Categories: England

Simon Dupree & The Big Sound gigs 1965-1970

May 5, 2019 Nick Warburton 7 Comments

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.

SIMON DUPREE & THE BIG SOUND

Derek Shulman – lead vocals

Phil Shulman – saxophone, trumpet, vocals

Ray Shulman – guitar, violin, trumpet, vocals

Peter O’Flaherty – bass

Eric Hine – keyboards

Tony Ransley – drums

Originally formed in Portsmouth, Hampshire as The Howling Wolves, they became The Road Runners before changing name to Simon Dupree & The Big Sound in late 1965

1965

5 December 1965 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

1966

22 January 1966 – El Partido, Lewisham, London with Duke Lee (Melody Maker)

30 April 1966 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)

12 July 1966 – Blue Lagoon, Kimbells, Southsea, Hampshire with Brian Hugg Fraternity and The Alwyn Hayes Set (Portsmouth News)

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

20 July 1966 – Big Beat Cruise, Portsmouth Harbour, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

22 July 1966 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser)

30 July 1966 – New Spot, Gosport, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

25 August 1966 – Thorngate Ballroom, Gosport, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

3 September 1966 – New Central Ballroom, Aldershot, Hampshire with The Satalites (Aldershot News)

7 September 1966 – Big Beat Cruise, Portsmouth Harbour, Hampshire with The Sons of Man (Portsmouth News)

9 September 1966 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser)

21 September 1966 – Indigo Vat, Southsea, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

2 October 1966 – Indigo Vat, Southsea, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

20 October 1966 – Concorde, Southampton, Hampshire with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Southern Evening Echo)

29 October 1966 – Le Disque A Go Go, Bournemouth, Dorset (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)

4 November 1966 – Southampton Guildhall, Southampton, Hampshire with The Just Us and Lisa’s Brethren (Southern Evening Echo)

26 November 1966 – Le Disque A Go Go, Bournemouth, Dorset (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)

1 December 1966 – Thorngate Ballroom, Gosport, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

11 December 1966 – The Academy, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

13 December 1966 – St George’s Hall, Exeter, Devon with The Soul Society and The Rage (Express and Echo)

31 December 1966 – Concorde, Southampton, Hampshire (Southern Evening Echo)

1967

3 January 1967 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)

7 January 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Soul Reasons (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

27 January 1967 – Kookoo-Byrd Discotheque, Cardiff, Wales (South Wales Echo)

28 January 1967 – Floral Hall, Southport, Lancashire and The Fyx (Lancashire Evening Post)

5 February 1967 – Granada Bedford, Bedford, Bedfordshire with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mich and Titch, The Easybeats, The Kinks, David Garrick and The Vision (Cambridge News)

15 February 1967 – Stonehouse Church Hall, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire (Gloucester Citizen)

21 February 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Shame (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

25 February 1967 – Goldsmith College, New Cross, London with Brian Something and The Whats Its and Brothers Grimm (South East London Mercury)

26 February 1967 – Steering Wheel, Weymouth, Dorset (Dorset Evening Echo)

3 March 1967 – Guildhall, Gloucester (Gloucester Citizen)

4 March 1967 – Town Hall, Loughborough, Leicestershire (Fabulous 208)

16 March 1967 – Champness Hall, Rochdale, Greater Manchester with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mich and Titch (Fabulous 208)

18 March 1967 – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend, Essex with Daddy Linburg and The Fingers and The Spooks (Southend Standard)

19 March 1967 – Bluesette Club, Bridge Street, Leatherhead, Surrey (Caterham Weekly Press)

19 March 1967 – Brady Club, Hanbury Street, London (Fabulous 208)

20 March 1967 – Top Rank Tenpin Bowling, Bournemouth, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

21 March 1967 – Savoy Ballroom, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

25 March 1967 – Pearce Hall, Maidenhead, Berkshire (Fabulous 208)

26 March 1967 – Cricketers Hotel, Chertsey, Surrey (Woking Herald)

27 March 1967 – Royal York Hotel, Ryde, Isle of Wight (Fabulous 208)

29 March 1967 – Stonehouse Church Hall, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire with The Medium Rare (Gloucester Citizen)

30 March 1967 – Embassy Suite, Colchester, Essex with The Earl Winston Set (Essex County Standard)

31 March 1967 – Town Hall, Trowbridge, Wiltshire (Fabulous 208)

1 April 1967 – The Thing, Oldham (Fabulous 208)

3 April 1967 – Star Hotel, Croydon, London (Fabulous 208)

5 April 1967 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge (Cambridge News)

9 April 1967 – Pavilion Bournemouth, Bournemouth, Dorset with support (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

13 April 1967 – College of Further Education, Manchester (Fabulous 208)

14 April 1967 – Magoo’s Club, Edinburgh, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

14 April 1967 – Victoria Hall, Dunbar, Scotland with The Tremeloes (Fabulous 208)

15 April 1967 – Community Centre, Auchinleck, Scotland with The Tremeloes (Fabulous 208)

17 April 1967 – Palais, Dundee, Scotland with The Tremeloes (Fabulous 208)

19 April 1967 – Beach Ballroom, Aberdeen, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

20 April 1967 – Palace Ballroom, Aberdeen, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

21 April 1967 – Raith Ballroom, Kirkcaldy, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

22 April 1967 – Students Union, Dundee, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

24 April 1967 – Top Rank Suite, Cardiff, Wales (Fabulous 208)

25 April 1967 – Pavilion Bournemouth, Bournemouth, Dorset with Cream (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

26 April 1967 – Kingston Modern School for Girls, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

27 April 1967 – Manchester University, Manchester (Fabulous 208)

28 April 1967 – Assembly Rooms, York, North Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

29 April 1967 – Pearce Hall, Maidenhead, Berkshire (Fabulous 208)

30 April 1967 – Tabernacle, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)

5 May 1967 – Astoria, Finsbury Park, north London with The Beach Boys, Helen Shapiro, The Marionttes, The Nite People, Alan Field, Terry Reid with Peter Jay’s Jaywalkers (Hackney Gazette)

6 May 1967 – Odeon, Birmingham, West Midlands with The Beach Boys, Helen Shapiro, The Marionettes, The Nite People and Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers (Express and Star)

9 May 1967 – Odeon, Glasgow, Scotland with The Beach Boys, Helen Shapiro, Peter Jay & The New Jaywalkers, The Marionettes and The Nite People (Fabulous 208)

10 May 1967 – ABC, Edinburgh, Scotland with The Beach Boys, Helen Shapiro, Peter Jay & The New Jaywalkers, The Marionettes and The Nite People (Fabulous 208)

11 May 1967 – Railway Club, Tilbury, Essex (Fabulous 208)

12 May 1967 – Bridge Hotel, Wheatley, Oxfordshire (Fabulous 208)

13 May 1967 – St Mary’s College, Twickenham, London (Fabulous 208)

14 May 1967 – Riverside Club, Cricketers Hotel, Chertsey, Surrey (Woking Herald)

15 May 1967 – Top Rank Suite, Swansea, Wales (Fabulous 208)

16 May 1967 – Floral Hall, Malvern, Worcestershire (Fabulous 208)

17 May 1967 – Stonehouse Church Hall, Stonehouse, Gloucestershire with Justinthyme (Gloucester Citizen)

18 May 1967 – Concord, Southampton, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

19 May 1967 – Severn Club, Shrewsbury, Shropshire (Fabulous 208)

20 May 1967 – Memorial Hall, Northwich, Cheshire (Fabulous 208)

23 May 1967 – Winter Gardens, Malvern, Worcestershire (Malvern Gazette)

25 May 1967 – Ritz Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset (Fabulous 208)

26 May 1967 – Court Ash Club, Yeovil, Somerset with Trend ’67 (Western Gazette)

27 May 1967 – Pearce Hall, Maidenhead, Berkshire (Fabulous 208)

29 May 1967 – Flamingo Ballroom, Redruth, Cornwall (Fabulous 208)

2 June 1967 – Youth Club, Beaconsfield, Bucks (Fabulous 208)

3 June 1967 – Adelphi Ballroom, West Bromwich, West Midlands with Jimmy Cliff & The Shakedown Sound (Express & Star)

3 June 1967 – Carlton Club, Erdington, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail/Fabulous 208)

4 June 1967 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book)

7 June 1967 – “Pop Afloat” British Rail, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

9 June 1967 – Civic Centre, Solihull, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

10 June 1967 – Dunelm House, Durham, County Durham (Fabulous 208)

11 June 1967 – Bridge Hotel, Wheatley, Oxfordshire (Fabulous 208)

13 June 1967 – Kings Hall, Aberystwyth, Wales (Fabulous 208)

14 June 1967 – Samantha’s, Bournemouth, Dorset (Bournemouth Echo)

14 June 1967 – Malibu Club, Poole, Dorset (Fabulous 208)

15 June 1967 – Seahawk Club, Helston, Cornwall (Fabulous 208)

16 June 1967 – Swansea University, Swansea, Wales (Fabulous 208)

17 June 1967 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury with The Sabres with Vicki (Western Gazette)

18 June 1967 – Leofric, Coventry, West Midlands (Coventry Evening News)

20 June 1967 – Concord, Southampton, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

22 June 1967 – AAC Middle Wallop, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser)

23 June 1967 – Top Spot Ballroom, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire with The Medium Rare (Gloucester Citizen)

24 June 1967 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire (Fabulous 208)

28 June 1967 – Sheffield University, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with The Searchers, Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band and The Stormsville Shakers (Fabulous 208)

29 June 1967 – Civic Hall, Connah’s Quay, Wales (Fabulous 208)

30 June 1967 – Top Rank Suite Cardiff, Wales (Fabulous 208)

1 July 1967 – Memorial Hall, Rugby, Warwickshire (Fabulous 208)

2 July 1967 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Dominoes (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

7 July 1967 – Queen’s Hall, Barnstaple, Devon (Fabulous 208)

8 July 1967 – Town Hall, Torquay, Devon with Witness Four and The Velvet Touch (Fabulous 208/Torquay Times)

9 July 1967 – Waterfront Club, Woolston, Southampton, Hampshire (Southern Echo)

9 July 1967 – Pier Ballroom, Worthing, West Sussex (Fabulous 208)

10 July 1967 – Grammar School, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

12 July 1967 – TA Hall, Minehead, Somerset with The Sabres (Somerset County Gazette)

13 July 1967 – Langley’s Community Centre, Slough, Berkshire (Fabulous 208)

14 July 1967 – Beaconsfield Youth Club, Beaconsfield, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)

14 July 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Granny’s Intentions (Melody Maker)

16 July 1967 – Astoria Ballroom, Oldham, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)

17 July 1967 – Will’s Discotheque, Reading, Berkshire (Fabulous 208)

23 July 1967 – Beat at Blenheim, Blenheim Park, Woodstock with Manfred Mann, Jeff Beck, PP Arnold & The Nice, The Steam Machine and The Crisp (North Berks Herald)

25 July 1967 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Soul Foundation (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)

28 July 1967 – Central Pier, Morecambe, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)

29 July 1967 – Beatpacket Club, Dolphin Hall, Tetbury, Gloucestershire (Wiltshire & Gloucestershire Standard)

30 July 1967 – Starlite, Greenford, London with The Human Instinct (Melody Maker)

4 August 1967 – Town Hall, Torquay, Devon (Fabulous 208)

5 August 1967 – Town Hall, Abergavey, Monmouthshire, Wales (Fabulous 208)

6 August 1967 – Jimmy Saville’s Top Top Club, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

11 August 1967 – Porthcawl Pavilion, Porthcawl, Wales (Fabulous 208)

12 August 1967 – Seagull Ballroom, Ryde, Isle of Wight (Fabulous 208)

14 August 1967 – Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

19 August 1967 – Afan Lido, Port Talbot, Wales with The Spectres (Port Talbot Guardian)

24 August 1967 – Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

25 August 1967 – Top Spot Ballroom, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire with The Dipps (Gloucester Citizen)

25 August 1967 – Pengram Memorial, Cardiff, Wales (Fabulous 208)

27 August 1967 – Ritz Ballroom, Skewen, Wales (Fabulous 208)

27 August 1967 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book) This seems unlikely

28 August 1967 – De Valence Ballroom, Tenby, Wales (Fabulous 208)

29 August 1967 – Afan Lido, Port Talbot, Wales (Fabulous 208)

30 August 1967 – Regal Ballroom, Minehead, Somerset with Flower Power (Somerset County Gazette)

31 August 1967 – Concord Club, Southampton, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

2 September 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with supporting groups (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

3 September 1967 – Hotel Leofric, Coventry, West Midlands with Pesky Gee (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

