Located on Allendale Road in Greenford (sometimes billed as Sudbury or Wembley) in northwest London, the Starlite Ballroom was a significant music venue in the UK during the early-to-late 1960s. Peter Griffin booked artists for the venue, together with the Starlight Ballroom in Crawley, West Sussex.
I have started to list gigs for the years 1964-1965 but these are incomplete and I would welcome any additions and corrections. I’d also welcome any photos and concert adverts, which will be credited accordingly.
1964
25 September (Friday) – The Paramounts and Alexis Korner’s Blues Inc (Harrow Observer & Gazette) Grand opening
26 September (Saturday) – Sounds Incorporated (Harrow Observer & Gazette)
3 October (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides with The Rustics (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 October (Saturday) – The Merseybeats and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
25 October (Sunday) – The Mojos (Beat Instrumental) Needs confirmation
7 November (Saturday) – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 November (Saturday) – Tommy Quickly & The Remo Four and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
18 November (Wednesday) – The Applejacks (Beat Instrumental) Needs confirmation
27 November (Friday) – The Mojos (Beat Instrumental)
28 November (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
29 November (Sunday) – The Nashville Teens (Beat Instrumental) Needs confirmation
12 December (Saturday) – Linda Laine & The Sinners and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 December (Sunday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
1965
17 January (Sunday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 January (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides and Cergano & The Cavaliers (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
30 January (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides and JJ & The Challengers (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 February (Saturday) – Buddy Britten & The Regents and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
14 February (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
27 February (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides with Unit 5 (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
13 March (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides and JJ & The Challengers (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
20 March (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides and James Tamyln (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
21 March (Sunday) – The Nashville Teens and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
2 April (Friday) – The Barron Knights and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
10 April (Saturday) – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
23 April (Friday) – Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
24 April (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides and The Beachcombers (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
25 April (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Instrumental)
14 May (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides and Sonny Childe & The Elders (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
16 May (Sunday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
22 May (Saturday) – The All-Nite Workers and The Hysters (Don Martin’s diary)
28 May (Friday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 June (Friday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
5 June (Saturday) – Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
11 June (Friday) – Peter & Gordon and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
19 June (Saturday) – Jimmy Royal & The Hawks and Jean & The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
26 June (Saturday) – The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
Singer Jean Hayles left before this gig and they gigged as The Statesides. The band’s line-up comprised Jeff Sturgeon (lead guitar), Bill Stemp (keyboards/sax), Dave Hovington (rhythm guitar), Dave Brogden (sax), Mick Bloomfield (bass) and Ian Walker (drums)
27 June (Sunday) – The Who and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
4 July (Sunday) – The Yardbirds (Beat Instrumental)
18 July (Sunday) – The Nashville Teens (Beat Instrumental)
24 July (Saturday) – Heinz and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
25 July (Sunday) – The Moody Blues (Beat Instrumental)
31 July (Saturday) – The Pentad and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
8 August (Sunday) – The Birds and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
15 August (Sunday) – Simon Scott & The All-Nite Workers and The Statesides (Dave Brodgen’s gig diary/Don Martin’s diary)
20 August (Friday) – The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
27 August (Friday) – The Graham Bond Organisation and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
10 September (Friday) – The Birds and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
12 September (Sunday) – The Pretty Things and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diary) Beat Instrumental lists The Walker Brothers on this date
26 September (Sunday) – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames and The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
1 October (Friday) – The Hollies (Beat Instrumental)
15 October (Friday) – Wayne Fontana & The Mindbenders (Beat Instrumental)
17 October (Sunday) – The Sorrows (Record Mirror)
24 October (Sunday) – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Beat Instrumental)
30 October (Saturday) – The Statesides (Dave Brogden’s gig diary)
31 October (Sunday) – The Kinks and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary) Beat Instrumental lists The Downliners Sec to this date
6 November (Saturday) – The Bo Street Runners and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
7 November (Sunday) – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames (Beat Instrumental)
20 November (Saturday) – Hedgehoppers Anonymous and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
28 November (Sunday) – Rob Storme & The Whispers and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
3 December (Friday) – The Animals (Beat Instrumental)
10 December (Friday) – Ketty Lester and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary)
12 December (Saturday) – Rob Storme & The Whispers and The Statesides (Jeff Sturgeon’s gig diary and Dave Brodgen’s gig diary)
31 December (Friday) – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (Beat Instrumental)
Many thanks to Rolf Hannet for helping with some Beat Instrumental gigs
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It was Peter Griffin who did all the bookings
What was the date in late 1965 that Bo Diddley appeared at the Starlite ?
The Kinks most definately played the Starlite on the 31st October 1965 – I was there! I remember the gig very well as Ray Davies had one of his turns and after trying to start See My Friends suddenly threw his 12-string acoustic on the floor and stormed off stage! The rest of the band immediately followed but after a while the whole band came back on and finished their set!
I saw several bands at the Starlite 1964, 1965. I could easily walk to the venue as I lived in nearby Sudbury Town at that time. 🙂
Remember seeing The Animals and Herman’s Hermits there
What is there now???