This notable rock music venue on England’s south coast was run by Eric St John-Foti who later handed it over to the owners of the Marquee Club in London in late 1966.

Mike Read has written extensively about the Shoreline and the bands that played there in his excellent book “The South Coast Beat Scene during the 1960s”, which I would thoroughly recommend readers get a copy of.  This excellent website also provides a wealth of information on the venue. 

Initially, when the club opened in the Caribbean Hotel during the Easter holiday in 1965, it looks like gigs took place every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Mondays were added soon after.

In its few months, the club mainly catered for local bands but by late 1965 more nationally recognised groups began appearing at the club.

I have started to put an entry together but would welcome any additions/corrections in the comments section below.

1965

17 April (Saturday) – Act 4 with Johnny Devlin and Dave Storme & The Tremors (Littlehampton Post)

18 April (Sunday) – The Road Runners and “The Fabulous” Mo-Henry (Littlehampton Post)

19 April (Monday) – Formula V and Force Four (Littlehampton Post)

21 April (Wednesday) – The Southbeats with support (Littlehampton Post)

23 April (Friday) – The “Sensational” Southbeats and The Blue Chords (from Portsmouth) (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

24 April (Saturday) – The Southbeats and The Vigilantes (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

25 April (Sunday) – The Southbeats and The Hunters (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

30 April (Friday) – The Milestones and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

1 May (Saturday) – The Talismen and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

2 May (Sunday) – The Untamed (from Brighton) and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

5 May (Wednesday) – The Southbeats and The Road Runners (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post) This may have been the first Wednesday booking

7 May (Friday) – The Triffiks and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

8 May (Saturday) – The “Great” Untamed and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

9 May (Sunday) – Mo Henry and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

12 May (Wednesday) – Johnny Devlin with Act 4 and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

14 May (Friday) – The Soundwave Vibrations (from Worthing) and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

15 May (Saturday) – Dave Storme & The Tremors and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

16 May (Sunday) – The Coastliners with Danielle (from Southampton) and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

19 May (Wednesday) – Force Four (from Portsmouth) and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

21 May (Friday) – The Jaguars and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post) The Deltas replaced The Southbeats

22 May (Saturday) – 4 Hits and a Miss (from Bournemouth) and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post) Looks like The Coastliners featuring Danielle and Dawn and The Soundwave Vibrations replaced 4 Hits and a Miss

23 May (Sunday) – Mo Henry and The Untamed (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

26 May (Wednesday) – The Crow and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

28 May (Friday) – The Untamed and The Deltas (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

29 May (Saturday) – Dave Storme & The Tremors, The Southbeats and The Soundwave Vibrations (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post) Blues by Five replaced The Southbeats

30 May (Sunday) – Plain and Fancy and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

2 June (Wednesday) – The Milestones (from Midhurst) with supporting group (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

4 June (Friday) – The Cellarbrations and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

5 June (Saturday) – The Diamonds, The Southbeats and The Sound Vibrations (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post) The Nightmares replaced The Sound Vibrations and The Warren J Show was added later along with The Cyan

6 June (Sunday) – The Web with Sandy Crawford and Act 4 with Johnny Devlin (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post) The Web was formerly known as The Flames. A poster in Mike Read’s book has The Southbeats instead of Act 4 with Johnny Devlin

7 June (Monday) – The Untamed, The Soundbeats and The Sound Vibrations (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post) A poster in Mike Read’s book also has The Zabres

9 June (Wednesday) – The Tremors with Dave Storme and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post) A club poster in Mike Read’s book lists The Southbeats instead of The Tremors

11 June (Friday) – The Warren J Show, The Diamonds and Dave & The Sounds (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

12 June (Saturday) – Force 4, The Southbeats and The Sound Vibrations (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

13 June (Sunday) – Act 4 with Johnny Devlin and The Southbeats (Poster)

16 June (Wednesday) – Johnny Tempest & The Nomads with resident group (Poster)

18 June (Friday) – The Untamed and The Just Men (from Bournemouth) (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

