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.

THE (FIVE) PROUD WALKERS

Terry Elliott – lead vocals 

Clive Omer – lead guitar 

Colin Forster – lead guitar

John Treais – bass

Brian Thompson – drums

Clive Omer and John Treais were apprentices at the Post Office (now British Telecom) and formed the original band in north London during 1963 as The Proud Walkers with a singer called Joe and drummer Brian Thompson who had worked with John Treais in a previous group. 

1963

6 July 1963 – St John’s Hall, Hoppers Road, N1, London with The Wolverine Jazz Band (Promotional card from John Treais) Billed as The Five Proud Walkers

1964

The group wanted to move in a more blues direction so brought in singer Terry Elliott during 1964. 

29 September 1964 – Cavern, Westcliff, Kent (East Kent Times & Mail)

1965

27 February 1965 – Harpenden Public Hall, Harpenden, Herts with Bern Elliott & The Klan (Luton News)

At some point the band appeared on the same bill as The Yardbirds while Eric Clapton was a member. They also played alongside The Moody Blues.

On 5 March 1965, Clive Omer decided to leave the band. His old school friend Colin Forster bought his gear, including his ’50s Stratocaster.

The group briefly continued with keyboard player John Hanshay who stayed a few months.

2 May 1965 – Bure Club, Mudeford, Dorset with Felders Orioles (Advert from John Treais)

6 May 1965 – Bromley Court Hotel, Bromley, southeast London (Melody Maker)

On 26 May Jimmy Horrocks, who was studying at the London School of Economics, joined on organ/flute, taking over from John Hanshay.

29 May 1965 – St Peter’s Youth Club, Staines, Middlesex (Staines and Egham News) Billed as The Proud Walkers

6 June 1965 – Top Rank Dance Club, Odeon Theatre, Wood Green, north London (Tottenham and Edmonton Weekly Herald)

23 July 1965 – Pontiac, Zeeta House, Putney, southwest London with The Sidewinders with Gary L Thompson (NME/Melody Maker)

31 July 1965 – Cricket Club, Ashford, Middlesex (Staines and Egham News) Billed as The Proud Walkers

8 August 1965 – St Joseph’s Hall, Basingstoke, Hampshire with The Byrds, Blues Syndicate, and The Bunch (Hampshire & Berkshire Gazette) Billed as The Proud Walkers

9 August 1965 – Corn Exchange, Newbury, Berkshire with The Byrds and The Bunch (Swindon Evening Advertiser)

Richard Hudson from north London band The Four Gonks replaced Brian Thompson on drums and started rehearsing with the group on 15 September. 

18 September 1965 – Dreamland, Margate, Kent with The Sorrows (East Kent Times)

9 October 1965 – Zeeta House, Putney, southwest London (Date from John Treais)

14 November 1965 – Zambesi, Hounslow, west London (Date from John Treais)

24 November 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford street, central London with The Downliners Sect (Melody Maker)

11 December 1965 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Artwoods and Dave Anthony’s Moods (Melody Maker)

17 December 1965 – Christmas gig at an apprentice’s association (Promotional card from John Treais)

1966

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

22 January 1966 – Agincourt Ballroom, Camberley, Surrey with the Webb and The Y V L’s and The Partisans (Aldershot News/Camberley News) Billed as The Proud Walkers

15 February 1966 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London with The Loose Ends (Melody Maker)

6 March 1966 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with Deakin Lewis Band (Contract from John Forster)

10 March 1966 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)

12 March 1966 – Carousel Club, 1 Camp Road, Farnborough, Hampshire with Jimmy Brown Sound (Aldershot News/Camberley News)

17 March 1966 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)

19 March 1966 – The New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, east London with Mea Mercer (Melody Maker)

24 March 1966 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)

26 March 1966 – Beachcomber, Nottingham with Mae Mercer (Nottingham Evening Post)

9 April 1966 – The New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, east London (Melody Maker)

11 April 1966 – Adelphi Ballroom, Slough, Berkshire (Windsor, Slough & Eton Express) Billed as The Proudwalkers

17 April 1966 – Bluesette Club, Leatherhead, Surrey  (Date from John Treais)

19 April 1966 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)

26 April 1966 – 100 Club, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)

7 May 1966 – RAE Assembly Hall, Farnborough, Hampshire with Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (Aldershot News)

13 May 1966 – The New All-Star Club, 9a Artillery Passage, east London (Melody Maker)

21 May 1966 – Bure Club, Mudeford, Dorset with Champion Jack Dupree (website: https://bournemouthbeatboom.wordpress.com/)

22 May 1966 – Sunday Place, Wheel Hotel, Friargate, Derby (Derby Evening Telegraph)

5 June 1966 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with Deakin Lewis Band (website: http://www.eelpiemuseum.co.uk/rollcall/rollcall/) Backed Champion Jack Dupree

10 June 1966 – Bluesette Club, Leatherhead, Surrey (Contract from Colin Forster)

Sometime in mid-June 1966, Terry Elliott departed. The group auditioned singers at Wood Green Jazz club. 

Dave Terry, who’d taken over from Arthur Brown in The Union in late 1965, replaced Elliott.

