September 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Gaylords (Melody Maker)

20 September 1966 – Sybilla’s, Swallow Street, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

24 September 1966 – Memorial Hall, Woodford, east London (Keith Guster’s diary)

24 September 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Guests and C-Jam Blues Band (Melody Maker)

27 September 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

2 October 1966 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough and Eton Express)

7 October 1966 – Market Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire (Welwyn Advertiser)

8 October 1966 – Braintree Institute, Braintree, Essex with The Tender Trap (Essex County Standard)

10 October 1966 – Black Triangle, Southampton, Hants (Southern Evening Echo)

10 October 1966 – Playboy Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary) Start of 11 nighter

11 October 1966 – Playboy Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

12 October 1966 – Playboy Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

13 October 1966 – Playboy Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

14 October 1966 – Playboy Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

15 October 1966 – Playboy Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

16 October 1966 – Playboy Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

17 October 1966 – Playboy Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

18 October 1966 – Playboy Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

19 October 1966 – Playboy Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

20 October 1966 – Playboy Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

22 October 1966 – TA Centre, Andover, Hants (Andover Advetiser)

24 October 1966 – Black Triangle, Southampton, Hants (Southern Evening Echo)

24 October 1966 – Queen’s College, London with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Keith Guster’s diary)

30 October 1966 – Black Triangle, Southampton, Hants (Southern Evening Echo)

5 November 1966 – Atlanta Ballroom, Woking, Surrey with support (Aldershot News)

5 November 1966 – Club Continental, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)

6 November 1966 – Burnley Locarno, Burnley, Lancashire (Burnley Express and News)

10 November 1966 – Ashton Palais, Ashton under Lyne, Greater Manchester with Lee Dorsey (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

11 November 1966 – Hightown YC, Thornill, Hants (Southern Evening Echo)

19 November 1966 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London with The Clockwork Oranges (South East London Mercury/Keith Guster’s diary)

20 November 1966 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The News (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

30 November 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Keith Guster’s diary/Melody Maker)

3 December 1966 – Cromfield Hall, Romsey, Hants (Southern Evening Echo)

7 December 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker) This is missing from Keith’s diary

9 December 1966 – Starlite, Greenford, west London with Gass (Melody Maker)

10 December 1966 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with The Easybeats (East Kent Times)

11 December 1966 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent (East Kent Times)

Around this time, Phil Sawyer left to join The Shotgun Express and subsequently The Spencer Davis Group. Bryn Haworth took his place on lead guitar.

21 December 1966 – Hampton Park Hotel, Southampton, Hampshire (Southern Evening Echo)

24 December 1966 – Toft’s, Folkestone, Kent with The Mixed Feelings (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald/Melody Maker)

25 December 1966 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire with The Silverstone Set (Warrington Guardian)

28 December 1966 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent (East Kent Times)

30 December 1966 – Top Hat, Littlehampton, West Sussex (Littlehampton Gazette)

31 December 1966 – St George’s Hall, Exeter, Devon with support (Express & Echo)

1967

8 January 1967 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough and Eton Express)

13 January 1967 – Moorhill Youth Club, Southampton, Hampshire (Southern Evening Echo)

14 January 1967 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Vivas (Cambridgeshire Times)

22 January 1967 – Bluesette Club, Bridge Street, Leatherhead, Surrey (Caterham Weekly Press)

28 January 1967 – Midnight City, Birmingham, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

2 February 1967 – Cromwellian, Kensington, west London (Keith Guster’s diary)

3 February 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

5 February 1967 – Saville Theatre, Shaftsbury Avenue, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

Guster thinks they may have supported Sonny & Cher at Saville Theatre on this occasion.

11 February 1967 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with The Searchers (East Kent Times & Mail)

24 February 1967 –Municipal Hall, Pontypridd, Wales with Shapes of Things (Glamorgan County Times)

4 March 1967 – Co-op Hall, Chesham, Bucks (Buckinghamshire Advertiser)

14 March 1967 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

15 March 1967 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent (East Kent Times & Mail)

18 March 1967 – Lion Hotel, Warrington, Cheshire with Chapter 6 and Expressions (Warrington Guardian)

19 March 1967 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire (Warrington Guardian)

25 March 1967 – Co-op, Rainbow Suite, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)

27 March 1967 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with Mike Berry & The Luvvers (East Kent Times & Mail)

In late March/early April, Pete Sears departed to form Sam Gopal’s Dream.