19 June (Saturday) – The Cosmic Sounds, The Southbeats, The Fenmen (not the London band) and The House-of-Blues (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post) The Littlehampton Post also has The Fab

20 June (Sunday) – The Trackmarks and The Southbeats (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

The Littlehampton Post notes there is no dance on Wednesday, 23 June

25 June (Friday) – The Untamed, The Southbeats and The Just Men (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

26 June (Saturday) – The Alan Bown Set, The Untamed, The Southbeats and The Midnight Blues (from Bognor Regis) (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post) The Littlehampton Post also lists the “reformed” John Barry Seven

27 June (Sunday) – The St Louis Checks (debut at Shoreline) supported by resident group (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

30 June (Wednesday) – The Web (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

2 July (Friday) – John Brown’s Body (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post) This was Keith Emerson’s Brighton group not the Hammersmith one led by Clive Barrow

3 July (Saturday) – West Side (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post) A poster in Mike Read’s book (see above) also lists The Klassiks, The Southbeats and The Midnight Blues 

4 July (Sunday) – Simon & The Surreys and resident group (Chichester & Southern Post/Littlehampton Post)

7 July (Wednesday) – The Untamed supported by The Ends (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

9 July (Friday) – The Cosmic Sounds (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

10 July (Saturday) – 4 Group Nite (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

11 July (Sunday) – The Dark Ages (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

27 August (Friday) – The Equals and The Bow Bells (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

28 August (Saturday) – The Klassiks, Heads & Tails and The Midnight Blues (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

29 August (Sunday) – The Strats and The Mob (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

30 August (Monday) – The Swinging Blue Jeans, The Bolts and The Midnight Blues (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

According to Mike Read’s excellent book The South Coast Beat Scene during the 1960s, September (this is more likely November) 1965 saw appearances from Billie Davis, Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers, Wayne Gibson and The Dynamic Sounds and The Mojos. Local bands that played this month included The Mike Stuart Span, The Web and Beau Brummell & The Noblemen.

24 September (Friday) – The Spectres (Poster) This is most likely the band that became Status Quo

25 September (Saturday) – The Inevitables and The Southbeats (Poster)

26 September (Sunday) – The Untamed (Poster)

29 September (Wednesday) – The Untamed (Poster)

15 October (Friday) – The Rebels (advert in local newspaper, possibly the Bognor Regis Observer)

16 October (Saturday) – Simon Dupree & The Big Sound and Five More (advert in local newspaper, possibly the Bognor Regis Observer)

17 October (Sunday) – The Cosmic Sounds with Lynda Crane (advert in local newspaper, possibly the Bognor Regis Observer)

24 October (Sunday) – The Web (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s) The Cherokees played in the evening

1 November (Monday) – The Mojos (Littlehampton Post)

8 November (Monday) – Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers (Littlehampton Post)

12 November (Friday) – The Talismen (advert in local newspaper, possibly the Bognor Regis Observer)

13 November (Saturday) – DJ Blues Band and Five More (advert in local newspaper, possibly the Bognor Regis Observer)

14 November (Sunday) – The Buckinghams (advert in local newspaper, possibly the Bognor Regis Observer)

15 November (Monday) – Heinz (advert in local newspaper, possibly the Bognor Regis Observer)

8 December (Wednesday) – Dave & The Diamonds (advert in local newspaper, possibly the Bognor Regis Observer) Every Wednesday

10 December (Friday) – The Just Men (advert in local newspaper, possibly the Bognor Regis Observer)

11 December (Saturday) – The Changing Times and Five More (advert in local newspaper, possibly the Bognor Regis Observer)

12 December (Sunday) – Plain & Fancy (advert in local newspaper, possibly the Bognor Regis Observer)

13 December (Monday) – Wayne Gibson & The Dynamic Sounds (advert in local newspaper, possibly the Bognor Regis Observer)

15 December (Wednesday) – Dave & The Diamonds (advert in local newspaper, possibly the Bognor Regis Observer) Every Wednesday

Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene during the 1960s notes that The DJ Blues Band and Henry played on 31 December, bringing in the New Year.