7 September 1967 – Ritz Club, Skewen, Wales with Omega Plus (Port Talbot Guardian)

8 September 1967 – Regency Ballroom, Pembroke, Wales (Fabulous 208)

9 September 1967 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Friction (Cambridgeshire Times)

10 September 1967 – The Place, Wakefield, West Yorkshire with C G Morris & Reaction Soul Band (Yorkshire Evening Post/Wakefield Express)

10 September 1967 – Plaza Teen Club, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

15 September 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London with Floribunda Rose (Melody Maker)

16 September 1967 – Top West Club, Abertillery, Wales (Fabulous 208)

18 September 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Floribunda Rose (Melody Maker)

21 September 1967 – City Hall, Salisbury, Wiltshire (Fabulous 208)

22 September 1967 – Beaconsfield Youth Club, Beaconsfield, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)

23 September 1967 – Technical College, Bristol (Fabulous 208)

24 September 1967 – 1600 Club, Hereford, Herefordshire (Worcester Evening News)

26 September 1967 – The Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

28 September 1967 – Concorde Club, Southampton, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

29 September 1967 – St George’s Hall, Exeter, Devon (Fabulous 208)

11 October 1967 – Skyline Ballroom, Hull with Wynder K Frog (Hull Daily Mail)

12 October 1967 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear (website: http://www.readysteadygone.co.uk/club-agogo-newcastle-2/)

13 October 1967 – City of Leeds Training College, Leeds, West Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

14 October 1967 – Bristol University, Bristol (Fabulous 208)

16 October 1967 – Top Rank Suite, Cardiff, Wales with Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mich and Titch and Tony Rivers & The Castaways (Fabulous 208)

17 October 1967 – Winter Gardens, Malvern, Worcestershire (Malvern Gazette)

22 October 1967 – Plaza, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire (Huddersfield Daily Examiner)

23 October 1967 – Cardiff College of Education, Cardiff, Wales with The Swinging Blue Jeans, The Bees, The Love Culture and The Clockwork Motion (South Wales Echo)

25 October 1967 – Eriskay Ballroom, Ammanford, Wales (Fabulous 208)

26 October 1967 – Civic, Wrexham, Wales (Wrexham Leader)

26 October 1967 – Connah’s Quay, Wales (Fabulous 208)

27 October 1967 – Central Pier, Morecambe, Lancashire with The Konch and Lord Byron (Lancashire Evening Post)

29 October 1967 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

5 November 1967 – Upper Cut, Forest Gate, east London with Ruby James & The Stax (Melody Maker)

10 November 1967 – Top Spot Ballroom, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire with The Inmates (Gloucester Citizen)

11 November 1967 – Lord Mayor’s Show, London with The Foundations (Disc & Music Echo)

30 November 1967 – Liberal Hall, Yeovil, Somerset (Western Gazette)

According to Melody Maker, in late November, the band joined Paul Jones, Traffic, Lucas and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown for the Teenage Fair in Gothenburg, Sweden

1 December 1967 – UFO, Paignton, Devon (Disc & Music Echo)

2 December 1967 – Borough Road College, Isleworth, London (Melody Maker)

3 December 1967 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Milestones (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

8 December 1967 – Town Hall, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Disc & Music Echo)

10 December 1967 – Starlite Ballroom, Greenford, London (Melody Maker)

11 December 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Jon (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

12 December 1967 – Swansea Training College, Swansea, Wales (Fabulous 208)

13 December 1967 – Locarno Ballroom, Stevenage, Herts (Fabulous 208)

15 December 1967 – Ballerina, Nairn, Scotland (Forres, Elgin & Nairn Gazette)

19 December 1967 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)

21 December 1967 – Penn Inn Club, Uxbridge, London (Fabulous 208/Disc & Music Echo)

22 December 1967 – Sports Centre, Bracknell, Berkshire with The Hayze (Bracknell News)

23 December 1967 – Matlock Bath, Matlock, Derbyshire with Soul Concern (Derby Evening Telegraph/Derbyshire Times)

23 December 1967 – Night Owl, Leicester (Fabulous 208)

29 December 1967 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Fabulous 208)

30 December 1967 – Flamingo Club, Redruth, Cornwall with Modesty Blues (Fabulous 208/West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette)

1968

2 January 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with The Nite People (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

6 January 1968 – New Century Hall, Manchester (Fabulous 208)

7 January 1968 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with Jaytree Organisation (Crewe Chronicle)

8 January 1968 – Orchid Ballroom, Purley, London (Coulson & Purley Advertiser)

10 January 1968 – Caelean College, Newport, Wales (Fabulous 208)

13 January 1968 – Lanchester College Union, Coventry, West Midlands with Elmer Gantry and East Side Project (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

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

16 January 1968 – Concord, Southampton, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

17 January 1968 – Students’ Union, University of East Anglia, Norwich with The Village Green Soul Band (Eastern Evening News)

19 January 1968 – College Hall, Rochdale, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)

20 January 1968 – Floral Hall, Southport, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)

23 January 1968 – Ritz Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset (Fabulous 208)

26 January 1968 – High Hall Residence, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)

27 January 1968 – Lanchester College, Coventry, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

27 January 1968 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire with The Decoys (Nuneaton Evening Tribune)

28 January 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)

29 January 1968 – Queen’s Ballroom, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Express & Star)

3 February 1968 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire (Steve Chapples research: www.lankybeat.com)

4 February 1968 – New Regis Club, Bognor Regis, West Sussex (Brighton Evening Argus)

5 February 1968 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bath (Fabulous 208)

8 February 1968 – Rivington Barn, Harwich, Essex (Fabulous 208)

13 February 1968 – Top Rank Suite, Swansea, Wales (Fabulous 208)

13 February 1968 – Pyjama Dance, Glen Ballroom, Llanelli, south Wales with The Spencer Davis Group, Tony Rivers & The Castaways, Fleetwood Mac and The Dream (South Wales Evening Post)

16 February 1968 – Bangor University, Bangor, Wales (Fabulous 208)

17 February 1968 – Plaza Ballroom, Old Hill, Bearwood, West Midlands (Express & Star)

17 February 1968 – Plaza, Handsworth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

20 February 1968 – Civic Hall, Corby, Northamptonshire with Spectre Powerhouse (Fabulous 208/Stroud News)

23 February 1968 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Melody Maker)

24 February 1968 – Drill Hall, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire with The Nemkons (Grantham Journal)

24 February 1968 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Melody Maker)

26 February 1968 – Belfry, Wishaw, near Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands with The UK Bonds (Birmingham Evening Mail)

29 February 1968 – Constantine Students Union, Rag Ball ’68, Windsor Ballroom with Steve Brown Soul Sect and The Traine (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

5 March 1968 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington , North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

6 March 1968 – Winter Gardens, Morecambe, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)

7 March 1968 – Civic Hall, Dunstable, Bedfordshire (Fabulous 208)

9 March 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Downliners Sect (East Kent Times/Fabulous 208)

13 March 1968 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts (Fabulous 208)

19 March 1968 – City Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

21 March 1968 – Civic Hall, Brierley Hill, West Midlands (Express & Star)

22 March 1968 – Tottenham Royal, Tottenham, London (Fabulous 208)

23 March 1968 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Wild Angels and Tuesday’s Children (Melody Maker)

27 March 1968 – Cavendish Ballroom, Edinburgh, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

30 March 1968 – Community Centre, Auchinleck, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

30 March 1968 – Sundowner, Corn Exchange, Haddington, Scotland with Mason Webb (Haddingtonshire Courier)

30 March 1968 – Olympia Ballroom, East Kilbride, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

31 March 1968 – Kinema Ballroom, Dunfermline, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

5 April 1968 – Odeon, Lewisham, southeast London with Gene Pitney, Don Partridge, Status Quo, Lucas and The Mike Cotton Sound and Amen Corner (South East London Mercury) Amen Corner were special guests

11 April 1968 – Gaumont Theatre, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Gene Pitney, Don Partridge, Status Quo, Amen Corner and Lucas & Mike Cotton Sound (Express & Star)

20 April 1968 – Winter Gardens, Bournemouth, Dorset with Gene Pitney, Don Partridge, Status Quo, Amen Corner and Lucas & Mike Cotton Sound (Dorset Evening Echo)

21 April 1968 – De Montfort Hall, Leicester Gloucestershire with Gene Pitney, Don Partridge, Status Quo and Amen Corner (Nuneaton Evening Tribune)

23 April 1968 – ABC Gloucester, Gloucester, Gloucestershire with Gene Pitney, Don Partridge, Status Quo, Amen Corner, Lucas & Mike Cotton Sound and Tony Brandon (Gloucester Citizen/Stroud News)

30 April 1968 – Granada, Bedford, Bedfordshire with Gene Pitney, Don Partridge, Status Quo, Amen Corner and Lucas and The Mike Cotton Sound (Bedfordshire Times)

1 May 1968 – ABC Peterborough, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire with Gene Pitney, Don Partridge, Status Quo, Amen Corner, Lucas and Mike Cotton Sound (Cambridgeshire Times)

10 May 1968 – Cheltenham Town Hall, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire (Fabulous 208)

11 May 1968 – Leas Cliff Hotel, Folkestone, Kent with The Couriers (Fabulous 208/Folkestone and Hythe Gazette)

14 May 1968 – Welfare Hall, Loughor, south Wales with The Power Stop Big Band (South Wales Evening Post)

18 May 1968 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury with The Click (Somerset County Gazette)

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

23 May 1968 – Dorking Halls, Dorking, Surrey with The Web (Surrey Advertiser)

24 May 1968 – Top Rank Suite, Swansea, south Wales with Tony Rivers & The Castaways and The Love Sculpture (South Wales Evening Post)

25 May 1968 – City Hall, Salisbury, Wiltshire with Mr Hip Soul Band (Western Gazette)

26 May 1968 – Elms Court Ballroom, Botley, Oxford (Oxford Mail)

31 May 1968 – Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, Gloucestershire (Fabulous 208)

11 June 1968 – Ballroom in Cambridge (probably Dorothy Ballroom) (Fabulous 208)

11 June 1968 – Jesus College, Cambridge (Fabulous 208)

28 June 1968 – Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset (Fabulous 208)

29 June 1968 – St Thomas’ Hall, Brentwood, Essex (Fabulous 208)

2 July 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Tramline (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

4 July 1968 – Co-op Ballroom, Doncaster, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

4 July 1968 – Skyline Ballroom, Hull (Fabulous 208)

10 July 1968 – Mayfair Ballroom, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208

12 July 1968 – Sheffield University, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

13 July 1968 – Ayr Ice Rink, Ayr, Scotland with The Kinks, The Pathfinders and two supporting groups (Kilmarnock Standard)

14 July 1968 – Barbeque, Billesden, Leicester (Fabulous 208)

20 July 1968 – Kinema Ballroom, Stranraer, Scotland with The Kleen Machine (Wigtownshire Free Press & Galloway Advertiser)

23 July 1968 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Fabulous 208)

24 July 1968 – Winter Gardens, Penzance, Cornwall (Fabulous 208)

25 July 1968 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall (Fabulous 208)

27 July 1968 – Seagull Ballroom, Ryde, Isle of Wight (Fabulous 208)

2 August 1968 – Metropole, Exhibition Hall, Brighton, West Sussex with Marmalade, The Mike Stuart Span, The Tremeloes, The Nice and Spooky Tooth (Melody Maker)

3 August 1968 – Ryburgh Hall, Norfolk with The Track (Eastern Evening News/Lynn News/North Norfolk News)

9 August 1968 – Top Spot, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire with The Soniks (Gloucester Citizen)

21 August 1968 – Regal Ballroom, Minehead, Somerset with Howard Stephen Shape (Somerset County Gazette/Western Gazette)

31 August 1968 – The Marquee, King George IV Playing Field, Welwyn Garden City with Lamb Bros & Co (website: http://www.coda-uk.co.uk/60’s_music_scene.htm)

10-14 September 1968 – Excel, Middlesbrough (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

11 September 1968 – Bottoms Up Club, Consett, Tyne & Wear (Newcastle Evening Chronicle)

14 September 1968 – Tavern Club, East Dereham, Norfolk (Fabulous 208)

16 September 1968 – Portsmouth Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire with The Small Faces and supporting artists (Southern Echo)

21 September 1968 – Subscription Room, Stroud, Gloucestershire with The Night Shift (Fabulous 208/Stroud News)

28 September 1968 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Krisis (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

3 October 1968 – Dome, Brighton, West Sussex (Fabulous 208)

4 October 1968 – Colston Hall, Bristol (Fabulous 208)

6 October 1968 – The Place Club, Hanley, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)

11 October 1968 – Rosewell Institute, Rosewell, Scotland with The Bay City Rollers, The Chase and Paper Chase (South Midlothian Advertiser)

