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.

RONNIE JONES & THE BLUE JAYS:

 Ronnie Jones – lead vocals

Tony Allen – sax/lead vocals (left in 1965)

Roger Dean – guitar (ex-John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers)

Tony Bell – bass 

Jack Maverick – organ

Jack Massarik – alto sax

Clive Thacker – drums (ex-Five Embers)

1965

18 April 1965 – Blue Moon, Hayes, Middlesex (Harrow Weekly Post)

13 June 1965 – Blue Moon, Hayes, west London (Ruislip & Northwood Gazette)

16 June 1965 – Le Disque A Go Go, Bournemouth, Dorset (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/) Billed as Ronnie Jones & The Black Jays

20 June 1965 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book)

21 June 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

26 June 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

27 June 1965 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

27 June 1965 – Pontiac, Zeeta House, Putney, southwest London (Melody Maker) This may be with Phil Ryan & The Crescents

3 July 1965 – Milford R&B, Strutt Arms, Milford, Derbyshire (Derby Evening Telegraph)

4 July 1965 – Blue Moon, Hayes, west London (Harrow Weekly Post)

9 July 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

11 July 1965 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

17 July 1965 – Pontiac, Zeeta House, Putney, southwest London with Gary L Thompson & The Sidewinders (NME)

30 July 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

8 August 1965 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

14 August 1965 – Birdcage, Kimbells Ballroom, Southsea, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

15 August 1965 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey The Condors (Aldershot News)

27 August 1965 – Pontiac, Zeeta House, Putney, southwest London (NME)

28 August 1965 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

29 August 1965 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

30 August 1965 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London (Tottenham Weekly Herald)

31 August 1965 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with The Loose Ends (Melody Maker)

4 September 1965 – Bowes Lyon House, Stevenage, Herts with The Trekkas (Hertfordshire & Bedfordshire Express)

5 September 1965 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

11 September 1965 – Milford R&B, Strutt Arms, Milford, Derbyshire (Derby Evening Telegraph)

12 September 1965 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book)

14 September 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The John Gummer Trio (Melody Maker)

17 September 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Duke Lee (Melody Maker)

1 October 1965 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Alan Price Set, The Graham Bond Organisation and The Crawdaddies (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

5 November 1965 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

7 November 1965 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

11 November 1965 – Cooks Ferry Inn, Edmonton, north London (Tottenham Weekly Herald)

13 November 1965 – El Partido, Lewisham, southeast London with Duke Lee and The Movement (Melody Maker)

14 November 1965 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey with The Condors (Aldershot News)

21 November 1965 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Flowerpot Men (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

27 November 1965 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

27 November 1965 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

4 December 1965 – Milford R&B, Strutt Arms, Milford, Derbyshire (Derby Evening Telegraph)

5 December 1965 – Ricky Tick, Plaza, Guildford, Surrey (David Else’s research)

6 December 1965 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

16 December 1965 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with Steampacket and Tony Knight’s Chessmen (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book)

24 December 1965 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, southeast London with Terry Lightfoot’s Jazz Band (South East London Mercury)

1966

1 January 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Melody Maker)

11 January 1966 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

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

30 January 1966 – Ricky Tick, Plaza, Guildford, Surrey with Lee Dorsey and The Crew (aka The Krew) (David Else’s research)

30 January 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Melody Maker)

6 February 1966 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (The Star)

17 April 1966 – Star Club, Hamburg, West Germany with The Silkie, Ian & The Zodiacs, The Remo 4 and The Non-Smokers (Star Club poster) Billed as Ronny Jones & The Night-Timers.

Chris Dennis, formerly of The Plebs and Lee Curtis & The All Stars, was living in Hamburg and currently without a band. He joined The Blue Jays and returned to the UK.

During May, Clive Thacker left to join The Brian Auger Trinity and Colin Davy from John Lee’s Groundhogs took his place.

In June , Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays became resident band at Papagayo in St-Tropez, France.

