Located on Allendale Road in Greenford (sometimes billed as Sudbury or Wembley) in northwest London, the Starlite Ballroom was a significant music venue in the UK during the early-to-late 1960s. Peter Griffin booked artists for the venue, together with the Starlight Ballroom in Crawley, West Sussex.
Melody Maker advertised this venue weekly during 1966 and 1967. This doesn’t mean, however, that the advertised artists definitely appeared. It’s quite possible that some acts may have been replaced at the last minute. All of the listings below are from Melody Maker unless otherwise stated. Judging by the listings below, gigs took place on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
1966
Missing some listings from January to late May
1 January – The Fenmen and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
7 January – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
16 January – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Beat Instrumental)
21 January – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
22 January – The Drifters (Record Mirror)
23 January – The Alan Bown Set and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s diary)
5 February – Stevie Wonder (backed by The Sidewinders?) with The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
13 February – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
18 February – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
27 February – The Moody Blues and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary) Beat Instrumental lists The Who for this date as well
11 March – The Small Faces (Record Mirror)
23 March – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Beat Instrumental)
25 March – Wilson Pickett and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
1 April – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Record Mirror)
22 April – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Instrumental)
26 April – The Mindbenders (Beat Instrumental)
29 April – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Beat Instrumental)
6 May – Lee Dorsey and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary and Jeff Sturgeon’s diary)
15 May – The Small Faces (Record Mirror)
27 May – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
28 May – The Soul Agents
29 May – The Fenmen and The Symbols
Missing listings for 3, 4 and 5 June
5 June – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames and Jean & The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s diary)
10 June – The Quiet Five and The Mark Four
11 June – The Ram Jam (most likely Geno Washington’s band) and The James Royal Set
12 June – The Yardbirds
Dave Brogden’s diary confirms that The Statesides supported The Yardbirds on this date
