A popular rock venue in Southeast London, the Mistrale club began life as the Beckenham Ballroom. Located at 2-4 high street at Beckenham Junction, the Mistrale opened its doors in April 1968 with Manfred Mann performing on the first night, supported by The Grenades, a Caribbean group.
The club continued to operate into the Seventies and below is the start of a list of artists that appeared during the late 1960s. I’d be interested to hear from anyone who can add missing artists, no matter how significant, as well as memories of particular shows.
1968
17 April – Manfred Mann and The Grenades (Poster)
18 April – Reparta & The Delrons with Don Moss (Melody Maker)
19 April – Dantalion’s Chariot starring Zoot Money and The Mr Mo’s Messengers (Melody Maker)
20 April – The Pyramids (Melody Maker)
24 April – Alan Price Set (Melody Maker) and The Grenades (Poster)
26 April – Mr Mo’s Messengers (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
27 April – The Shiralee (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
28 April – The Ethiopians (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
1 May – Ike & Tina Turner Show and The Grenades (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
3 May – Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band and The Evolution (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
4 May – Mr Hip Soul Band (Poster/Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
8 May – Marmalade and Mr Mo’s Messengers (Poster/Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
9 May – Shiralee (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
10 May – Terry Lightfoot Jazzmen (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
11 May – The Pyramids and The Go Go Show (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser/Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
12 May – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)
15 May – Mr Hip Soul Band (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
16 May – The Firestones (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
17 May – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and The Purple Dream (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser/New Musical Express)
One poster lists Cliff Bennett & His Band instead of Chris Farlowe
18 May – Alan Elsdon Jazz Band (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
19 May – Bob Miller & The Millermen (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
20 May – Bill Haley & His Comets and The Shiralee (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
22 May – Mr Mo’s Messengers (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
23 May – The Shiralee (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
24 May – James and Bobby Purify and The Grenades (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
25 May – The Mojos and Sweet Rain (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
26 May – Kenny Ball Jazz Band (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
29 May – Dave Turner Four (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
30 May – Edwin Starr and The Evolution (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
31 May – Chicken Shack and The Grenades (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
1 June – Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival Show (featuring Tommy Bishop) and Mr Mo’s Messengers (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
2 June – The Pyramids (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
5 June – Jethro Tull and The Epics (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
6 June – The Firestones (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
7 June – The Coloured Raisins and The Light Brigade (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
8 June – Herbie Goins & The Night-Timers and The Shiralee (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
9 June – Honeybus and The Pussyfoot (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
12 June – Donamite and The Duce’s (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
13 June – The Shiralee (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
14 June – Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation and The Light Brigade (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
15 June – Oscar Toney Junior and The Firestones (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
16 June – The Pyramids (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
19 June – Donamite (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
20 June – The Firestones (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
21 June – Spencer’s Washboard King and The Greatest Show on Earth (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
22 June – The Lamb Brothers Show and The Shiralee (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
23 June – Noel & The Firebirds (Coulsdon & Purley Advertiser)
27 June – The Shiralee (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
28 June – The Gass with George Paul Jefferson (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
29 June – The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band with The Evolution (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
30 June – The Freddy Mack Show (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
4 July – Cliff Bennett and Mr Mo’s Messengers (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
5 July – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and Maddening Crowd (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
6 July – The Episode, The Firestones and The Duces (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
7 July – The Skatallites (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
10 July – The Duces (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
11 July – The Shiralee (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
12 July – The Evolution (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
13 July – Root & Jenny Jackson with Electric Sun (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
14 July – The Pyramids (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
17 July – The Duces (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
18 July – Mr Mo’s Messengers (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
19 July – Patti La Belle & The Bluebells and Purple Dream (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
20 July – Tim Rose, Point Blank and The Duces (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
21 July – July and The Skatellites (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
30 August 1968 – Moon’s Train (Malcolm Penn’s diary – thanks to Peter Gosling for sharing)
New Musical Express lists Ben E King for 30 August.