13 October 1968 – Kinema Hall, Dunfermline, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

18 October 1968 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (Dorset Evening Echo)

19 October 1968 – Victoria Cross Gallery, Wantage, Oxfordshire (Oxford Mail)

23 October 1968 – Catholic Youth Club, Swindon, Wiltshire (website: www.swindonmusicscene.co.uk/swindon_music_scene_gigs_of_note.html)

24 October 1968 – Tech College, Bristol (Fabulous 208)

26 October 1968 – Elms Court, Botley, Oxford with Bernard Reich (Fabulous 208/Oxford Mail)

1 November 1968 – Walsall Town Hall with The ‘N’ Betweens and Hari Kari (Express & Star)

2 November 1968 – The Plaza, Old Hill, West Midlands (Express & Star)

8 November 1968 – Top Spot, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire with Peggotty’s People (Gloucester Citizen)

13 November 1968 – Top Rank Suite, Swansea, south Wales (South Wales Evening Post)

18 November 1968 – Top Rank, Cardiff, Wales (Fabulous 208)

23 November 1968 – Alton Towers, Uttoxeter, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)

13 December 1968 – Ealing Tech College, Ealing, London with Free and The Downliners Sect (Melody Maker)

13 December 1968 – Variety Club, Thirsk, North Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

14 December 1968 – Leyton Baths, Leyton, London (Fabulous 208)

21 December 1968 – Borough Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks with Imagine Confusion (Bucks Advertiser lists Morganic Confusion) (website: http://aylesburymusictown.co.uk/)

26 December 1968 – Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset with Teak & The Smokey and John Gary Scene (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

1969

25 January 1969 – The Cobweb, St Leonards, East Sussex (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

31 January 1969 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire (Fabulous 208)

7 February 1969 – West London College, Student’s Union, the Lyceum, Strand, London with Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera and Trifle (Melody Maker)

8 February 1969 – Hounslow Town Hall, Hounslow, London with Crimson Mood (Hounslow Post)

13 February 1969 – Ballerina Ballroom, Nairn, Scotland (Forres Elgin & Nairn Gazette)

21 February 1969 – Caxton Hall, London (Fabulous 208)

24 February 1969 – Dorchester Hotel, London (Fabulous 208)

27 February 1969 – ABC, Lincoln (Fabulous 208)

28 February 1969 – Wimbledon Tech College, Wimbledon, London (Fabulous 208)

1 March 1969 – Fiesta Club, Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham (Fabulous 208)

7 March 1969 – Goldsmith College, New Cross, London (Fabulous 208)

14 March 1969 – Civic Hall, St Albans, Herts (Fabulous 208)

15 March 1969 – Hatfield Tech College, Hatfield, Herts (Fabulous 208)

28 April 1969 – Regal, Ringland, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Cavaliers (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)

Former Bluesology keyboard player Reg Dwight (aka Elton John) covered for Eric Hine when he was ill for a short Scottish tour and the following time period appears the most likely

7 June 1969 – Kinema Ballroom, Stranraer, Scotland with The Nursery (Wigtownshire Free Press & Galloway Advertiser)

11 July 1969 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Froot and Joe Grandy (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)

12 July 1969 – Northcroft, Newbury, Berkshire with Amen Corner, Chicken Shack and J J Jackson (Melody Maker)

26 July 1969 – Wimbledon Town Hall, Wimbledon, southwest London with Milton’s Fingers (Melody Maker)

15 August 1969 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset with Joe Grundy and The Sponges (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)

6 September 1969 – The Belfry, Wishaw, West Midlands with Eyes of Blood (Birmingham Evening Mail)

20 September 1969 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with Magic Alice and Circle Line (Surrey Advertiser)

21 September 1969 – Rebecca’s, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)

14 November 1969 – Whispering Wheels Ballroom, Blackheath, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

27 December 1969 – Parade Hall, Brentwood, Essex (Melody Maker)

1970

2 January 1970 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset with Syd Fay Orchestra (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)

Not long afterwards the Shulman brothers form Gentle Giant

Categories: England, West Sussex

Mike Stuart Span gigs 1966-1968

May 5, 2019 Nick Warburton 5 Comments

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

MIKE STUART SPAN

Stuart Hobday – lead vocals

Nigel Langham – lead guitar

Roger McCabe – bass

Ashley Potter – keyboards

Gary Murphy – drums

Hobday and McCabe had worked together in The Mighty Atoms which morphed into The Extremes during 1965 and later included Langham and Potter. They changed name to The Mike Stuart Span in mid-1965 when Mike Clayton took over their management.

Before the turn of the year, the group add four horn players; two trumpet players and two saxophone players. These include trumpet player Gary Parsley and sax player Dave Plumb.

14 November 1965 – Whitehall, East Grinstead, West Sussex with Tony Rivers & The Castaways (Sussex Evening Express)

21 November 1965 – The Downs, Hassocks, West Sussex with Robb Storme & The Whispers (Mid Sussex Times)

26 December 1965 – Mexican Hat, Worthing, West Sussex with The Beat Merchants (Worthing Gazette) This seems unlikely unless it is a different date

26 December 1965 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Jaguars (Cornish Guardian)

1966

Over the first two months of 1966, two of the horn players dropped out. Jon Poulter also took over from Ashley Potter.

1 January 1966 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

2 January 1966 – Steering Wheel, Weymouth, Dorset (eight-piece band) (Dorset Evening Echo)

26 February 1966 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with Soul Society (eight-piece band) (West Briton & The Royal Gazette)

5 March 1966 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

26 March 1966 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk (Eastern Evening News)

2 April 1966 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Vigilantes (West Briton & The Royal Gazette)

Around this time Nigel Langham tragically dies in a fall and is not replaced

24 April 1966 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with The Herd (website: http://www.eelpiemuseum.co.uk/rollcall/rollcall/)

27 April 1966 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Other Five (West Briton & The Royal Cornwall Gazette)

8 May 1966 – Tiffany’s, Shaftsbury Avenue, central London (Melody Maker)

10 May 1966 – Hare & Hounds, Brighton, Sussex with Champion Jack Dupree (Melody Maker)

13 May 1966 – Southfield College, Wimbledon, southwest London (Melody Maker)

14 May 1966 – College of Technology, Brighton, Sussex (Melody Maker)

15 May 1966 – Downs Hotel, Hassocks, West Sussex with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (Melody Maker/Mid Sussex Times)

19 May 1966 – Pilgrim, Hayward’s Heath, West Sussex (Melody Maker/Mid Sussex Times)

20 May 1966 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

29 May 1966 – Bure Club, Mudeford, Dorset (Poster from John Treais)

12 June 1966 – Ultra Club, Downs, Hassocks, West Sussex with The Birds (Mid Sussex Times)

23 June 1966 – Pilgrim, Hayward’s Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times)

9 July 1966 – Club La Bamba, Tunbridge Wells, Kent (Kent and Sussex Courier)

16 July 1966 – Jimmy’s Restaurant, Brighton, Sussex (Evening Argus)

28 July 1966 – Pilgrim, Hayward’s Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times)

30 July 1966 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)

31 July 1966 – Royal Ballrooms, Boscombe, Dorset with The Law (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

6 August 1966 – Club LaBamba, Tunbridge Wells, Kent (Kent and Sussex Courier)

12 August 1966 – The Parlour, North End, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Portsmouth News) Billed as Mike Stuart Band

19 August 1966 – Hotel Metropole, Brighton, Sussex with Paul & Barry Ryan, Weston Gavin, Graham Bond Organisation, Robbe Storme & The Whispers and The Mercats (Evening Argus)

20 August 1966 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)

27 August 1966 – Club LaBamba, Tunbridge Wells, Kent (Kent and Sussex Courier)

4 September 1966 – Ultra Club, Downs, Hassocks, West Sussex with The Birds with Parker’s Mood (Mid Sussex Times)

16 September 1966 – The Parlour, North End, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

17 September 1966 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)

24 September 1966 – Winter Gardens, Banbury, Oxfordshire (Brackley Advertiser)

26-27 September 1966 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

29-30 September 1966 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

2 October 1966 – Le Metro, Birmingham, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

4 October 1966 – Waggon & Horses, Wall Heath, West Midlands (Express & Star)

5 October 1966 – 3 Men in a Boat, Walsall, West Midlands (Express & Star)

6 October 1966 – Cleveland Arms, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Express & Star)

8 October 1966 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)

15 October 1966 – La Bamba, Tunbridge Wells, Kent (Melody Maker)

22 October 1966 – New Central Ballroom, Aldershot, Hampshire with The Argonauts (Aldershot News/Camberley News)

29 October 1966 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

13 November 1966 – Casino, Leicester with The Morons and The Chaesers (Leicester Mercury)

17 November 1966 – New Cliff Hall, Rotherham, West Yorkshire with St Louis Union and Soul Object (The Star) Billed as Mike Stuart Five so possibly another band entirely

19 November 1966 – Lewes Town Hall, Lewes, East Sussex with The Paul Butterfield Blues Band (Sussex Evening Express)

Photo: Worthing Gazette, 23 November 1966. Image may be subject to copyright

25 November 1966 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser)

26 November 1966 – 2 ‘B’s Club, Ashford, Kent with support (Kentish Express) Billed as The Stuart Span

Photo: Record Mail, December 1966. Image may be subject to copyright

4 December 1966 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with The Stalkers (website: http://www.eelpiemuseum.co.uk/rollcall/rollcall/)

10 December 1966 – Winter Gardens, Banbury, Oxfordshire with The Seychelles (Brackley Advertiser)

11 December 1966 – Stoke Hole, Stoke Hotel, Guildford, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser)

20 December 1966 – Kodak Hall, Harrow, northwest London with The Right Attitude (Harrow Observer)

23 December 1966 – Parlour, Portsmouth, Hampshire with Camel Train (Portsmouth News)

24 December 1966 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

31 December 1966 – Worthing Pavilion, Worthing, West Sussex with Ray Affleck & His Band (Worthing Gazette)

1967

1 January 1967 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with Savoy Brown Blues Band (website: http://www.eelpiemuseum.co.uk/rollcall/rollcall/)

5 January 1967 – Klooks Kleek, Hampstead, north London (Melody Maker)

7 January 1967 – Atlanta Ballroom, Woking, Surrey (Aldershot News)

12 January 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Artwoods (Melody Maker)

13 January 1967 – Bluesette Club, Bridge Street, Leatherhead, Surrey (Caterham Weekly Press/Melody Maker)

14 January 1967 – Unknown venue, Enfield, north London (Melody Maker)

15 January 1967 – Royal Ballrooms, Boscombe, Dorset with Courtelles (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

18 January 1967 – Gravesend R ‘n’ B club, Clarendon Royal Hotel, Gravesend, Kent (PACE magazine)

20 January 1967 – Unknown venue, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Melody Maker) Possibly Club Continental

21 January 1967 – Unknown venue, Chichester, West Sussex (Melody Maker)

22 January 1967 – Unknown venue, Southampton, Hampshire (Melody Maker)

25 January 1967 – Unknown venue, Brighton, Sussex (Melody Maker)

4 February 1967 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)

12 February 1967 – Le Metro, Birmingham, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail/Express & Star)

19 February 1967 – Dereham Tavern Club, Dereham, Norfolk with Alex Wilson Set (North Norfolk News)

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

10 March 1967 – West End, Rushden, Northamptonshire with Sonny’s Snap, Crackle and Pop (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

11 March 1967 – Kodak Hall, Harrow, northwest London with Ziggy Turner Combo (Harrow Observer)

16 March 1967 – New Central Ballroom, Aldershot, Hampshire with One In a Million (Aldershot News)

19 March 1967 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with Black Cat Bones (website: http://www.eelpiemuseum.co.uk/rollcall/rollcall/)

26 March 1967 – Bluesette Club, Bridge Street, Leatherhead, Surrey (Caterham Weekly Press)

27 March 1967 – Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

1 April 1967 – Steering Wheel Club, Dorchester, Dorset (Western Gazette)

8 April 1967 – The Catacombe, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)

14 April 1967 – Brighton Arts Festival, Brighton, Sussex with Paul Jones, The Move, Geno Washington, Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and others (Melody Maker)

16 April 1967 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire, Nantwich, Cheshire with Phil Ryan & The Scorpions (Nantwich Chronicle)

21 April 1967 – Assembly Hall, Aylesbury, Bucks (Melody Maker)

23 April 1967 – Le Metro, Birmingham, West Midlands (Express & Star)

24 April 1967 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire (Warrington Guardian)

29 April 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

7 May 1967 – The Bridge, Wooden Bridge Hotel, Guildford, Surrey with The Switch (Surrey Advertiser)

12 May 1967 – West End, Rushden, Northamptonshire with Clockwork Orange (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

