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.

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

Formed in Leeds, West Yorkshire as The Cherokees, the original formation comprised:

John Kirby Woollard – lead vocals

Tez Stokes – lead guitar

David Bower – rhythm guitar

Mick Sweeney – bass

Jim Green – drums

In early 1966, the group changed name to The New York Public Library and worked at the Star Club in Hamburg, West Germany

25 June 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The End and The Carl Douglas Set (Melody Maker)

30 July 1966 – Cleveland Arms, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Express & Star)

20 August 1966 – ABC Promotions, Public Hall, Heacham, Norfolk with The Ultimate (Lynn News)

27 August 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Mynah Birds and The Broodly-Hoo (Melody Maker)

18 September 1966 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey with support (Aldershot News/Camberley News)

Around this time drummer Mick Ibbotson took over from Jim Green and appears on the band’s debut 45 “I Ain’t Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore”

2 October 1966 – George Inn, Wilby, Northamptonshire (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

28 October 1966 – 7 Club, Shrewsbury, Shropshire with The Van-Dels (Express & Star)

29 October 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Soul Method and The Heavenly Bodies (Melody Maker)

12 November 1966 – Midnight City, Digbeth, West Midlands with Zoot Money and His Big Roll Band (Birmingham Evening Mail)

18 November 1966 – Boulevard, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire (Yorkshire Evening Post) Says formerly The Cherokees

17 December 1966 – House of Aden, Witham Public Hall, Witham, Essex with The Hush (Essex County Standard)

31 December 1966 – Eastbourne Town Hall, Eastbourne, East Sussex with Lee Hawkins (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)

1967

In early 1967, both Mick Sweeney and newcomer Mick Ibbotson departed

Now based in London, former Knack drummer Topper Clay replaced Ibbotson and bass player Paul Servis joins. Servis had previously worked with Johnny Milton & The Condors before attending university

7 April 1967 – Cofton Country Club, Rednal, West Midlands (Redditch Indicator)

8 April 1967 – Worcester Co-Op, Worcester, Worcestershire (Worcester Evening News)

8 April 1967 – Worcester Co-Op, Worcester, Worcestershire (Worcester Evening News)

16 April 1967 – Kitchners, Black Horse, Kidderminster, Worcestershire (Kidderminster Times and Stourport News)

8 July 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with The Rick ‘N’ Beckers and Jimmy Powell & The Dimensions (Melody Maker)

15 July 1967 – Town Hall, Clacton, Essex with The Gass and Status One (Essex County Standard)

2 September 1967 – Khyber Club, Taunton County Cricket Ground, Taunton, Somerset with Combustic Show (Somerset County Gazette)

22 September 1967 – Clay Pigeon, Eastcote, northwest London with James & Bobby Purify (Harrow Weekly Post)

29 September 1967 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, west London (Melody Maker)

7 October 1967 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with Georgie Fame (East Kent Times & Mail)

8 October 1967 – Rendevous Club, Margate, Kent (East Kent Times & Mail)

30 October 1967 – Dollar & Discotheque, Wexham, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough & Eton Express)

21 October 1967 – Penthouse, Birmingham, West Midlands with Breakthru (Birmingham Evening Mail)

4 November 1967 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)

5 November 1967 – Kyrle, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)

19 November 1967 – Kettering Working Men’s Club, Kettering, Northamptonshire with J J Bender SOS (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

7 December 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Evening Standard)

8 December 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Evening Standard)

9 December 1967 – Hatchetts Playground, Piccadilly, central London (Evening Standard)

10 December 1967 – Castaways, Birmingham with Kathy Kirby (Birmingham Evening Mail)

22 December 1967 – Andromeda, Colchester, Essex (Essex County Standard)

23 December 1967 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire with Mandy’s Movement (Crewe Chronicle)

31 December 1967 – Rendevous Club, Margate, Kent with P P Arnold (East Kent Times & Mail)

1968

4 February 1968 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with James & Bobby Purify and The Jaytree Organisation (Crewe Chronicle)

8 February 1968 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with James and Bobby Purify (Birmingham Evening Mail)

1 March 1968 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

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

6 April 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Stafforshire (Evening Sentinel)

13 April 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Alan Price Set (East Kent Times)

28 April 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

4 May 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

Around May/June Paul Servis left and joined The Parking Lot briefly

Singer John Kirby Woollard also left. David Bower moved over to bass and Clay’s former Knack band mate, Brian Morris came in on lead vocals and rhythm guitar

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

21 June 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk (Eastern Evening News)

29 June 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

The new formation records two 45s “Got To Get Away” and “Love Me Two Times” and also unreleased material 

20 July 1968 – The Cobweb, St Leonards, East Sussex with Herb of Grace (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

4 August 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

30 August 1968 – El Grotto, Ilford, east London (Redbridge & Ilford Recorder)

Melody Maker says that the group went to Belgium and Holland on 16 September. It also says they will take in a promotional trip to Norway. The article adds that they will undertake their first US tour on 16 February 1969 with six weeks of dates.

14 September 1968 – Nottingham University, Nottingham (Melody Maker)

2 October 1968 – Manchester University, Manchester (Melody Maker)

5 October 1968 – Bristol University, Bristol (Melody Maker)

10 October 1968 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)

12 October 1968 – Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire (Melody Maker)

19 October 1968 – Hull University, Hull (Melody Maker)

2 November 1968 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk with The Peter Croft Blues Band (Eastern Evening News)

30 November 1968 – Il Rondo, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)

3 December 1968 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)

13 December 1968 – Brockley County School, Brockley, southeast London with The Mojos (South East London Mercury)

1969

12 January 1969 – Downbeat Club, the Swan, Maldon, Essex (Essex Chronicle)

1 February 1969 – Lion Hotel, Warrington, Cheshire with Finders Keepers (Warrington Guardian)

18 March 1969 – Blaises, Imperial Hotel, Queen’s Gate, west London (Hounslow Post)

10 July 1969 – The Revolution, central London (possibly with Kenny Rogers & The New Edition) (Melody Maker)

In August 1969, singer Peter Morrison took over from Brian Morris

30 August 1969 – Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks with The Crescents (Bucks Free Press)

Thanks to John Kirby Woollard, Tez Stokes, Topper Clay, David Bower and Peter Morrison for photos

For more detailed information on the band: http://www.petermorrisonmusic.co.uk/