5 September – Ben E King (New Musical Express)
19 September – Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels (New Musical Express)
25 September – Black Sabbath (Poster)
4 October – Felice Taylor (backed by The Reaction) (New Musical Express) and Serendipity (Poster)
5 October – Grand Union and The Maddening Crowd (Poster)
6 October – The Sundae Times (Poster)
11 October – PP Arnold and The Evolution (Poster)
12 October – Julian Kirsch and Sweet Rain (Poster)
13 October – The Interstate Road Show (Poster)
18 October – Tyrannosaurus Rex, The Pretty Things and Julian Kirsch (Coulson & Purley Advertiser)
19 October – Herbie & The Royalists and The Evolution (Poster)
20 October – The Skatellites (Poster)
25 October – Amboy Dukes and Kaleidoscope (Poster)
26 October – Mr Mo’s Messengers and Sweet Rain (Poster)
27 October – The Pyramids (Poster)
I have no listings until end of November
29 November – Kaleidoscope and The Mojos (Poster)
6 December – The Herd and Electric Sun (South East London Mercury)
20 December – The Isley Brothers backed by Art Regis (ex-Jimmy James & The Vagabonds?) and The Brass Cannon (New Musical Express) The Isley Brothers UK tour was cancelled last minute
24 December – Johnny & The Rivals (South East London Mercury)
27 December – The Maddening Crowd (South East London Mercury)
28 December – Electric Sun (South East London Mercury)
29 December – Gun Hill (South East London Mercury)
31 December – Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band and Information (South East London Mercury)
1969
I have significant gaps in this year and would welcome additions
10 January – The Greatest Show on Earth and The Pyramids (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
15 January – Alan Elsdon (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
16 January – The Count Lee Sound (South East London Mercury)
18 January – Evolution (South East London Mercury)
22 January – Bob Wallis & The Storyville Jazzmen (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
9 February – Moby Grape (South East London Mercury)
7 March – Ben E King and The Classics (Melody Maker)
26 March – Kaleidoscope (Beckenham & Penge Advertiser)
4 April – Desmond Dekker & The Aces and The Evolution (Melody Maker)
30 May – Nice (Melody Maker)
25 June – Ohio Express (Melody Maker)
18 July – Idle Race (Time Out)
6 September – Justin Tyme (South East London Mercury)
20 September – Listen (South East London Mercury)
1970
This is just a start for 1970 but welcome additions
2 March – Genesis (Melody Maker)
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.
Hi ,
20th May shows Bill Hayley and the Comets , we , Purple Dream , were also on the bill that night . If my memory serves me well , Hayley also played at the Silver Blades before coming to the club . They were about half an hour late and we were asked to keep playing to a club HEAVING with Rockers wanting their hero to appear , it was a long half hour !!
One to add to your list I feel sure that we , The Purple Dream supported Patti Labelle and the Blue bells at the club , need to confirm that
You did 19 July 68
I saw Mott the Hoople in 1971 (9th April I believe). Tiny place and Ian Hunter announced that “this will be loud, so if you don’t like it go to the back, if you still don’t like it… fuck off”. Excellent band. Also saw Curved Air there around the same time
Please forgive my curiosity but did you know if English rock band FREE (internationally famous for their hit “All Right Now” of 1970) ever played in Beckenham – Mistrale Club between 1968 and 1969 ? I know FREE played Beckenham – Eden Park Hotel 5 March 1970. Thanks for your kindly attention !
Reminds me that I saw the Nice with Keith Emerson shoving knives into his organ.
My Dad, Jimmy Atkins, was one of the owners at The Mistrale Club. I remember him taking my sister and I there on a Saturday afternoon to show us the club. I was very young but I do remember the car front that was cut out to be a DJ booth (I think). I also remember being introduced to Long John Baldry who was performing in the club that night.