14 May 1967 – Indigo Vat, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

18 May 1967 – Le Trap, Brighton, Sussex (Melody Maker)

21 May 1967 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

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

25 May 1967 – Le Trap, Brighton, Sussex (Melody Maker)

26 May 1967 – Loughborough Town Hall, Loughborough with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (Leicester Mercury) Billed as Mike Stuart Band (may not be same group)

29 May 1967 – Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

Photo: Mid Sussex Times. Image may be subject to copyright

4 June 1967 – Le Metro, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)

5 June 1967 – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Penthouse Suite (Express & Star)

11 June 1967 – George Inn, Wilby, Northamptonshire (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

16 June 1967 – Klue J Klub, Saracens Head Hotel, Chelmsford, Essex with The Skatalites (Essex Chronicle)

21 June 1967 – Beat Cruise, Southsea Pier, Hampshire, Harbour Station, Hampshire and Ryde Pier, Isle of Wight with The Shevelles (Portsmouth News)

23 June 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Herd (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

24 June 1967 – Lion Hotel, Warrington, Cheshire with The Undertakers and The Shades (Warrington Guardian)

25 June 1967 – Carlton Club, Warrington, Cheshire (Warrington Guardian)

29 June 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Omega Plus and Fraternity (Melody Maker)

Around this time Gary Parsley and Dave Plumb depart. Jon Poulter stays on but is gone by end of July

1-7 July 1967 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

8 July 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall (Cornish Guardian) The advert says for one week

13 July 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Fortunes and The Jaguars (West Briton & Royal Cornish Gazette)

15 July 1967 – Steering Wheel, Dorchester, Dorset (Dorset Evening Echo)

15 July 1967 – Steering Wheel, Weymouth, Dorset (Dorset Evening Echo)

18 July 1967 – Concorde, Southampton, Hampshire (Southern Echo)

28 July 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

5 August 1967 – Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

6 August 1967 – Royal Ballrooms, Boscombe, Dorset with Charles Drayton Kind (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

In mid-August Melody Maker announces that Brian Bennett has joined on guitar from Tony’s Defenders and the band has reduced to a four-piece

15 August 1967 – Concorde, Southampton, Hampshire (Southern Evening Echo)

19 August 1967 – Liphook Youth Club, Village Hall, Liphook, Hampshire with The Outer Limits (Petersfield Post)

23 August 1967 – Big Beat Cruise, Solent, South Parade Pier, Portsmouth Harbour and Ryde Pier Head with The Creation (Portsmouth News)

26 August 1967 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with The Embers (Surrey Advertiser)

27 August 1967 – Le Metro, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)

28 August 1967 – Mercers Arms, Coventry, West Midlands with The Chicaines (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

2 September 1967 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire with Herbie Goins & The Nighttimers (Nuneaton Evening Tribune)

3 September 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

4 September 1967 – Mercers Arms, Coventry, West Midlands (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

14 September 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

16 September 1967 – Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

16 September 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London with Ferris Wheel and The Workshop (Melody Maker)

21 September 1967 – Ritz, Skewen, Wales with The Syn (Port Talbot Guardian)

23 September 1967 – Swan, Yardley with The Peanuts (Birmingham Evening Mail)

13-27 October 1967 – Belgian Tour (Melody Maker)

4 November 1967 – Blaises, Imperial Hotel, Queen’s Gate, west London (Melody Maker)

11 November 1967 – Tin Hat, Kettering, Northamptonshire with The Dream (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

12 November 1967 – Saville Theatre, Shaftsbury Avenue, central London (Disc & Music Echo) Debut appearance at venue

18 November 1967 – Steering Wheel, Dorchester, Dorset (Dorset Evening Echo)

3 December 1967 – Le Metro, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)

9 December 1967 – Petersfield Town Hall, Petersfield, Hampshire with Aaron’s Beard (Petersfield Post)

11 December 1967 – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Key (Express & Star)

12 December 1967 – Waggon & Horses, Wall Heath, West Midlands (Express & Star)

23-24 December 1967 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

30 December 1967 – Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

1968

6 January 1968 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book)

13 January 1968 – Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with The Camp (Hastings & St Leonards Observer)

21 January 1968 – 76 Club, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Burton Daily Mail) Billed as The Span

4 February 1968 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

8 February 1968 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Penny Peeps (Melody Maker)

10 February 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Troggs (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)

15 February 1968 – Pilgrim, Hayward’s Heath, West Sussex (Mid Sussex Times)

17 February 1968 – Starlight Ballroom, Crawley, West Sussex with Memphis Gents (Crawley Advertiser)

10 March 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Troggs (East Kent Times)

11 March 1968 – Rendevous Club, Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent (East Kent Times)

15 March 1968 – Burton Leander Social Club, Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire (Burton Daily Mail)

30 March 1968 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with The Black Out (Surrey Advertiser)

According to Melody Maker, The Mike Stuart Span made their third tour of the Netherlands from 23-30 April 1968. Their LP was due to be released on 29 March

6 April 1968 – Windsor Ballroom, Redcar with The Skyliners (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

9 April 1968 – Top Rank, Reading, Berkshire (Melody Maker)

18 April 1968 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)

24 April 1968 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

4 May 1968 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

According to Melody Maker, the band undertook an Icelandic tour from 8-16 May 1968. Record Mirror confirmed these dates and added gigs were in the capital, Reykjavik.

According to Record Mirror, they then arrived in Belgium on 17 May for five days and then played cabaret in Copenhagen, Denmark from 23-27 May.

15 May 1968 – Steering Wheel, Weymouth, Dorset (Dorset Evening Echo) Unlikely if Iceland gigs happened

2 June 1968 – Le Metro Club, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)

8 June 1968 – The Cobweb, St Leonards, East Sussex with The Mushroom (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

16 June 1968 – Cosmo, Carlisle, Cumbria with Max Colliers Rhythm Aces (need to confirm)

21 June 1968 – Brighton Dome, Brighton, Sussex with Scott Walker and The Herd (NME)

22 June 1968 – Walton Hop, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

29 June 1968 – Windsor Ballroom, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Chelfont Line (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

2 July 1968 – Rag 68!, Bournemouth Colleges Rag Appeal 1968, Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset with Tim Rose and The Nice (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

4 July 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The House of Lords (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live) Billed as The Span

8-10 July 1968 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

12 July 1968 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

14 July 1968 – Hotel Leofric, Coventry, West Midlands (Coventry Evening Teleraph)

25 July 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Beatstalkers (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

27 July 1968 – The Stage Club, Oxford (Oxford Mail)

2 August 1968 – Metropole, Exhibition Hall, Brighton, Sussex with Simon Dupree & The Big Sound, Marmalade, The Tremeloes, The Nice and Spooky Tooth (Melody Maker)

3 August 1968 – Le Metro, Birmingham (Express & Star)

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

16 August 1968 – Bracknell Boys Club, Bracknell, Berkshire (Bracknell News)

18 August 1968 – Birdcage, Harlow, Essex (Fabulous 208)

22 August 1968 – Liberal Club, Yeovil, Somerset (Fabulous 208)

23 August 1968 – Solvent Cruise, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

27 September 1968 – Capitol Theatre, Horsham, West Sussex with Marmalade (Fabulous 208/New Musical Express)

29 September 1968 – Bird Cage, Harlow, Essex (Fabulous 208)

5 October 1968 – Windsor Ballroom, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Skyliners (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

10 October 1968 – The Cobweb, St Leonards, East Sussex (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

17 October 1968 – The Cobweb, St Leonards, East Sussex (Fabulous 208)

18 October 1968 – Memorial Hall, Farnham, Surrey (Fabulous 208)

19 October 1968 – Stage Club, Oxford (Fabulous 208/Oxford Mail) Billed as The Span

20 October 1968 – Woodenbridge, Guildford, Surrey (Fabulous 208) Listed but unlikely with gig below

20 October 1968 – Plymouth Top Rank, Plymouth, Devon (Western Evening Mail)

24 October 1968 – The Cobweb, St Leonards, East Sussex (Fabulous 208/Hastings & St Leonards Observer)

25 October 1968 – Clinton Club, Seaford, East Sussex (Fabulous 208)

26 October 1968 – Tofts, Folkestone, Kent (Fabulous 208)

16 November 1968 – University College, London, Gower Street, central London with Proteus (Melody Maker)

24 December 1968 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Torquay Times)

Around this time, they changed name to Leviathan

Categories: England, London

Neil Christian & The Crusaders 1962-1967

May 5, 2019 Nick Warburton 4 Comments

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

Formed early 1960 from Red E Lewis & The Red Cats

Chris Tidmarsh – lead vocals

Jimmy Page – lead guitar

Jumbo Spicer – bass

Iain Hines – piano

Tornado Evans – drums

1962

23 March 1962 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with Rhet Stoller, The Satellites and Davy Jones (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

23 May 1962 – Hi-Fi Hop, Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

16 June 1962 – Hi-Fi Hop, Weybridge Hall, Weybridge, Surrey (Woking Herald)

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

In October, Iain Hines left and Matt Smith took over piano

1963

6 January 1963 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex (Harrow Observer & Gazette)

13 January 1963 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex (Harrow Observer & Gazette)

9 February 1963 – Hitchin Town Hall, Hitchin, Herts with Ricky Valance, Paul Dean and Rockin’ Premiers (Stevenage Gazette)

22 February 1963 – J&A Club, St Peter’s Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey with The Pat McQueen Combo (Surrey Comet)

23 February 1963 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with The Mark Leeman Five (Stevenage Gazette)

Sometime in early 1963, Paul Brett took over from Jimmy Page on lead guitar

9 March 1963 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow with Paul & The Alpines and Jimmy Doyle and The Trespassers (Leyton and Leytonstone Guardian/Walthamstow Guardian)

10 March 1963 – Jazz Cellar, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey (Surrey Comet)

22 March 1963 – St Peter’s Hall, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey (Surrey Comet)

17 April 1963 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with The Kingpins (Stevenage Gazette)

In June, Paul Brett left to join The SW5 and Albert Lee took over lead guitar. Avid Andersen took over bass from Jumbo Spicer. Matt Smith also departed

23 June 1963 – Southall Community Centre, Southall, Middlesex (Harrow Observer)

20 July 1963 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with Barry Noble & The Sapphires (Stevenage Gazette)

31 July 1963 – Mecca Dancing, Stevenage, Herts (Stevenage Gazette)

4 August 1963 – Majestic Ballroom, Luton, Bedfordshire (Luton News)

17 August 1963 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow with Dave Douglas & The Vistas and The Corvettes (Leyton and Leytonstone Guardian/Walthamstow Guardian)

7 September 1963 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Eagles and The Allegros (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

Around October, Albert Lee left to join Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and Phil McPhill took over. Tony Marsh joined on keyboards at the same time.

10 October 1963 – Majestic Ballroom, Luton, Bedfordshire (Luton News)

9 November 1963 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey with The Three Ways (Aldershot News)

21 December 1963 – Hi-Fi Hop, Walton Playhouse, Walton-on-Thames, Surrey (Woking Herald)

1964

In January, recent recruit Tony Marsh departed

2 February 1964 – Rocky Rivers Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford with Dale Wickers & The Fireflys (Ampthill News & Weekly Record)

22 February 1964 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow with Dean Brent & The Strollers and The Costers (Leyton and Leytonstone Guardian/Walthamstow Guardian)

7 March 1964 – Conservative Club, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire with The Fugitives (Biggleswade Chronicle)

14 March 1964 – Cambridge Guildhall, Cambridge with Dave Taylor & The Fugitives (Cambridge News)

21 March 1964 – Wilton Hall, Bletchley, Bucks (Bletchley District Gazette)

5 April 1964 – Rocky Rivers Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford with Dave Taylor & The Fugitives (Ampthill News & Weekly Record)

18 April 1964 – Rock Stars, Adeyfield Hall, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Cavaliers (Hertfordshire and Hemel Hempstead Gazette and West Herts Advertiser)

25 April 1964 – St Neots Centre, St Neots, Cambridgeshire with The Crofters (Biggleswade Chronicle)

In May, Phil McPhill departed and Ritchie Blackmore took over on lead guitar

9 May 1964 – Conservative Club, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire with Dave Viccars & The Fireflies (Ampthill News & Weekly Record/Biggleswade Chronicle)

18 May 1964 – Marcam Hall, March, Cambridgeshire with The Size Seven (Cambridgeshire Times) Billed as Neil Christian & The London Crusaders

23 May 1964 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with The Invaders (Hertfordshire Express)

30 May 1964 – Royal Star Ballroom, Maidstone, Kent with The Swinging Blue Jeans (Kent Messenger) Billed as Christian’s Crusaders