17 June – Roy C
Dave Brogden’s diary confirms that The Statesides supported Roy C on this date
18 June – The Spencer Davis Group
19 June – The James Royal Set and The Soul Agents
24 June – Radio London Night with bands
25 June – The Emeralds and The James Royal Set
26 June – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
1 July – The Quiet Five and The Trendsetters Ltd
2 July – Radio London Night
3 July – Gary Farr & The T-Bones
8 July – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
9 July – The Crystals
10 July – The Moody Blues
15 July – The Who and Roscoe Brown Combo
16 July – Episode Six and The Legend
17 July – The Troggs, The Wild Things and The Jimmy Brown Sound
22 July – Rufus Thomas
23 July – (Gary Farr &) The T-Bones
24 July – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and The En-Devers Ltd
29 July – Tony Rivers & The Castaways and The Summer Set
30 July – The Riot Squad
31 July – Joyce Bond and The Jimmy Brown Sound
5 August – (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band
6 August – Episode Six
7 August – Solomon Burke
12 August – The Move
Missing listing for 13 August
14 August – Jimmy Brown Sound
19 August – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band and The Tea Set
20 August – The Midnights
21 August – The Action and The Mode
26 August – The Magic Lanterns and The Knack
Missing listing for 27 August
28 August – The Pretty Things and Sands
2 September – The Spencer Davis Group
3 September – Episode Six
4 September – The Birds (with support)
9 September – The Jimmy Brown Sound and The Satellites (soon to become The Army)
10 September – Julian Covey & The Machine
11 September – Long John Baldry & Steampacket
16 September – The Symbols and The Quiet Five
17 September – Two groups
18 September – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers
23 September – The Trendsetters and Winston G
24 September – Two groups
25 September – Los Bravos
30 September – Robert Parker and The James Royal Set
1 October – Two groups
2 October – Rick ‘N’ Beckers
7 October – The Cryin Shames
8 October – Two groups
9 October – (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band
14 October – Lee Dorsey
15 October – Two groups
16 October – Batman & Robin
21 October – Sonny Childe & The TNT
22 October – Two groups
23 October – Edwin Starr (possibly backed by The Guests)
28 October – The Birds
29 October – Two groups
30 October – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
4 November – The Dixie Cups
5 November – Two groups
6 November – The Creation
11 November – The Coasters (probably backed by The Noblemen) and The Mode
12 November – Two groups
13 November – (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band
18 November – Wishful Thinking
19 November – Two groups
20 November – Ben E King and Winston G
25 November – The Mindbenders
26 November – Two groups
27 November – The Birds
2 December – The All Night Workers and Sands
3 December – Two groups
4 December – Cream and The Essex Five
9 December – Gass and The Fleur De Lys
10 December – Two groups
11 December – The Drifters and The Bystanders
16 December – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers
17 December – Two groups
18 December – Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers
23 December – Eric Burdon & The Animals and The Night Train
24 December – Gass and The Penny Blacks
30 December – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede and The Barry Lee Show
31 December – The Birds and The James Royal Set
1967
1 January – Rick ‘N’ Beckers and The Majority
6 January- (Sonny Childe &) The TNT and The Syn
No listing for 7 January
8 January – The Move and The Roscoe Brown Combo
13 January – The Small Faces
No listing for 14 January
15 January – The Soul Sisters and Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
20 January – The Coloured Raisins and The Herd
No listing for 21 January
22 January – Long John Baldry (& Bluesology)
27 January – Inez & Charlie Foxx and (Joe E Young &) The Tonicks
No listing for 28 January
29 January – The Symbols and The Dyaks
3 February – Winston G
No listing for 4 February
5 February – (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band
10 February – Edwin Starr (possibly backed by The Cool Combination)
No listing for 11 February
12 February – The Who
17 February – The Fenmen
No listing for 18 February
19 February – Cream
24 February – Lemon Line
No listing for 25 February
26 February – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
3 March – Cliff Bennet & The Rebel Rousers
No listing for 4 March
5 March – (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band and The Shell (Shock Show)
10 March – The Coloured Raisins and King Ossie Show
No listing for 11 March
12 March – The Gods
17 March – The Easybeats
No listing for 18 March
19 March – Rick ‘N’ Beckers
24 March – Human Instinct and Joe E Young & The Tonicks
No listing for 25 March
26 March – The New Mojos and The Gods
31 March – Ronnie Jones (& The Q-Set?)
No listing for 1 April
2 April – Ben E King
7 April – Rick ‘N’ Beckers
No listing for 8 April
9 April – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
14 April – The Creation and The Syn
No listing for 15 April
16 April – Long John Baldry Show (aka Bluesology)
21 April – Pink Floyd
No listing for 22 April
23 April – Mary Wells and The Gods
28 April – PP Arnold (backed by The Nice?) and The Syn
No listing for 29 April
30 April – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and Shinn
5 May – Rick ‘N’ Beckers
No listing for 6 May
7 May – Jeff Beck Group and Sean Buckley
12 May – The Shell Shock Show and The Syn
No listing for 13 May
14 May – Normie Rowe & The Playboys
19 May – (Geno Washington &) The Ram Jam Band
No listing for 20 May
21 May – The Troggs and The State Express (they later backed Edwin Starr)
26 May – The Shell Shock Show and The Syn
No listing for 27 May
28 May – Alan Price Set
2 June – Edwin Starr (probably backed by The Senate)
No listing for 3 June
4 June – The Warm Sounds and The Birds and The Bees
9 June – Mike Quinn Rave
No listing for 10 June
11 June – Cream and The Triads
16 June – The Shell Shock Show
No listing for 17 June
18 June – The Drifters
23 June – The Move and The Gods
No listing for 24 June
25 June – The Chiffons and Midnight Train
No listing for 30 June or 1 July
2 July – The Toys
Ron Lewingdon says Steve Priest’s pre-Sweet group, The Army were also on this bill. He remembers appearing at the venue with The Toys
No listing for 7 or 8 July
9 July – The Jeff Beck Group
14 July – The All Night Workers
No listing for 15 July
16 July – The Long John Baldry Show (aka Bluesology)
21 July – The All Night Workers
No listing for 22 July
23 July – The Action and The Syn
28 July – Modes Mode
No listing for 29 July
30 July – Simon Dupree & The Big Sound and The Human Instinct
4 August – The All Night Workers
No listing for 5 August
6 August – The Bee Gees and The Pussyfoot
11 August – Modes Mode
No listing for 12 August
13 August – The Small Faces
Henry Turtle says that his group The Doves played with The Small Faces at this venue several times. This seems the most likely date for one of the shows but needs confirmation