By this point, only Roger Dean remained from the original formation. The Blue Jays comprised:

Ronnie Jones – lead vocals

Roger Dean – guitar

Chris Dennis – organ

Pat Donaldson – bass 

Colin Davy – drums 

1 October 1966 – Harpenden Public Hall, Harpenden, Hertfordshire with The Anzacs (Luton News)

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

8 October 1966 – Beachcomber, Nottingham with Robert Parker and Wynder K Frog (Nottingham Evening Post)

14 October 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington, central London (Melody Maker) Billed as Ronnie Jones & His Band

15 October 1966 – Ricky Tick, Hounslow, west London (Melody Maker)

19 October 1966 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with The Deakin Lewis Band (website: http://eelpieislandmusic.com/eel-pie-island-roll-call)

22 October 1966 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Survivors (Cambridgeshire Times)

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

24 October 1966 – Queen’s Ballroom, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Express & Star)

27 October 1966 – Ricky Tick, Stoke Hotel, Guildford, Surrey (David Else’s research)

2 November 1966 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, London (South East London Mercury)

5 November 1966 – Chelmsford Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex with support (Southend Standard)

5 November 1966 – All Nighter Club, Wardour Street, Soho, London with The Shevelles (Melody Maker)

6 November 1966 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham with The Coasters (Nottingham Evening Post)

13 November 1966 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, London (South East London Mercury)

19 November 1966 – Afan Lido, Port Talbot, Wales with The Blues Organisation (Port Talbot Guardian)

21 November 1966 – High Wycombe Town Hall, High Wycombe, Bucks (Bucks Free Press)

26 November 1966 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire with The Original Coasters, The Motivation and Heart & Soul (Lincolnshire Standard)

2 December 1966 – Birdcage, Eastney, Hampshire (Dave Allen research)

3 December 1966 – Bee-Gee Club, Leeds, West Yorkshire with The Zang Woodruff Operation (Yorkshire Evening Post)

4 December 1966 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

7 December 1966 – Plaza Ballroom, Handsworth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

7 December 1966 – Ritz Ballroom, King’s Heath, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

10 December 1966 – Cue Club, Paddington (Melody Maker)

11 December 1966 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Mail)

16 December 1966 – New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, E1, London (Melody Maker)

17 December 1966 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

23 December 1966 – Candlelight, Scarborough (Scarborough Evening News)

24 December 1966 – Beachcomber Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

According to Stage magazine, the band played at the Bag O’Nails over the Christmas period with Tony Knight’s Chessmen and The Brian Auger Trinity.

1967

Sometime in early 1967 PP Arnold joined the band

14 January 1967 – Chelmsford Corn Exchange, Chelmsford, Essex (Essex Chronicle)

15 January 1967 – Black Prince Hotel, Bexley, London (South East London Mercury)

19 January 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel)

3 February 1967 – California Ballroom, Dunstable, Bedfordshire with The Fleur De Lys (website: www.california-ballroom.info/gigs/)

10 February 1967 – Nicholas Chamberlain Hall, Bedworth, Warwickshire with Ray King Soul Band, The Dynamics and The Soul Express (Nuneaton Evening Tribune)

17 February 1967 – Ram Jam, Brixton, London with All Night Workers (Melody Maker)

18 February 1967 – Clouds, Derby (Derby Evening Telegraph)

19 February 1967 – Central R&B Club, Central Hotel, Gillingham, Kent (Chatham, Rochester & Gillingham News)

26 February 1967 – Kirklevington Country Club, Kirklevington, North Yorkshire with Patsy Arnold from The Iketts (Middlesbrough Evening Gazette)

4 March 1967 – Nite Owl, Leicester (Leicester Mercury)

4 March 1967 – Gaiety Ballroom, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire with The Heretics (Cambridgeshire Times)

5 March 1967 – The Place, Hanley, Staffordshire with Pipi (ex-Ikettes) (Evening Sentinel)

Around this time, Ronnie Jones split from The Blue Jays (who remained with PP Arnold) and linked with The Q-Set. 

12 March 1967 – King Mojo, Sheffield, South Yorkshire (The Star) Although this was billed as Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays, it’s possible it was fulfilled with Jones’s next band, The Q-Set

16 March 1967 – Kilburn Polytechnic, Kilburn, London with Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and The Syn (Melody Maker) Although this was billed as Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays, it’s more likely that it was fulfilled with Jones’ next band, The Q-Set

The rhythm section from The Blue Jays became PP Arnold’s backing band (Four of a Kind) and supported her on a Roy Orbison tour with The Small Faces. The first gig was on 25 March 1967

The following gigs are billed as PP Arnold & The Blue Jays:

15 April 1967 – St Thomas Hall, Brentwood, Essex (Melody Maker)

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

27 May 1967 – Glastonbury Town Hall, Glastonbury with Western Union (Western Gazette)

The Blue Jays split shortly after this with the band members going their separate ways (see comments below).

22 June 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Stafforshire (Evening Sentinel) This gig was probably performed by PP Arnold & The Nice

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