James Houston (Guitar, Vocals)
Al Palmquist (Guitar, Vocals)
Al Spencer (Bass)
Roz Parks (Drums)
+
Colin Walker (Drums)
The Magic Circus were best known for containing future Paupers’ members Roz Parks (b. 15 April 1945, Picton, Ontario) and James Houston (b. 25 May 1946, Belfast, Northern Ireland).
Houston, Parks and Spencer (b. 7 March 1947, London, England), had previously been members of The Creeps but changed name in early 1967 when guitarist Al Palmquist replaced Dave Morgan.
The band was best known for the 50-minute rock symphony, ‘March of The Mushroom’, written largely by Houston. Aside from playing other original material, the group also played Beatles, Beach Boys, Association and Mamas & The Papas covers.
The band was popular on Toronto’s club scene and opened for many of the top artists of the day, including Del Shannon, Wilson Pickett, The Turtles, Mitch Ryder, Eric Burdon & The Animals, Paul Revere & The Raiders, Ronnie Hawkins and The Left Banke. They also toured widely throughout Ontario playing high schools and dance halls.
Parks left in July 1968 to play with Edward Bear briefly before replacing Skip Prokop in The Paupers in October.
Australian Colin Walker from the Australian band, The Flying Circus joined in his place. The band then played as The Carnival (apart from a couple of shows, including the ‘Time Being’ held at the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto in September where they played as The Magic Circus).
Houston also joined The Paupers in April 1969 after turning an offer down from Skip Prokop to play bass in Lighthouse (he may also have fronted Wizard’s Hand for a while).
Palmquist and Spencer carried on as The Carnival on TV shows and then resumed the Magic Circus name.
Advertised gigs
18 March 1967 – Lakeshore Lions Arena, Toronto with The Strays
24 March 1967 – Queen’s Park, London, Ontario
25 March 1967 – Hidden Valley, Huntsville, Ontario with The Left Banke
27 March 1967 – St John’s Church, Niagara Falls, Ontario
28 March 1967 – The Night Owl, Toronto
29 March 1967 – The Castle, St Catherine’s, Ontario
30 March 1967 – Brant Inn, Burlington, Ontario
31 March 1967 – Royal Plaza, Clarkson, Ontario
1 April 1967 – Huntingdon Park Commercial Centre, Hamilton, Ontario
3 June 1967 – The Flick, Toronto
10 June 1967 – Scarborough Arena Gardens, Scarborough, Ontario with Eddie Spencer & The Mission, Roy Kenner & The Associates, The Tripp, Bobby Kris & The Imperials, The Lords of London and others