11 June 1964 – Rocky Rivers Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford (Ampthill News & Weekly Record) Billed as Christians Crusaders with Neil Christian

13 June 1964 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow with The Zodiacs and Cyrano & The Bergeracs (Leyton and Leytonstone Guardian/Walthamstow Guardian)

20 June 1964 – Starlight Room, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Casuals (Lincolnshire Standard) Billed as Christian’s Crusaders

27 June 1964 – Rock Stars, Adeyfield Hall, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Blobs (Hertfordshire and Hemel Hempstead Gazette and West Herts Advertiser)

11 July 1964 – Royal Star Ballroom, Maidstone, Kent with The Avengers (Kent Messenger) Billed as Christian’s Crusaders

17 July 1964 – Public Hall, Witham, Essex with The Plainsmen (Essex Chronicle) Billed as Neil Christian & His London Crusaders

18 July 1964 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow with two supporting groups (Leyton and Leytonstone Guardian/Walthamstow Guardian)

1 August 1964 – Conservative Club, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire with The Top Four (Biggleswade Chronicle) Billed as Christian’s Crusaders

15 August 1964 – Rocky Rivers Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford with The Honeycombs (Ampthill News & Weekly Record) Billed as Neil Christian & Christians Crusaders

5 September 1964 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with The Original Hustlers (Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire Express) Billed as Neil Christian’s Crusaders

26 September 1964 – Royal Star Ballroom, Maidstone, Kent with Jerry James Bandits (Kent Messenger) Billed as Christian’s Crusaders

3 October 1964 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow with Brian Diamond & The Cutters (Leyton and Leytonstone Guardian/Walthamstow Guardian)

9 October 1964 – Weedon New Hall, Weedon Bec, Northamptonshire with The Nomads (Northampton Chronicle and Echo) Billed as Neil Christian with Christian’s Crusaders

24 October 1964 – Rocky Rivers Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford with another leading group (Ampthill News & Weekly Record) Billed as Neil Christian & Christians Crusaders

5 November 1964 – Hermitage Ballroom, Hitchin, Herts with The Original Hustlers (Hertfordshire Express)

6 November 1964 – Torkay Kavern, Empire Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

19 December 1964 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with Rockin’ Eccentrics (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website) Billed as Christian’s Crusaders

20 December 1964 – Weymouth Steering Wheel, Weymouth, Dorset (Dorset Evening Echo) Billed as The Crusaders

26 December 1964 – Town Hall, Torquay, Devon with The Cyclons and The Rockin’ Rockardoes (Herald Express)

1965

2 January 1965 – Royal Star Ballroom, Maidstone, Kent with The Essex Five (Kent Messenger) Billed as Christian’s Crusaders

9 January 1965 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow (Leyton, Leytonstone and Waltham Forest Guardian/Walthamstow Guardian)

19-20 February 1965 – Silver Blades, Streatham, London (Peckham & Dulwich Advertiser) Billed as Christian’s Crusaders

In March 1965, Chris Tidmarsh revamped the band completely:

Chris Tidmarsh – lead vocals

Mick Abrahams – lead guitar

Dave Cakebread – bass

Stan Thomas – sax

Graham Hill – drums

20 March 1965 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with Steve Marriot’s Moments (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website) Billed as Christian’s Crusaders

27 March 1965 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow (Leyton, Leytonstone and Waltham Forest Guardian/Walthamstow Guardian)

10 April 1965 – Royal Star Ballroom, Maidstone, Kent with The Boomerangs (Maidstone Gazette) Billed as Christian’s Crusaders

1 May 1965 – The Dolphin, Marine Court, St Leonards, East Sussex with The Prophets (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website) Billed as Christian’s Crusaders

22 May 1965 – Walthamstow Assembly Hall, Walthamstow with The Falkons (Leyton, Leytonstone and Waltham Forest Guardian/Walthamstow Guardian)

Around late May/early June 1965, Tidmarsh revamped the formation as follows:

Chris Tidmarsh – lead vocals

Mick Abrahams – lead guitar

Alex Dmchowski – bass

Graham Waller – keyboards

Bernie Hetherington – sax

Carlo Little – drums

In early 1966, Chris Tidsmash put together a new version:

Chris Tidmarsh – lead vocals

Ritchie Blackmore – lead guitar

Tony Dangerfield – bass

Tornado Evans – drums

In April, Avid Andersen took over from Tony Dangerfield and Tony Marsh rejoined on keyboards

25 April 1966 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)

29 April 1966 – Wimbledon Palais, Wimbledon, London (Balham & Tooting News and Mercury)

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

21 May 1966 – Zambesi, Hounslow, west London (Melody Maker)

22 May 1966 – Plaza Ballroom, Handsworth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

26 May 1966 – Town Hall, Kidderminster, Worcestershire (Disc & Music Echo)

28 May 1966 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Herts (Disc & Music Echo)

30 May 1966 – Queen’s Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Disc & Music Echo)

2 June 1966 – Assembly Hall, Worthing, West Sussex (Worthing Herald)

6 June 1966 – Disc Club, St Martin’s Centre, Colchester, Essex (Essex County Standard)

16 June 1966 – Liberal Hall Beat Club, Yeovil, Somerset with support (Western Gazette)

17 June 1966 – Winter Garden, Eastbourne, East Sussex with Gangbusters (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)

18 June 1966 – Trowbridge Town Hall, Trowbridge, Wiltshire (Disc & Music Echo)

20 June 1966 – Club A Go Go, Dublin, Eire (Disc & Music Echo) Needs confirmation

22 June 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

8 July 1966 – Princess Pavilion, Falmouth, Cornwall (West Briton & Royal Cornwall Gazette)

8 July 1966 – Torquay Town Hall, Torquay, Devon with The Variations and The Codiaks (Herald Express)

9 July 1966 – St George’s Hall, Exeter, Devon with The Just Men (Express & Echo)

15 July 1966 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London with The Ray Martin Group (Melody Maker)

30 July 1966 – Victoria Cross Gallery, Wantage, Oxfordshire (North Berks Herald)

6 August 1966 – Tavistock Town Hall, Devon (Western Evening Herald)

15 August 1966 – Radio England Swinging 66, Odeon Birmingham, Birmingham with The Small Faces, Dave Berry, Crispian St Peters, The Limeys, The Koobas and The Much More Music Men (Express & Star)

27 August 1966 – Floral Hall, Southport, Lancashire (Lancashire Evening Post)

1 September 1966 – Winter Gardens, Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire with The Illusions (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)

4 September 1966 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Chatham, Rochester & Gillingham News)

16 September 1966 – Grimsby Mecca, Grimsby, Humberside with The Fenmen (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)

It’s not clear who was in the band from this point until spring 1967

7 October 1966 – Raith Ballroom, Kirkcaldy, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

7 October 1966 – Community Centre, Whitburn, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

8 October 1966 – City Hall, Perth, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

9 October 1966 – Top Ten Club, Dundee, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

10 October 1966 – Town Hall, Falkirk, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

22 October 1966 – Leyton Baths Hall, Leyton, east London with The Plague (Walthamstow Guardian)

27 October 1966 – Rocky Rivers’ Top 20 Club, Conservative Club, Bedford wit She Trinity and John Williams & Tomorrow’s People (Ampthill News & Weekly Record)

28 October 1966 – Top Spot, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire with The Early Berdz (Gloucester Citizen)

29 October 1966 – Royal Links Pavilion, Cromer, Norfolk with The Roosters (Julie Fielder book: What Flo Said Next)

5 November 1966 – Cliff’s Pavilion, Southend, Essex with The Fingers and Sounds Around (Southend Standard)

14 November 1966 – Group heads to West Germany for 12 days of TV work and also Dutch TV (Disc & Music Echo)

9 December 1966 – School of Art, Winchester, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

10 December 1966 – Royal Lido, Prestayn, Wales (Fabulous 208)

12 December 1966 – Jubilee Hall, Burton-on-Trent, Derbyshire (Fabulous 208)

30 December 1966 – Wimbledon Palais, Wimbledon, London (Balham & Tooting News and Mercury)

1967

13 January 1967 – Ballerina Ballroom, Nairn, Scotland with Chatz and The Skatz Kats and Tomorrow’s People (Forres, Elgin & Nairn Gazette)

14 January 1967 – Victoria Ballroom, Forres, Scotland with The T-Set (Forres, Elgin & Nairn Gazette)

21 January 1967 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire (Nuneaton Evening Tribune)

17 February 1967 – Market Assembly Rooms, Carlisle, Cumbria (Fabulous 208)

18 February 1967 – Unity Hall, Wakefield, West Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

25 February 1967 – Town Hall, Loughborough, Leicestershire (Fabulous 208)

16 March 1967 – Elm Hotel, Southend, Essex with Force Five (Southend Standard)

18 March 1967 – Town Hall, Sudbury, Suffolk (Fabulous 208)

18 March 1967 – Town Hall, Haverhill, Suffolk (Fabulous 208)

27 March 1967 – St George’s Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire with The Matadors (Nuneaton Evening Tribune)

From April-May 1967, Chris Tidmarsh revamped the band again:

Chris Tidmarsh – lead vocals

Ritchie Blackmore – lead guitar

Tony Dangerfield – bass

Matt Smith – keyboards

Carlo Little – drums

Categories: Beaumont, Texas

The Kidds of Beaumont, Texas

May 4, 2019 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

Kidds Beaumont Photo May 1967 — Taken May of 1967 in Beaumont, Texas at the Crown Room in the King Edward Hotel.

The Kidds was a cover band that consisted of 6 members. The original band pictured here is Gerald Patrizi on drums, Joey Patrizi lead guitar, Jimmy Phelan rhythm guitar, Jake Tortorice lead singer, John Schmidt base guitar and myself, Antoine LeBlanc keyboard.
The Kidds were fortunate to open up for The Five Americans when they came to our area. That band had just recorded “Western Union” and they preformed it that night. We also opened for The Moving Sidewalk before they changed their name to ZZ Top.
The Kidds had plans to record a single “Down To Middle Earth” but broke up before going to the studio.
After the Kidds broke up in 1970, rhythm guitar player Jimmy Phelan moved to Austin Texas played and ran sound for country singer-songwriter Rusty Wier. No one else that I remember went to play with any other bands at that time. I have been playing with a 10 piece cover band for the last 17 years called Mid-Life Crisis.
Antoine LeBlanc, May 2019

Categories: England

Amen Corner gigs 1966-1969

April 28, 2019 Nick Warburton 34 Comments

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

AMEN CORNER

Photo may be subject to copyright. Top row, left to right: Neil Jones, Andy Fairweather Low, Dennis Byron and Allan Jones. Bottom row left to right: Mike Smith, Clive Taylor and Blue Weaver

Formed in Cardiff, south Wales in 1966, the band comprises:

Andy Fairweather Low (Lead vocals)

Neil Jones (Lead guitar)

Blue Weaver (Keyboards)

Allan Jones (Saxophone)

Mike Smith (Saxophone)

Clive Taylor (Bass)

Dennis Byron (Drums)

1966

25 November 1966 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

4 December 1966 – Kensington Discotheque, Newport, Wales (South Wales Echo)

13 December 1966 – St Benedict’s Club, Sketty, south Wales (South Wales Evening Post)

20 December 1966 – St Benedict’s Club, Sketty, south Wales (South Wales Evening Post)

22 December 1966 – Ritz Club, Skewen, south Wales (South Wales Evening Post)

24 December 1966 – Ritz Club, Skewen, south Wales with The Eyes of Blue and Lott 13 (South Wales Evening Post)

26 December 1966 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Brian Auger Trinity (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

31 December 1966 – Ritz Club, Skewen, south Wales with The Eyes of Blue, The Fleetwoods and The King Bees (South Wales Evening Post)

1967

1 January 1967 – Kensington Discotheque, Newport, Wales (South Wales Echo)

19 January 1967 – Social Club, Neath, south Wales (South Wales Evening Post)

22 January 1967 – The Basement Discotheque, Burton Buildings, Pontypridd, Wales (Glamorgan County Times)

3 February 1967 – Kookoo-Byrd Discotheque, Cardiff, Wales (South Wales Echo)

12 February 1967 – Sunday Club, Addlestone, Surrey (Woking Herald)

19 February 1967 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/)

22 February 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)

6 March 1967 – Poole College, Poole, Dorset with The Graham Bond Organisation and Nite People (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)

22 March 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)

27 March 1967 – The Thing, Oldham (Manchester Evening News & Chronicle)

31 March 1967 – New Dungeon Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

15 April 1967 – Majestic, Wellington, Shropshire with Index (Shropshire Star)

23 April 1967 – New Dungeon Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

Photo may be subject to copyright. Clockwise from top left: Andy Fairweather Low, Allan Jones, Mike Smith (glasses), Blue Weaver, Clive Taylor, Neil Jones and Dennis Byron