2 April 1967 – Sunday Club, Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough and Eton Express)

7 April 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with Joey Young & The Toniks (Evening Sentinel)

9 April 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Breed (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

10 April 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Herd (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

16 April 1967 – Bluesette Club, Bridge Street, Leatherhead, Surrey (Caterham Weekly Press)

22 April 1967 – Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, Dorset (Bridport News)

29 April 1967 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with Odds On (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

5 May 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

6 May 1967 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (East Kent Times & Mail)

7 May 1967 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent (East Kent Times & Mail)

13 May 1967 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

20 May 1967 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

27 May 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

During June, Chris Andrews departed to front Rupert’s People. The Fleur De Lys continued as a trio.

2 June 1967 – Tech College, Streatham, southwest London with Bluesology (Keith Guster’s diary)

3 June 1967 – Union Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

10 June 1967 – Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent with Crispian St Peters (Folkestone & Hythe Gazette)

23 June 1967 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

3 August 1967 – Speakeasy, Margaret Street, central London (Fabulous 208/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies) Billed as Sharon Tandy & The Fleur De Lys

22 August 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

30 December 1967 – Market Hall, St Albans, Hertfordshire (Hertfordshire Express)

1968

20 January 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

22 January 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

27 January 1967 – Speakeasy, Margaret Street, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

Guster says Jimi Hendrix and Mitch Mitchell joined them for a 45 minute jam at the Speakeasy show on 27th January

Around February, Haskell’s friend from Bournemouth, Tony Head, who had sung with Dave Antony’s Moods from 1965-1966, joined.

29 February 1968 – Speakeasy, Margaret Street, central London with Sharon Tandy and Donnie Elbert (Fabulous 208/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)

Guster says they did two 15 minute slots as the band before backing Sharon Tandy for 30 minutes, then Donnie Elbert for 30 minutes and finally Sharon and Donnie together for 20 minutes.

27 April 1968 – Montreux Festival, Montreaux, Switzerland (Keith Guster’s diary)

28 April 1968 – Rotterdam and Amsterdam, Netherlands supporting Aretha Franklin (Keith Guster’s diary)

Guster says that the group rehearsed at the Revolution club on 24, 25 and 26 April before flying to Switzerland for the festival and Dutch dates.

On the band’s return to the UK, Gordon Haskell left to join The Flowerpot Men. Tago Byers from Reading band, The Moquettes took his place on bass.

17 May 1968 – Falaise Hall, Hastings, East Sussex with The Fire (Hastings & St Leonards Observer) Billed as Sharon Tandy & The Fleur De Lys

18 June 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London for rehearsals (Keith Guster’s diary)

19 June 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London for rehearsals (Keith Guster’s diary)

24 June 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London for rehearsals (Keith Guster’s diary)

25 June 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London for rehearsals (Keith Guster’s diary)

26 June 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London for rehearsals (Keith Guster’s diary)

Guster says The Webb played on the evening of 26th June

27 June 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

11 July 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London for rehearsals (Keith Guster’s diary)

12 July 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London for rehearsals (Keith Guster’s diary)

8 August 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London for rehearsals (Keith Guster’s diary)

9 September 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

25 September 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London for rehearsals (Keith Guster’s diary)

9 November 1968 – Witchdoctor, Catford, southeast London (Keith Guster’s diary)

9 November 1968 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

19 November 1968 – Revolution Club, Mayfair, central London (Keith Guster’s diary)

22 November 1968 – Fishmonger’s Arms, Wood Green, north London with Eyes of Blue (Melody Maker)

24 November 1968 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with Sharon Tandy and Six Across (Warrington Guardian)

4 December 1968 – City Hall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with The Beach Boys, Barry Ryan, Bruce Channel, Vanity Fayre, Eclection and Sharon Tandy (Barnsley Chronicle & South Yorkshire News)

14 December 1968 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire with Sharon Tandy (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

1969

15 February 1969 – 76 Club, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire (website: http://www.76club.org.uk/gigs.html)

Around March, Keith Guster was injured in a car accident and the band were unable to perform for several months. After he had recovered, Bryn Haworth departed for the US and the band Silver Metre followed soon after by Tony Head for a solo deal.

Guster and Byers briefly kept the band going with former Mojos guitarist Eddie Harnett before splitting in September. Guster and Byers then joined a reformed Amboy Dukes until May 1970.

A massive thank you to Keith Guster for generously giving up his time to pull out and send me gigs from his diary.

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.