5 July 1967 – Muskoka Pavillion, Bala, Ontario
21 July 1967 – Huron Park Recreation Centre, Cooksville, Ontario
9 August 1967 – Cobourg Pavilion, Cobourg, Ontario
27 August 1967 – Summer Gardens, Port Dover, Ontario with The Federations
1 October 1967 – Paradise Gardens, Guelph, Ontario with Three to One
16-18 October 1967 – The Flick, Toronto
19 October 1967 – The Flick, Toronto
2 November 1967 – Stratford College Institute, Stratford, Ontario
3 November 1967 – Crosby High School, Forthill, Ontario
4 November 1967 – Belleville Arena, Belleville, Ontario
5 November 1967 – Club Shingaling, Welland, Ontario
21 December 1967 – Annandale High School, Ontario
22 December 1967 – Brampton High School, Brampton, Ontario
23 December 1967 – Pelham District High, Fenwick, Ontario
26 December 1967 – St Nick’s Church, Hamilton, Ontario
27 December 1967 – Kitchener College Institute, Kitchener, Ontario
28 December 1967 – The Night Owl, Toronto
29 December 1967 – St Martin’s Church, Niagara, Ontario
30 December 1967 – Haileybury High School, Haileybury, Ontario
31 December 1967 – Kirkland Lake, Ontario
6 January 1968 – Broom and Stone, Scarborough, Ontario
12 January 1968 – York University, Toronto with The Paupers and The Last Words
12 January 1968 – Brantford Collegiate Institute, Brantford, Ontario
1 February 1968 – University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
2 February 1968 – Forrest Hills Collegiate, Forest Hills, Ontario
3 February 1968 – Forest Hills CI, Kitchener, Ontario
4 February 1968 – St Martin In The Field Church, Toronto
6 February 1968 – St John’s Church, Niagara Falls, Ontario
5 April 1968 – Cayuga High School, Cayuga, Ontario
6 April 1968 – Barton High School, Hamilton, Ontario
11 April 1968 – Port Dover Composite School, Port Dover, Ontario
12 April 1968 – Club Shade Blue, Toronto
13 April 1968 – Wallaceberg Teen Club, Wallaceberg, Ontario
18 May 1968 – Sauble Beach Pavilion, Sauble Beach, Ontario
13 June 1968 – Waterford Arena, Waterford, Ontario
14 June 1968 – Elmiria District HS, Elmiria, Ontario
15 June 1968 – Crystal Beach Pavilion, Crystal Beach, Ontario
16 June 1968 – St Gabriel’s Church, Burlington, Ontario
18 June 1968 – Glenbriar Arena, Kitchener, Ontario
20 June 1968 – East Hamilton Kiwanis Club, Hamilton, Ontario
21 June 1968 – Brantford Collegiate Institute, Brantford, Ontario
22 June 1968 – Rideau Ferry Inn, Smith Falls, Ontario
25 June 1968 – Dundas Arena, Dundas, Ontario
26 June 1968 – Georgetown Arena, Georgetown, Ontario
27 June 1968 – Stratford Arena, Straford, Ontario
28 June 1968 – Cobourg Pavilion, Cobourg, Ontario
29 June 1968 – The Gette, Oshawa, Ontario
2 July 1968 – Toronto City Hall, Toronto
3 July 1968 – Wallaceburg Arena, Wallaceburg, Ontario
5 July 1968 – Pav-Orillia, Orillia, Ontario
6 July 1968 – Kee-to-Bala, Bala, Ontario (Roz Parks’ last gig?)
10 August 1968 – Sauble Beach Pavilion, Sauble Beach, Ontario
1-2 September 1968 – ‘Time Being’ at CNE, Toronto
14 February 1970 – The Get (O’Neill Collegiate), Toronto
7 March 1970 – The Hawk’s Nest, Toronto
16 May 1970 – Hidden Valley, Huntsville, Ontario with Beadree
17 May 1970 – Hidden Valley, Huntsville, Ontario
5 June 1970 – Jubilee Auditorium, Oshawa, Onatario with The Poor Souls (billed as Majic Circus)
Most of these gigs were taken from the After Four section of the Toronto Telegram. Thanks to Roz Parks, James Houston and Al Spencer for their input.
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
When I first started compiling Canadian acts in the late 1990s and early 2000s, I found the following for Wizard’s Hand, who were a post-Magic Circus band. Dates are from the After Four section of the Toronto Telegram:
WIZARD’S HAND:
Possibly a short-lived project led by James Houston in between his time with The Magic Circus and The Paupers.
17-18 December 1968 – The Night Owl, Toronto
19 December 1968 – Niagara CI, Niagara, Ontario
20 December 1968 – Thorold, Ontario
21 December 1968 – Pelham, Ontario
25 December 1968 – Lincoln Curling Centre, Lincoln, Ontario
27 December 1968 – Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Dear Nick,
The Wizard’s Hand band at the Night Owl, in Toronto 1968 member’s were Jim Houston lead guitar, John Libra rhythm guitar, Rick Halas bass guitar, and John Tanti on drums, there was a female vocals also.
Yours truly,
Rick Halas
This is what I have for the pre-Magic Circus band, The Creeps
THE CREEPS
James Houston (Guitar, Vocals)
Dave Morgan (Guitar)
Al Spencer (Bass)
Roz Parks (Drums)
This mid-‘60s quartet from Toronto included James Houston (b. 25 May 1946, Northern Ireland) and Roz Parks (b. 15 April 1945, Picton, Ontario), who ended up in The Paupers.
Formed in mid-1965, one of the band’s first dates was opening Toronto’s City Hall in September. During 1966, the band became regulars at the El Patio in Toronto’s Yorkville Village and also wrote and performed the first rock and roll mass, created for St Martin in The Field as payment for the use of the church basement where the band rehearsed on a daily basis. During late 1966, the band took part in a one-day concert (CountDown 65) at Scarborough Arena where 65 bands battled it out for audience approval. The group was co-winners with The Ugly Ducklings. Around this time, the Toronto Star called the group Canada’s answer to The Beatles.
John Harris who later ran the Harris Institute of Arts and a driving force behind Metronome Canada, a Toronto waterfront development, managed the band.
When Morgan left in early 1967, the band changed name to The Magic Circus. Morgan later performed original folk music with his wife and ran a recording studio near Ottawa.
24 July 1965 – Embassy Hall, Barrie, Ontario
12 March 1966 – Brampton Orange Hall, Brampton, Ontario
24 August 1966 – Hidden Valley, Huntsville, Ontario with The Stitch ‘N’ Tyme
8-11 September 1966 – Charlie Brown’s, Toronto
15-18 September 1966 – El Patio, Toronto
8 October 1966 – Cobourg Lions Pavilion, Cobourg, Ontario
3-5 November 1966 – El Patio, Toronto
12 January 1967 – Ryerson Winter Carnival, Ryerson Theatre, Toronto with Dee & The Yeomen, Mandala and Dianne Brooks, Eric Mercury and The Soul Searchers
Gigs are from the After Four section of the Toronto Telegram
This is the final one related to the Magic Circus. Al Spencer very kindly passed on info about this group. The gigs are from the After Four section of the Toronto Telegram.