3 May 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as Amen Corner Show

5 May 1967 – Tabernacle, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

6 May 1967 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with The Tiles Big Band (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday)

10 May 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as Amen Corner Show

12 May 1967 – Speakeasy, Margarget Street, central London (Fabulous 208/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies) Disc & Music Echo reports that Jimi Hendrix sits in. Guests include John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Eric Burdon, The Bee Gees and Brian Jones

15 May 1967 – Dungeon Club, Nottingham (website: https://dungeonmods.wordpress.com/)

17 May 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as Amen Corner Show

26 May 1967 – Tabernacle, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

27 May 1967 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

31 May 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as Amen Corner Show

1 June 1967 – Ritz, Skewen, Wales (Melody Maker)

2 June 1967 – Koo Koo Byrd, Cardiff, Wales (Melody Maker/Glamorgan County Times)

3 June 1967 – Iron Curtain, Birmingham (Melody Maker)

4 June 1967 – Links, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire (Melody Maker)

5 June 1967 – Blaises, Imperial Hotel, Queen’s Gate, west London (Melody Maker)

6 June 1967 – Beachcomber, Luton, Bedfordshire (Melody Maker)

7 June 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)

8 June 1967 – Speakeasy, Margaret Street, central London (Fabulous 208/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies)

9 June 1967 – Electric Garden, Covent Garden, central London (Melody Maker)

10 June 1967 – Wykeham Hall, Romford, Essex (Melody Maker)

11 June 1967 – Thing, Oldham, Greater Manchester (Melody Maker)

13 June 1967 – Sibyllas, Swallow Street, central London (Fabulous 208)

14 June 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as Amen Corner Show

15 June 1967 – Civic, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Melody Maker)

16-17 June 1967 – Maryland, Glasgow, Scotland (Melody Maker)

18 June 1967 – Top of Town, Manchester (Melody Maker)

19 June 1967 – McIllroys, Swindon, Wiltshire (Melody Maker)

20 June 1967 – Stanstead Abbots, Hertfordshire (Melody Maker)

21 June 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London (Melody Maker) Billed as Amen Corner Show

22 June 1967 – Nutty! Leytonstone, Essex (Melody Maker)

23 June 1967 – Bag O’Nails, Kingley Street, Soho, London (Fabulous 208)

24 June 1967 – Luton College of Technology, Luton, Bedfordshire (Melody Maker)

25 June 1967 – Aquarium, Yarmouth, Norfolk (Melody Maker)

26 June 1967 – Top Rank, Cardiff, Wales (Melody Maker)

27 June 1967 – Derek’s birthday (no other details) (Melody Maker)

28 June 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London (Melody Maker) Billed as Amen Corner Show

29 June 1967 – Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset (Melody Maker)

30 June 1967 – Carousel, Farnborough, Hampshire (Melody Maker)

5 July 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London (Melody Maker) Billed as Amen Corner Show

6 July 1967 – Ritz Club, Skewen, Wales with The Goode Time Review (Port Talbot Guardian) Billed as Amen Corner Show

8 July 1967 – Cesar’s, Bedford, Bedfordshire (Bedfordshire Times)

10 July 1967 – McIlroys Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire (Swindon Evening Advertiser)

12 July 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London (Melody Maker) Billed as Amen Corner Show

14 July 1967 – Koo Koo Byrd, Cardiff, Wales (Glamorgan County Times)

17 July 1967 – Park Hall Hotel, Goldthorn Park, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Californians and Agency (Express & Star)

18 July 1967 – Sibyllas, Swallow Street, London (Fabulous 208)

19 July 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London (Melody Maker) Billed as Amen Corner Show

20 July 1967 – Speakeasy, Margaret Street, central London (Fabulous 208)

21 July 1967 – Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset with John Evans Smash (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

23 July 1967 – Aquarium, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (Fabulous 208) Took over Sunday residency from The Move

24 July 1967 – Supreme Ballroom, Ramsgate, Kent (Fabulous 208)

26 July 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, London (Melody Maker) Billed as Amen Corner Show

29 July 1967 – Londesborough Street Barracks, Hull with That Feeling (Hull Daily Mail)

4 August 1967 – Apex Club, Brookfield Hall, South Ashford, Kent with The Shevelles (Kentish Express)

5 August 1967 – Maidstone Corn Exchange, Maidstone, Kent with Bubbles & Co (Maidstone Gazette)

6 August 1967 – Royal Aquarium, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (Melody Maker)

11 August 1967 – Dungeon, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

12 August 1967 – Windsor Festival, Windsor, Berkshire with many others (Melody Maker)

13 August 1967 – Royal Aquarium, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (Melody Maker)

18 August 1967 – Tabernacle, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

19 August 1967 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

22 August 1967 – Hillside Ballroom, Hereford, Herefordshire (Fabulous 208)

25 August 1967 – Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl, Wales (Fabulous 208)

26 August 1967 – Wykeham Hall, Romford, London (Fabulous 208)

27 August 1967 – Aquarium Ballroom, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk (Fabulous 208)

28 August 1967 – Caesar’s Palace, Bedford, Bedfordshire (Fabulous 208)

29 August 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Timebox (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

1 September 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Belfast, Northern Ireland (Disc & Music Echo/Cityweek)

Photo: Cityweek. Photo may be subject to copyright

1 September 1967 – Regal Ballroom, Ardglass, Northern Ireland (Disc & Music Echo/Cityweek)

2 September 1967 – Dublin Banbridge Castle Ballroom, Dublin, Eire (Disc & Music Echo/Cityweek)

3 September 1967 – Cork Acadia Ballroom, Cork, Eire (Disc & Music Echo/Cityweek)

5 September 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Rick ‘N’ Beckers (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

9 September 1967 – Plaza Ballroom, Bearwood, West Midlands (Express & Star)

9 September 1967 – Plaza Ballroom, Handsworth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

10 September 1967 – Drokiweeny, Manchester (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

10 September 1967 – Mr Smith’s, Manchester (Fabulous 208)

14 September 1967 – Worthing Pavilion, Worthing, West Sussex (Fabulous 208)

15 September 1967 – Central Pier, Morecambe, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)

16 September 1967 – Floral Hall, Southport, Lancashire (Manchester Evening News and Chronicle)

17 September 1967 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire with DD Watson & the Big Crowd (Fabulous 208/The Star)

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

18 September 1967 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with The Cedar Cet (Birmingham Evening Mail)

19 September 1967 – Shenley Green Community Centre, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)

20 September 1967 – Locarno Ballroom, Stevenage, Herts (Fabulous 208)

21 September 1967 – Locarno Ballroom, Bristol (Fabulous 208)

21 September 1967 – Top West Club, Abertillery, Wales (Fabulous 208)

22 September 1967 – Royal Hall, Harrogate, North Yorkshire with Do-Dahs and Hepworth’s Good Impression (Tadcaster News)

23 September 1967 – Top West Club, Abertillery, Wales (Disc & Music Echo)

26 September 1967 – Winter Gardens, Malvern, Worcestershire (Fabulous 208)

29 September 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The All Night Workers and Jo Jo Gunne (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

30 September 1967 – 5D, Leicester with The Attack (Leicester Mercury)

1 October 1967 – Beau Brummel Club, Alvaston Hall Hotel, Nantwich, Cheshire with Phil Ryan & The Scorpions (Crewe Chronicle)

2 October 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (Disc & Music Echo)

3 October 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London (Disc & Music Echo)

4 October 1967 – Southampton University, Southampton, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

8 October 1967 – Mr Smith’s, Manchester (Fabulous 208)

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

15 October 1967 – Tabernacle, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)

20 October 1967 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (Bournemouth Evening Echo)

21 October 1967 – Wykeham Hall, Romford, east London (Fabulous 208)

27 October 1967 – Top Spot Ballroom, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire with The West Coast Union (Gloucester Citizen)

28 October 1967 – Wellington Club, Dereham, Norfolk with support (North Norfolk News)

3 November 1967 – Grand Pavilion, Porthcawl, Wales (Fabulous 208)

4 November 1967 – Welsh College of Technology, Cardiff, Wales (Fabulous 208)

21 November 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with The Love Affair (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

22 November 1967 – Guildhall, Portsmouth, Hampshire with Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, The Move, The Nice and Eire Apparent (Portsmouth News)

23 November 1967 – Sophia Gardens Pavilion, Cardiff, Wales with The Move, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, The Nice and Eire Apparent (South Wales Echo)

25 November 1967 – Blackpool Opera House, Blackpool, Lancashire with Jimi Hendrix Experience, Pink Floyd, The Move, The Nice and Eire Apparent (Lancashire Evening Post)

30 November 1967 – Penthouse, Birmingham, West Midlands with The Nashville Teens (Birmingham Evening Mail)

8 December 1967 – Gaiety Ballroom, Grimsby, Humberside (Fabulous 208)

9 December 1967 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Fabulous 208)

9 December 1967 – Fifth Dimension, Leicester (Fabulous 208)

10 December 1967 – Tabernacle, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)

11 December 1967 – Pavilion Ballroom, Bath (Fabulous 208)

12 December 1967 – St Luke’s College, Exeter, Devon (Fabulous 208)

14 December 1967 – Manchester College of Art, Manchester (Fabulous 208)

15 December 1967 – Nottingham Technical College, Nottingham (Fabulous 208)

16 December 1967 – Pavilion Ballroom, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset (Fabulous 208)

17 December 1967 – Links, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire (Melody Maker)

19 December 1967 – Civic Centre, Corby, Northamptonshire (Fabulous 208)

21 December 1967 – Savoy Ballroom, South Parade, Southsea, Hampshire with The Action and The St Louis Checks (Portsmouth News)

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

26 December 1967 – Queen’s Hall, Narbeth, Wales (Disc & Music Echo)

27 December 1967 – Stevenage Locarno, Stevenage, Herts (Evening Post Hemel Hempstead)

28 December 1967 – Locarno Ballroom, Streatham, southwest London (Fabulous 208)

29 December 1967 – Queen’s Hall, Narbeth, Wales (Fabulous 208)

31 December 1967 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Silverstone Set (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

1968

6 January 1968 – Hastings Pier, Hastings, East Sussex with The Section (Roger Bistow’s research at Dizzy Tiger Music website)

17 January 1968 – Dundee College of Art, Dundee, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

18 January 1968 – Caledonian Hotel, Inverness, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

19 January 1968 – Douglas Hotel, Aberdeen, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

20 January 1968 – Community Centre, Auchinleck, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

21 January 1968 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)

22 January 1968 – Park Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

23 January 1968 – Kings Hall, Aberystwyth, Wales, (Fabulous 208

26 January 1968 – Highbury Tech College, Portsmouth (Fabulous 208)

3 February 1968 – Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent with The Couriers (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)

6 February 1968 – Ritz, Bournemouth, Dorset (Fabulous 208/Bournemouth Evening Echo)

9 February 1968 – Clockwork Orange, Chester, Cheshire with The Jay tree Organisation (Crewe Chronicle)

10 February 1968 – Reading University, Reading, Berkshire with Chicken Shack (Fabulous 208/Reading Evening Post)

13 February 1968 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)

16 February 1968 – Hillside Ballroom, Hereford, Herefordshire (Fabulous 208)

18 February 1968 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham (Chatham, Rochester and Gillingham Post)

19 February 1968 – Greenwich Town Hall, Greenwich, southeast London (South East London Mercury)

According to Melody Maker, Amen Corner started a 22-day tour of Australia, starting in Melbourne on 19 February 1968 but this does not seem plausible considering the following gigs

23 February 1968 – Princess Club, Chortlon, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)

23 February 1968 – Domino Club, Openshaw, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)

24 February 1968 – Plaza, Old Hill, Bearwood, West Midlands with Sylvie and The Image (Express & Star)

24 February 1968 – Plaza, Handsworth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

25 February 1968 – Tabernacle, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)

26 February 1968 – Top Rank, Doncaster, South Yorkshire (Sheffield Star)

28 February 1968 – Cricketers Inn, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard/Fabulous 208)

29 February 1968 – Locarno, Derby (Derby Evening Telegraph)

1 March 1968 – Royal Ballroom, Tottenham, London (Fabulous 208)

2 March 1968 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire with The Raynes (Crewe Chronicle)

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

4 March 1968 – Queen’s Ballroom, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Probe (Express & Star)

6 March 1968 – Cavendish Ballroom, Edinburgh, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

7 March 1968 – Caledonian Hotel, Inverness, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

9 March 1968 – Community Centre, Auchinleck, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

9 March 1968 – Walsall Town Hall, Walsall, West Midlands (Express & Star) This seems unlikely given the Scottish dates

10 March 1968 – Palais, Dundee, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

11 March 1968 – Locarno, Glasgow, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

12 March 1968 – Market Hall, Carlisle, Cumbria (Fabulous 208)

13 March 1968 – Cavendish Ballroom, Edinburgh, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

14 March 1968 – Caledonian Hotel, Inverness, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

15 March 1968 – Kinema Ballroom, Stranraer, Scotland with The Soul Pack (Wigtownshire Free Press & Galloway Advertiser)

16 March 1968 – Community Centre, Auchinleck, Scotland with The Merry Macs and Systems Go (Fabulous 208/Kilmarnock Standard)