18 June 1966 – Beachcomber, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post)

19 June 1966 – Britannia Rowing Club, Nottingham (Nottingham Evening Post) Says from Cromwellian

25 June 1966 – Chichester College of Further Education, Chichester, West Sussex with The Who (Dave Terry recollections)

1 July 1966 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London (Contract from Colin Forster) Dave Terry says he never played this venue but Terry Elliott had left by now, so perhaps it was cancelled? 

16 July 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Melody Maker)

17 July 1966 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with The Vibro (website: http://www.eelpiemuseum.co.uk/rollcall/rollcall/) Backed Champion Jack Dupree

18 July 1966 – Civic Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire with The MI5, Wall City Jazzmen and The Deacons (Chester Chronicle) Backed Champion Jack Dupree

30 July 1966 – Winter Gardens, Banbury, Oxfordshire (Brackley Advertiser)

14 August 1966 – Bluesette Club, Leatherhead, Surrey (Crawley Advertiser)

17 August 1966 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with VIPs (website: http://www.eelpiemuseum.co.uk/rollcall/rollcall/)

3 September 1966 – Worthing Hospitals’ League of Friends, Steyne Gardens, Worthing, West Sussex with Kaine & Abel (Worthing Gazette)

16 September 1966 – Ram Jam, Brixton, south London (Melody Maker) Dave Terry says he never played this venue but Terry Elliott had left in June. Also, John Treais remembers that Roy Stacey covered for him once at this club when he couldn’t make the gig so at least show took place at the Ram Jam.

28 September 1966 – London College of Fashion, central London with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (Dave Terry’s recollections)

15 October 1966 – Location, Woolwich Arsenal Station, Woolwich, southeast London (Melody Maker)

Around this time John Treais left after a gig in Southampton and John Ford (ex-Jaymes Fenda & The Vulcans) took over on bass, making his debut backing Champion Jack Dupree, which may have been at Eel Pie Island (below). 

23 October 1966 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with Scots of St James (website: http://www.eelpiemuseum.co.uk/rollcall/rollcall/) Backed Champion Jack Dupree

28 October 1966 – Fiesta Hall, Andover, Hampshire (Andover Advertiser)

30 October 1966 – The Hive Club, Guildford, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser)

9 November 1966 – Le Metro, Birmingham (Birmingham Evening Mail) (Express & Star says 10 November)

20 November 1966 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with The Tea Set (website: http://www.eelpiemuseum.co.uk/rollcall/rollcall/)

3 December 1966 – Flamingo, Wardour Street, Soho, central London (Melody Maker)

10 December 1966 – New Spot, Gosport, Hampshire (Portsmouth News)

31 December 1966 – Wooden Bridge Hotel, Guildford, Surrey with Whisky Ring (Surrey Advertiser)

1967

John Ford falls ill and Roy Stacey, who’d worked with Dave Terry in The Union, as well as early 1960s band The Impacts, subbed for him for about six weeks around January-February. Ford subsequently returned to the group in February. 

7 February 1967 – Clouds, Derby with Champion Jack Dupree (Derby Evening Telegraph)

18 February 1967 – Club Continental, Eastbourne, East Sussex (Eastbourne Herald Chronicle)

1 March 1967 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with The Pink Floyd (website: http://www.eelpiemuseum.co.uk/rollcall/rollcall/)

3 March 1967 – Bluesette Club, Leatherhead, Surrey (Caterham Weekly Press)

5 March 1967 – The Bridge, Wooden Bridge Hotel, Guildford, Surrey (Surrey Advertiser)

11 March 1967 – Winter Gardens, Banbury, Warwickshire with The Front Page (Banbury Guardian)

12 March 1967 – Eel Pie Island, Twickenham, west London with Doctor K’s Blues Band (website: http://www.eelpiemuseum.co.uk/rollcall/rollcall/) Backed Champion Jack Dupree

1 April 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Vigilantes (West Briton & Cornwall Gazette)

6 April 1967 – White Hart, Acton, west London (Melody Maker)

23 April 1967 – The Bridge, Wooden Bridge Hotel, Guildford, Surrey with Over 2,000 (Surrey Advertiser)

27 April 1967 – Tiles, Oxford Street, central London (Melody Maker)

6 May 1967 – The Pitch, Digbeth, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

8 May 1967 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, central London with Neat Change (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

27 May 1967 – Civic Hall, Guildford, Surrey with Dave Martin Group (Surrey Advertiser)

17 June 1967 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express)

24 June 1967 – South Bank Jazz Club, Grimsby, Humberside (Grimsby Evening Telegraph)

27 June 1967 – Royal Ballroom, Southgate, north London (Melody Maker)

In late June Jimmy Horrocks left to join Robert Hirst & The Big Taste who were heading to Hamburg to play the Star Club in the first week of July. He later replaced Reg Dwight (aka Elton John) in Bluesology

14 July 1967 – Twilight Zone, Constitutional Hall, Chertsey, Surrey (Woking Herald) Billed as The Proudwalkers

In mid-July, the group changed name to Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera. However, an advert for The Velvet Opera had been printed in Melody Maker several weeks in a row as early as April 1967. 

Thanks to Clive Omer, John Treais and Colin Forster for providing information about the band’s early years. Thanks also to Dave Terry (aka Elmer Gantry) and Roy Stacey. Thanks also to Mike Stax. 

Copyright © Nick Warburton. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any from or by any means, without prior permission from the author