THE CARNIVAL
Al Palmquist (Guitar, Vocals)
Al Spencer (Bass)
A Magic Circus offshoot project that really took off in September 1968 after the former band’s final show at the ‘Time Being’ in Toronto. It’s possibly that the Palmquist and Spencer used the above name for a side-project for the first few shows before taking it on as a more permanent name when singer/guitarist James Houston left The Magic Circus, later to join The Paupers. They later resurrected The Magic Circus name in 1970.
20 July 1968 – Kee-to-Bala, Bala, Ontario
26-27 July 968 – Locarno Club, Toronto
3 August 1968 – Peggy’s Pavilion, Stroud, Ontario
7 September 1968 – Pav-Orillia, Orillia, Ontario
27 September 1969 – Pav-Orillia, Orillia, Ontario
8 November 1969 – Club Embassy, Toronto
31 January 1970 – Club Embassy, Toronto
13 February 1970 – Ryerson Gym, Toronto with Quiet Jungle
Hi Nick: Al Spencer – Magic Circus here. Your posting on our interwoven histories is very well done. Congratulations! Following are a few bits of esoterica:
Additional bands that we opened for: First Canadian appearance of The Who – (1966) in the Coliseum at the CNE, The Rascals in Kitchener & Roy Orbison in Guelph. Also, we were occasionally part of a twin bill with The Guess Who at Canada’s Wonderland in London. Some other acts we covered – The Four Seasons, Hollies, Four Tops, The Outsiders, and The Fifth Dimension.
Our first significant club booking was six nights per week for 4 weeks at The Ports of Call (Yonge & Summerhill) in the Summer of ‘65. We were soon extended to 8 weeks.
In the summer of ‘67 – Tony – the owner of the El Patio coffee house in Yorkville – opened The Flick – a new club 100 yards down the street. On several occasions, and for once or twice per night, The Magic Circus would play an opening 45 minute show at El Patio and then walk about 100 yards down the street carrying our guitars and exchange places with The Stitch ‘n Time who were heading back to play a set at The El Patio. The patrons at each club could remain at their tables and would get to be entertained by two distinctly different bands.
Hope some of this brings back memories from the ‘60’s
Best regards,
Al Spencer – Bass, Vocals, Keyboards.
Hi this is Jake I think I met you at the moody cow pub. I do not know if it was you but I think you told me you played Bass. I talked with you about NHL and Music it was very fun to meet you if this is you.
Best regards Jake and Char
Hi Jake – Al Spencer here
(bass and vocals – Magic Circus).It was me at the Moody Pub and it was a pleasure to meet you and Char. Our Magic Circus Reunion in April 2000 is on YouTube. Scroll up on this string as Roz Parks – our drummer – has posted the link. Cheers
Hi Jake;
Hockey season is about to start & music is always in season. It’s Magic! Drop me an email if you’d like to continue our conversation at The Cow.
Cheers;
Allen.Spencer@rogers.com
Hi Ron Parks here..
we did a Magic Circus reunion gig at John Harris school. You can see it at https://magiccircus.website
so glad I found this site, my friend and I saw the Magic Circus perform in the Hamilton/Winona/Burlington area back in the day. Your drumming was amazing, and I must confess, I had such a crush on you! That was in 1968. Glad to see you’re still doing what makes you – and your fans – happy!
Rick Halas here, great to see you guys, Eleanor Currie’s singing lessons sure payed off.
Hey Nick. I am also doing research on clubs from the old days. Would you happen to have a complete list of bands that played at the Broom & Stone in Scarborough ? Also, how can I search the After Four section of the Toronto Telegram ? Thanks in advance.
Hi Nick,
Al Palmquist chiming in. A little known factoid about the Magic Circus is that when I joined the band, we had two Alans; myself and Allen Spencer on bass. So, I offered to change my stage name to Chris Parker, just ’cause I thought it sounded cooler…lol.
Post Magic Circus in 1970, Allen Spencer was recruited to play bass for the Carnival after their stint with Robbie Lane on CTV and shortly after recruited me to play guitar. I replaced Tim Hallman, keys and trombone. The lineup was Michael Oberle – drums, Don Pellow – Organ/EP, Allen Spencer – bass and me on guitar. We toured as the Magic Circus around southern Ontario.
Oberle went on the join the Ian Thomas band, then his own band Glider, and ultimately the Lulu’s Roadhouse band with Steve Hogg, also from Ian Thomas band. I played guitar with the Lulu’s band 2005-2007.
Be sure to check out the 2000 Magic Circus reunion video on YouTube!
cheers,
Alan
I saw you guys as the magic circus two or three times @ BCI high school in the 1960s . it was so cool as a 15/16/17 year old. you wore different colored suits . the drummer was up higher on the stage then the next two members were lower down on each side then the last member down lower as the front man. awesome. thankyou so so much , I have been trying to get info about the magic circus for years. BILLY.