17 March 1968 – Kinema Ballroom, Dunfermline, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

17 March 1968 – Top Ten Club, Dundee, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

19 March 1968 – Southport Casino, Southport, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)

20 March 1968 – Locarno, Stevenage, Herts (Hertfordshire Express)

21 March 1968 – Worthing Pavilion, Worthing, West Sussex (Fabulous 208)

26 March 1968 – Ice Rink, Bristol (Fabulous 208)

29 March 1968 – Basildon Locarno, Basildon, Essex (Fabulous 208)

30 March 1968 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire (Fabulous 208)

1 April 1968 – St Matthew’s Baths, Ipswich, Suffolk with The Western Union (Essex County Standard/Ipswich Evening Star)

3 April 1968 – Poole College Rag Ball, Bournemouth Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset with Lemon Tree and Renaissance Fair (Bournemouth Evening Echo/Fabulous 208)

4 April 1968 – Airmen’s corner, RAF Coltishall, Norfolk (Eastern Evening News)

5 April 1968 – Odeon, Lewisham, southeast London with Gene Pitney, Don Partridge, Status Quo, Lucas and The Mike Cotton Sound and Simon Dupree & The Big Sound (South East London Mercury) Amen Corner were special guests

14 April 1968 – Clouds, Derby (Derby Evening Telegraph)

20 April 1968 – Winter Gardens, Bournemouth, Dorset with Gene Pitney, Don Partridge, Status Quo, Simon Dupree & The Big Sound and Lucas & Mike Cotton Sound (Dorset Evening Echo)

23 April 1968 – ABC Gloucester, Gloucester, Gloucestershire with Gene Pitney, Don Partridge, Status Quo, Simon Dupree & The Big Sound, Lucas & Mike Cotton Sound and Tony Brandon (Gloucester Citizen/Stroud News)

30 April 1968 – Granada, Bedford, Bedfordshire with Gene Pitney, Don Partridge, Status Quo, Simon Dupree & The Big Sound and Lucas and The Mike Cotton Sound (Bedfordshire Times)

1 May 1968 – ABC Peterborough, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire with Gene Pitney, Don Partridge, Status Quo, Simon Dupree & The Big Sound, Lucas and Mike Cotton Sound (Cambridgeshire Times)

7 May 1968 – Granada, Walthamstow, London (Fabulous 208)

8 May 1968 – Top Rank, Swansea, Wales (Fabulous 208)

10 May 1968 – Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham with Herman’s Hermits, The Paper Dolls, Dave Berry and John Rowles (Birmingham Evening Mail)

12 May 1968 – Wembley Pool, Wembley, London (Fabulous 208)

13 May 1968 – Granada, Maidstone, Kent with Herman’s Hermits, Paper Dolls, Dave Berry and John Rowles (Maidstone Gazette)

14 May 1968 – Gaumont, Worcester, Worcestershire with Herman’s Hermits, Paper Dolls, Dave Berry and John Rowles (Malvern Gazette)

15 May 1968 – Odeon Theatre, Leeds, West Yorkshire with Herman’s Hermits, Paper Dolls, Dave Berry and John Rowles (Doncaster Evening Post)

15 May 1968 – Gaumont, Worcester, Worcestershire with Herman’s Hermits, Paper Dolls, Dave Berry, The Echoes and John Rowles (Redditch Indicator)

19 May 1968 – Royal Nottingham, Nottingham with Herman’s Hermits, The Paper Dolls, Dave Berry and John Rowles (Derby Evening Telegraph)

22 May 1968 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with John Drevars Expression (Fabulous 208/Welwyn and Hatfield Advertiser)

24 May 1968 – Subscriptions Room, Stroud, Gloucestershire with Pattisons Express (Stroud News)

25 May 1968 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire (Steve Chapples research: www.lankybeat.com)

3 June 1968 – Barn Barbecue, Whittlesey, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire with Fleetwood Mac, The Move, James & Bobby Purify and Pesky Gee (Cambridge News)

8 June 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Plague (East Kent Times & Mail)

13 June 1968 – Liberal Hall, Yeovil, Somerset with The Mirage (Western Gazette)

15 June 1968 – Elms Court Ballroom, Botley, Oxford (Oxford Mail)

16 June 1968 – Hotel Leofric, Coventry, West Midlands (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

17 June 1968 – Silver Blades Ice Rink, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail)

18 June 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with The Plague (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)

18 June 1968 – Ritz Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset (Fabulous 208) This is most likely 19 June

20 June 1968 – Spinning Disc, Leeds, West Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

21 June 1968 – Top Rank Suite, Cardiff, Wales (Fabulous 208)

22 June 1968 – Winter Gardens, Malvern, Worcestershire with Whisky Mac (Malvern Gazette)

29 June 1968 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with Tuesday’s Outcome (Cambridgeshire Times)

5 July 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk (Eastern Evening News)

6 July 1968 – Skyline Ballroom, Hull (Fabulous 208)

9 July 1968 – Middle Earth, Torquay Town Hall, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

12 July 1968 – Top Rank Suite, Swansea, south Wales with Robbie and Ray and The Jaguar Showband and Ronnie Keene and His Music (South Wales Evening Post)

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

17 July 1968 – Top Rank, Reading, Berkshire (Fabulous 208)

18 July 1968 – Pavilion, Worthing, West Sussex (Fabulous 208)

19 July 1968 – Pavilion, Bournemouth, Dorset with The Groovy Kind and The Fusion (Bournemouth Evening Echo/Fabulous 208)

21 July 1968 – Empire, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

1 August 1968 – Locarno Ballroom, Portsmouth, Hampshire with Jack Hawkins and The Jacobites (Portsmouth Evening News)

17 August 1968 – Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone, Kent with The Section and The Shades of Black (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)

23 August 1968 – Newark Rugby FC, Newark, Nottinghamshire with Sons & Lovers (Nottingham Evening Post)

24 August 1968 – Spa Royal Hall, Bridlington, North Yorkshire with The Exodus Showband and The Matchbox (Scarborough Evening News)

1 September 1968 – Nottingham Regional College of Technology, Nottingham with Woody Kern (Nottingham Evening Post)

11 September 1968 – Top Rank Suite, Leicester with The John Lees Show (Leicester Mercury)

13 September 1968 – Tabernacle Club, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)

14 September 1968 – Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire (Fabulous 208)

17 September 1968 – Domino Club, Bedlington, Northumberland (Fabulous 208)

18 September 1968 – Croydon Top Rank, Croydon, London (Fabulous 208/Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)

19 September 1968 – Palais, Nottingham (Fabulous 208)

20 September 1968 – Shrubbery Hotel, Ilminster, Somerset with The Boston Souls and Dave the Rave (Fabulous 208/Somerset County Gazette/Western Gazette) Western Gazette has Vicki Marauder & The Mirrors as support

21 September 1968 – Dreamland Ballroom, Margate, Kent with Yes (Folkestone, Hythe & District Herald)

25 September 1968 – Top Rank, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

28 September 1968 – Seagull Ballroom, Ryde, Isle of Wight (Fabulous 208)

29 September 1968 – Carnival on the waves, Music Showboat Dover to Boulogne with Johnnie Walker, Cupid’s Inspiration, East of Eden, Spread and Blue Horizon Blues Band (Kent Herald/Maidstone Gazette)

30 September 1968 – Silver Blades, Streatham, London (Fabulous 208)

17 October 1968 – Locarno, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

18 October 1968 – Civic Hall, St Albans, Herts with Simon K & The Meantimes (Fabulous 208/Welwyn and Hatfield Advertiser)

21 October 1968 – Silver Blades, Streatham, London (Chris Broom book: Rockin’ and Around Croydon)

22 October 1968 – Town Hall, Kidderminster, Worcestershire (Fabulous 208)

25 October 1968 – Kursaal Ballroom, Southend, Essex (Southend Standard)

26 October 1968 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Village Green (Cambridgeshire Times)

27 October 1968 – Top Rank, Southampton, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

31 October 1968 – Locarno, Burnley, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)

6 November 1968 – Central Hall, Kettering, Northamptonshire (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

12 November 1968 – Top Rank, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

14 November 1968 – Guild Hall, Thetford, Norfolk (Fabulous 208)

15 November 1968 – Pavilion, Newton, Shropshire (Fabulous 208)

16 November 1968 – Shrewsbury Music Hall, Shrewsbury, Shropshire (Melody Maker)

16 November 1968 – Pavilion, Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset (Fabulous 208)

21 November 1968 – Civic Hall, Ellesmere Port, Merseyside (Fabulous 208)

22 November 1968 – White Lion, Edgware, London (Fabulous 208)

23 November 1968 – Southampton University, Southampton, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

25 November 1968 – Ipswich Baths, Ipswich, Suffolk (Fabulous 208)

28 November 1968 – Ice Rink, Paisley, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

29 November 1968 – Scene Two, Scarborough, North Yorkshire (Scarborough Evening News)

30 November 1968 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire with Capitol Systems (Warrington Guardian)

11 December 1968 – Pavilion, Hampstead, London (Fabulous 208)

18 December 1968 – Hemel Hempstead Pavilion, Hemel Hempstead, Herts with The Epics (Berkhamsted Gazette)

21 December 1968 – Elms Court Ballroom, Botley, Oxford (Fabulous 208)

1969

18 January 1969 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

23 January 1969 – Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, Wiltshire (Fabulous 208)

24 January 1969 – New Revolution, Baths, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire (Nottingham Evening Post)

8 February 1969 – Civic Hall, Haverfordwest, Wales (Fabulous 208)

15 February 1969 – Pavilion, Folkestone, Kent (Fabulous 208)

19 February 1969 – Top Rank Suite, Doncaster, South Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

20 February 1969 – Locarno Ballroom, Portsmouth, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

22 February 1969 – Gala Ballroom, Norwich, Norfolk (Fabulous 208)

26 February 1969 – Top Rank, Hanley, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)

28 February 1969 – George Ballroom, Hinckley, Leicestershire (Fabulous 208)

1 March 1969 – Spa Ballroom, Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire (Fabulous 208)

7 March 1969 – Royal Mecca, Tottenham, north London with Sugar (Melody Maker)

19 March 1969 – Sherwood Rooms, Nottingham (Fabulous 208)

20 March 1969 – Locarno Ballroom, Blackburn, Lancashire (Fabulous 208)

21 March 1969 – Corn Exchange, Devizes, Wiltshire (Fabulous 208)

22 March 1969 – Dorothy Ballroom, Cambridge (Fabulous 208)

25 March 1969 – Top Rank Suite, Sunderland, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

26 March 1969 – Top Rank Suite, Leicester (Fabulous 208)

27 March 1969 – Skyline Ballroom, Hull (Fabulous 208)

28 March 1969 – Casino Club, Bolton, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)

29 March 1969 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire with Sad Soul (Warrington Guardian)

4 April 1969 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire (Steve Chapples research: www.lankybeat.com)

8 April 1969 – Old Picture House, Halesowen, West Midlands with Magic Roundabout (Birmingham Evening Mail)

5 May 1969 – Silver Blades, Streatham, southwest London (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)

24 May 1969 – Warwickshire Equestrian Centre, Balsall Common, near Coventry, Warwickshire with Jethro Tull (Melody Maker)

25 May 1969 – Skegness Teesside Soul Festival, Skegness Town FC, Lincolnshire with Inez and Charlie Foxx, The Fantastics, Jimmy James & The Vagabonds and Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Melody Maker)

12 July 1969 – Northcroft, Newbury, Berkshire with Simon Dupree & The Big Sound, Chicken Shack and J J Jackson (Melody Maker)

23 August 1969 – Marquee, Grays, Essex with The Who, Aardvark, Andromeda, The Classics, Bum, Evolution, Freedom and Ipsissimus (Melody Maker)

30 August 1969 – Royal Lancashire Showground, Blackpool, Lancashire with The Casuals, Vanity Fair, Bandwagon, The Expectations, Springfield Park, Sunshine, Shoo String Band and Gary Buchanan Caribbean Band (Melody Maker)

4 October 1969 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire (Lincolnshire Standard)

Categories: Fredericksburg, Texas

The Jolly Rogers of Fredericksburg, TX

April 26, 2019 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

Jolly Rogers Kerrville Daily Times, January 26, 1967 — Jolly Rogers, Kerrville Daily Times, January 26, 1967

The Jolly Rogers came from Fredericksburg, Texas, its members were:

Byron Freeman – organ
Danny Kunz – lead guitar
Robert Miller – bass guitar
D.L. Chase – drums

An article in the Kerrville Daily Times from January 25, 1967 announces their upcoming show at the J.M. Auld Youth Center, and notes the band had been together for about six months with Byron Freeman as manager. Also that they had “played at the San Angelo Air Base and Service Club, the Commanche Club in Burnet, The Char Door in Comfort, Legioin Hall in Fredericksburg, and the teen Club in Kennedy and New Braunfels.”