18 August – The Syn
No listing for 19 August
20 August – The Jeff Beck Group
25 August – The New Jump Band
No listing for 26 August
27 August – The Human Instinct and The Triads
1 September – The Pussyfoot
No listing for 2 September
3 September – Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers
8 September – The Shell Shock Show
No listing for 9 September
10 September – James & Bobby Purify and The James Royal Set
15 September – The Unsuited Medium
No listing for 16 September
17 September – The Original Drifters (backed by The Trend)
22 September – The Wranglers
23 September (first Saturday listing for the year) – The Breakthru
24 September – The Tiles Big Band
29 September – The New York Public Library
30 September – The Breakthru
1 October – The Alan Bown Set and The Calgary Stampede
No listing for 6 October
No listing for 7 October
8 October – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
13 October – Amen Corner
No listing for 14 October
15 October – Max Baer & The Chicago Setback
20 October – The Human Instinct
21 October – Warren Davis (was he on his own or with The Monday Band?)
22 October – The Ebony Keys and The All Night Workers (possibly the new version of this band)
27 October – Mr Hip Soul Band
28 October – The Wranglers
29 October – Geno Washington & Ram Jam Band and The All Night Workers
3 November – Pesky Gee
4 November – The Taylor Upton Big Jump Band
5 November – Ben E King and Dr Marigold’s Prescription
10 November – Horatio Soul & The Square Deals
11 November – The Triads
12 November – Marmalade and Legay
17 November – Katch 22
18 November – Willie Walker & The Scene
19 November – The Skatalites and The Open Mind
24 November – The Minor Portion Roll Band
25 November – Keith Skues and The Shock Treatment
26 November – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds and The Living Daylights
1 December – J J Bendol & The SOS
2 December – Katch 22
3 December – Geranium Pond and Modes Mode
8 December – Hydro Bronx B Band
No listing for 9 December
10 December – Simon Dupree & The Big Sound
No more listings for the year, so would welcome any additions
1968
Melody Maker didn’t appear to advertise the venue during 1968, so I’ve listed references next to the entries I have found. It looks like they were Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays but the listings are not complete and I would welcome any additions
Missing lists from January-April 1968
19 April – Colin Berry (Harrow Weekly Post)
21 April – Ike & Tina Turner Show (Harrow Weekly Post/New Musical Express)
26 April – Colin Berry (Harrow Weekly Post)
27 April – The Lace (Harrow Weekly Post)
28 April – Garnet Mimms and The Lace (Harrow Weekly Post) Mimms may have cancelled
3 May – Colin Berry (Harrow Weekly Post)
4 May – Pandemonium (Harrow Weekly Post)
No listing on 5 May
No listing on 10 May
11 May – The Cruudas (Harrow Weekly Post)
12 May – The Honeybus (Harrow Weekly Post)
No listing on 17 May
18 May – Rainbow Ffolly (Harrow Weekly Post)
19 May – Marmalade and Rainbow Ffolly (Harrow Weekly Post)
No listing on 24 May
25 May – Jo Jo Gunne (Harrow Weekly Post)
26 May – Edwin Starr (backed by The State Express) (and with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
31 May – The New Flamingos (Harrow Weekly Post)
1 June – The Greatest Show on Earth (Harrow Weekly Post)
2 June – Duane Eddy and The All Night Workers (Harrow Weekly Post)
Henry Turtle says his band The Doves played with Duane Eddy at this venue. The All Night Workers definitely played too
7 June – The Midnights (Harrow Weekly Post)
8 June – The All Night Workers (Harrow Weekly Post)
9 June – The Fantastics (backed by The House of Orange) (Harrow Weekly Post)
14 June – The Exits (Harrow Weekly Post)
15 June – Orange Seaweed (Harrow Weekly Post)
16 June – Whisky Mac (with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
21 June – The Apricots (Harrow Weekly Post)
22 June – Size Five (Harrow Weekly Post)
23 June – The New Breed (with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
28 June – The Apricots (Harrow Weekly Post)
29 June – The Group (with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
30 June – The Apricots (with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
5 July – The Midnites (Harrow Weekly Post)
6 July – The New Breed (Harrow Weekly Post)
7 July – The Midnites (with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
No listing for 12 July
13 July – The Midnites (with support) (Harrow Weekly Post)
14 July – The Neuz (Harrow Weekly Post)
No listing for 19 July
20 July – The Neuz (Harrow Weekly Post)
21 July – The Unison (Harrow Weekly Post)
No listing for 26, 27 and 28 July
No listing for 2 August
3 August – The Unison (Harrow Weekly Post)
4 August – The Unison (Harrow Weekly Post)
I don’t have any more listings for August and only odd ones for September and October so would welcome any additions
22 September – The New Breed (Harrow Weekly Post)
29 September – The All Night Workers (Harrow Weekly Post)
5 October – The James Morton Sound (Harrow Weekly Post)
6 October – The Race (Harrow Weekly Post)
9 October – Colin Berry (Wednesday) (Harrow Weekly Post)
12 October – The James Morton Sound (Harrow Weekly Post)
2 November – The James Morton Sound (Harrow Weekly Post)
3 November – The Midnites with Dynamic Maxine (Harrow Weekly Post)
8 November – Colin Berry (Harrow Weekly Post)
9 November – The James Morton Sound (Harrow Weekly Post)
10 November – The Midnites with Dynamic Maxine (Harrow Weekly Post)
15 November – The Midnites with Dynamic Maxine (Harrow Weekly Post)
16 November – The James Morton Sound (Harrow Weekly Post)
There is no listing for 17 November
22 November – Colin Berry and The Midnites (Harrow Weekly Post)
23 November – The James Morton Sound (Harrow Weekly Post)
There is no listing for 24 November
I have no more listings for November and a gap in early December
11 December – The All Night Workers (Wednesday) (Harrow Weekly Post) Says Sudbury, but the address is the same – Allendale Road
I have no more listings for December so would welcome any additions
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.