The article also mentions another dance with a band called The Gates of Creation.

I don’t believe this group ever recorded. There was a group called Jolly Roger and the Poppiteers, from the Waco area, with a couple singles on White Deer. From the label credits, that band included Roy Irby, Dave Carr, Ray Colin, Jim Muile and Roger Simmons.

Categories: Albuquerque, Centurion, New Mexico

The Creation: the original version of “No Silver Bird”

April 24, 2019 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

The Creation were from Albuquerque, New Mexico. There were three members in the group: Al O’Donnell on lead and rhythm guitar, his brother Mike O’Donnell on bass, and Ernie Phillips on rhythm guitar. All three contributed lead and harmony vocals.

The Creation recorded two singles within a few months of each other. The first was “What The Daisies Know” / “Sun And Stars (I Miss Her So)” on Centurion 45-3001, recorded in October 1967 and released by December. Both sides were written by O’Donnell and Phillips for Tenmand Music, BMI. The publishing contracts list Joe Green with Tenmand Music. Distribution was by Lance Music Enterprises on SW 4th St.

The second single is “No Silver Bird” backed with “The Warmth of Love” on Centurion 45-3002, recorded December, 1967. The quality of the band’s performance is very different from the Creation’s first 45, more disciplined and better-recorded, with a droning, trance-inducing sound.

The label design is also not much like Centurion 45-3001, with a different typeface, nor does it have the Lance distribution credit at the bottom. The Wakefield plant in Phoenix pressed both singles.

Lyrics to “No Silver Bird” consist of only six lines!

Go on, take an airplane ride,
Get on that big silver bird and fly,
The world would be so heavenly,
If you would come along trippin’ with me,
Go on, take an airplane ride,
Don’t need no silver bird by my side.

The Creation’s single of “No Silver Bird” is very rare; until 2018 the only image circulating was a poor quality b&w photo of a DJ promo label. With nothing known about the Creation, there was speculation that their version of “No Silver Bird” was an ’80s recording made in an older style.

On July 7, 1968, the Hooterville Trolley recorded their own versions of “No Silver Bird” and “The Warmth of Love” at Norman Petty’s recording studio in Clovis with producer Tommy Bee. The Hooterville Trolley and the Creation did not share any band members.

The labels give Ernest Phillips sole credit for both songs, and publishing changes to Reginald Music Publ. and Stinger Music. The Hooterville Trolley single wasn’t released until January of 1969.

Creation No Silver Bird Publishing Contract — Tenmand Music publishing contract for “No Silver Bird” and “The Warmth of Love” by the Creation

In 2018 Al O’Donnell contacted me, and together with his brother Michael, answered my questions about the group and provided the scans of the contracts, lyrics and radio survey seen here.

Al O’Donnell:

The Creation was short-lived and we mostly wrote and arranged songs.
I have been playing guitar since very young. I usually played lead and rhythm on tracks. Mike picked up the bass as a new undertaking at the time we formed the band and became good very quick. Earnie played rhythm. The drummer and keyboard were always hired out and not part of the music development or lyrics.
Q. Who sang on the songs?
In all the songs Earnie, Mike and I sang and/or harmonized.
Q. Did the Creation play live shows? Are there any photos of the group?
Not really and no photos, [we were] just song writers composers and hopeful performers.
A couple of older gentlemen came to us and wanted to make us big. We had a backer and recorded both records that did get lots of airplay in the local area. Several thousand records were distributed.

KQEO Survey, December 16, 1967 Creation Sun And Stars2

“The Warmth of Love” was played locally as well, just did not get a local spotlight note.
On “No Silver Bird”, the guitar I was playing used a sound effect pedal and the repeater was adjustable with which I could set the tempo, that was the sound you refer to. Not even sure of what brand all the equipment was … I have had so many.
After several months of air play and not hearing from the guys who were doing the distribution, we went to their office and it was empty. Gone, along with the proceeds from the record shops. Being young and broke we could not pursue.
I never heard the Hooterville Trolley version [before recently]. I was not involved with Hooterville.
“Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling” recorded by the Fortunes and “Signs” recorded by the Canadian group Five Man Electrical band sounded suspiciously like ones we wrote, can’t prove it today as the originals were on Earnie’s machine, gone forever. Both were credited to have been written by others.
Phillips died some time ago.
I am the only one who plays today for fun. I own a Martin 6 and a Seagull 12 with pickups for larger occasions. I have some some originals I have written since then but no real connection to the industry, and just copywriting for the heck of it seems a waste of time knowing the industry.
Al ODonnell, 2018

Creation lyrics to "Sun and Stars" — Lyrics to “Sun and Stars”

Michael O’Donnell:

Earnie was in sales so he actually found Green [Joe Green, Tenmand Music publisher]. Green had advertised in the paper looking for local talent and Earnie responded after telling us about what he found, at least that is how I remember it.
After we made contact Earnie, Al and myself went and met Green and sang something for him and that is where it started.
I believe the second record, “Warmth of Love” and “No Silver Bird” were recorded in December 1967. I do remember hearing the song on KQEO while I was driving down the street, that is not something you easily forget.
Q. I checked BMI and the Library of Congress lists online but couldn’t find registration of any of your songs. I noticed Phillips was listed as sole writer of “No Silver Bird” on the label. Was that a mistake?
Creation lyrics to “No Silver Bird”
Ernie is no longer with us to speak for his recollection so I can only say I remember that no one could claim individual credit for anything the group did. There was collaboration in the lyrics, music and arrangement by each member for everything recorded. I have included the original note paper lyrics that I wrote down as we all worked together.If you looked at the initial contract for the second record, “Warmth of Love” and “No Silver Bird” you will see all three individuals were credited for writing etc. Not that it makes any difference, the history is just fun.
I seem to recall that Ernie fronted a larger portion of the money to record the second record (“No Silver Bird”) so I can only assume that this is how he negotiated with the promoter to be repaid.
There were different “tasks” each undertook in the process and Ernie took on the task of getting paperwork processed with the promoter etc. When I found the paper-work concerning the contracts, I also found uncompleted copy-right paperwork so I suppose that was one task that did not get completed.
When you are very young and naive, things like this attention to detail sort of slips. We were just having fun and trusting the promoters, contracts and each other.
Michael O’Donnell, 2018

——

There was one additional single on Centurion 45-3003/4. One side is Los Gallegos y Sr. Max Roybal “San Martin des Porres”, written by Jose Green and arranged by Ramon Gallegos. The other side is Sean & the Junction with “My Little Girl” written by Ernest Phillips and Joseph E. Green, and produced and arranged by Ernie Phillips. “My Little Girl” starts slow and immediately picks up tempo, with an unusual middle section, and a lead vocal in what I consider a crooning or song-poem style. Unlike the Creation’s songs, Tenmand Music registered both of these with the Library of Congress on December 9, 1968. Al and Michael O’Donnell do not recall these artists or know who was involved with Sean & the Junction.

Thank you to Al and Michael O’Donnell for answering my questions about the group and also for providing scans of contracts, lyrics and the KQEO survey.

Thank you to Jeremy Sloan for alerting me to the third Centurion single.

Creation lyrics to "What The Daisies Know" — Lyrics to “What The Daisies Know”

Creation publishing contract for Sun and Stars — Tenmand Music publishing contract for “Sun and Stars” and “What the Daisies Know” by the Creation

Categories: California, Gass, Hollywood, Los Angeles

The Chevels on Gass: Pat & Lolly Vegas

April 12, 2019 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

The Chevels released only one single that I know of, but it’s a double-sided instrumental winner. It’s not an unknown single, but it is one of many featuring Pat and Lolly Vegas, who deserve a full singles discography of their own.

Lolly Vegas wrote “Hendersonville”, a fine guitar workout on blues changes. It’s difficult to know which Hendersonville the title refers to, the suburb of Nashville along the Cumberland River is a possibility.

Pat Vegas and E. Engber wrote “Hootenanny Ho-Down”. Engber is actually Elliot Ingber, who played rhythm guitar with the Gamblers of “Moon Dawg!” / “LSD-25” fame, joined the Mothers of Invention and played on Freak Out, started the Fraternity of Man, and joined Captain Beefheart on The Spotlight Kid, among many other credits.

Released on Gass GS-1001, the October 19, 1963 issue of Cash Box reviewed the single favorably, listing “Hootenanny Ho-Down” as the top side.

Production was by Gram – Fisher, possibly J. Fisher, but I haven’t come across these names before to my recollection.

The only other Gass single, by the Travelers, was produced by Leo Kulka, who would move to San Francisco and found Golden State Recorders in 1964.

Categories: Bittner's, Kantner, Pennsylvania, Rite Record Productions custom pressings, Somerset

The Buggs from Kantner, PA – “It’s All Right”

April 1, 2019 Chris Bishop 1 Comment

The Buggs came from Forbes High School in Kantner, Pennsylvania, about 75 miles southeast of Pittsburgh. In February, 1966, the Buggs cut two songs at Bittner’s Recording Co. in nearby Somerset. “It’s All Right” is great frantic garage, “Please Be True” is an original ballad by Raymond Lohr. Rite Record Productions in Cincinnati pressed the 45s, which are now very scarce.

Members were:

Raymond Lohr – singer and lead guitar
Ernie Lohr – bass guitar
Barry Boyer – organ
Joe Wirleich – drums

The Somerset Daily American Newspaper on Wednesday, March 9, 1966 wrote:

No, these are not the kind that will bite or harm you. As a matter of fact, they are pretty friendly. It is a name given to a Rock and Roll band from Forbes. Members of the group are: Raymond Lohr, singer and lead guitar; Ernie Lohr, bass guitar; Joe Wirleich, drums; and Barry Boyer, organ. All members of the group are from Forbes, except the manager, Ronnie Eutin, who is from Frielens.
They recently cut their first record with the Bittner Recording Company of Somerset.
The group will suffer a great loss, when Ernie Lohr leaves for the service at the end of March. Ernie has been with the group since it started in 1964.

Bittner’s would release four other singles that I know of, one each by Andy Wynn, Donnie Hunter, Larry LaVigne and Judie Follmar.

Ray Lohr passed away on May 17, 2017. An obituary online adds some information about his song, “Please Be True”:

He grew up in Hooversville, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1966 from Forbes High School in Kantner, Pennsylvania. While in high school, he was a member of “The Buggs” rock ‘n’ roll group; he wrote and produced a 45 record entitled “Please Be True to Me Girl” about his high school sweetheart who had moved to Anchorage, Alaska. Shortly thereafter, Ray headed to Anchorage where he married the love of his life, Sandra J. Shumaker, on March 4, 1967.

Categories: California, Hollywood, Los Angeles, Target (Hollywood), Unknown

Brook Hall “I Had a Dream” on Target

April 1, 2019 Chris Bishop Leave a comment

Here’s a relatively unknown single by female vocalist Brook Hall. The A-side has the solid hippie-psych of “I Had a Dream”, the flip “Coming of the Sun” is a ballad.

Brook Hall and P. Kasper wrote “I Had a Dream”, and Phil Kasper wrote “Coming of the Sun”, both show publishing Target Music (BMI).

Produced by Terry Munford, this was released on the one-off Target label of Hollywood as Target T-1010 in March of 1970.

I can’t find any leads on the people who made this record. I did find “I Had a Dream the Other Day” registered to Guy Ditmars and Brook Hall, Vail Pub. Corp, in November 1969.

Garage Hangover

Simon Dupree & The Big Sound gigs 1965-1970

Mike Stuart Span gigs 1966-1968

Neil Christian & The Crusaders 1962-1967

The Kidds of Beaumont, Texas

Amen Corner gigs 1966-1969

The Jolly Rogers of Fredericksburg, TX

The Creation: the original version of “No Silver Bird”

The Chevels on Gass: Pat & Lolly Vegas

The Buggs from Kantner, PA – “It’s All Right”

Brook Hall “I Had a Dream” on Target

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