1966

Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene during the 1960s adds that The Profile, The Alex Laine Group and Henry played on 1 January 1966.

3 January (Monday) – Them (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

8 January (Saturday) – Beau Brummell & The Noblemen (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

9 January (Sunday) – The Klimaks (afternoon) (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

10 January (Monday) – Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

12 January (Wednesday) – Dave & The Diamonds (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

15 January (Saturday) – The Brothers Scarlett with Gary & Lee (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

16 January (Sunday) – The Untamed (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s) The Klimaks play in the afternoon

17 January (Monday) – The Applejacks (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

19 January (Wednesday) – Dave & The Diamonds (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

22 January (Saturday) – All Nite Rave with five groups (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

23 January (Sunday) – The Cosmic Sounds (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s) The Klimaks play in the afternoon

24 January (Monday) – The Cardinals (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

26 January (Wednesday) – Dave & The Diamonds (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

29 January (Saturday) – The Alex Laine Group (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

30 January (Sunday) – Ray Flacke & His Muckabouts (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s) The Klimaks play in the afternoon

31 January (Monday) – The Mojos (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

7 March (Monday) – Tony Jackson & The Vibrations (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

21 March (Monday) – Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

9 April (Saturday) – Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers, The Mob and The Klimaks (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

10 April (Sunday) – The Untamed and The Clayton Squares (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

11 April (Monday) – The Jimmy Brown Sound and Jimmy Winston’s Reflections (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s)

18 May (Wednesday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror: https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Record-Mirror/60s/66/Record-Mirror-1966-04-23.PDF) Record Mirror’s 23 April issue, page 12 says that the group starts a Wednesday residency at the Shoreline today but doesn’t say for how long. They are also booked for 11 Sunday concerts in the summer. Bass player Geoff Jones confirms the residency.

25 May (Wednesday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror) Band has Wednesday residency

1 June (Wednesday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror) Band has Wednesday residency but this needs confirmation as do other June dates

5 June (Sunday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror) See above

12 June (Sunday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror) See above

19 June (Sunday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror) See above

22 June (Wednesday) – David Bowie & The Buzz (David Bowie fan site)

26 June (Sunday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror) See above

3 July (Sunday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror) See above

10 July (Sunday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror) See above

17 July (Sunday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror) See above

18 July (Monday) – The Action and Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Fabulous 208)

24 July (Sunday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror) See above

31 July (Sunday) – The Iveys (Tom Brennan’s research)

27 August (Saturday) – The Action (Fabulous 208)

21 September (Wednesday) – Gary Farr & The T-Bones (Fabulous 208)

28 September (Wednesday) – Gary Farr & The T-Bones (Fabulous 208)

As Mike Read notes in his book, in the autumn of 1966, Eric St John-Foti, who ran the Shoreline, signed the club over to the owners of the Marquee, Harold and Barbara Pendleton

29 October (Saturday) – The Action, Long John Baldry, Bluesology and David Bowie & The Buzz (Melody Maker) This was the grand opening of the Marquee at the Shoreline

2 November (Wednesday) – Sands (Fabulous 208)

5 November (Saturday) – Sands, Duffy Power’s Nucleus and The Ultimate (Flyer in The Action book In The Lap of the Mods)

12 November (Saturday) – The VIPs, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and The Herd (Fabulous 208, Melody Maker and flyer in The Action book In the Lap of the Mods)

19 November (Saturday) – The James Royal Set and The Ultimate (Melody Maker) The flyer in The Action book In the Lap of the Mods notes Embers West, Jimmy James & The Vagabonds and The Ultimate

26 November (Saturday) – The Artwoods and The Race (Melody Maker) The flyer in The Action book In the Lap of the Mods notes The Artwoods, Sands and The Herd

The flyer in The Action book In The Lap of the Mods lists the following artists for Saturday shows in December: Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, The Action, The Alan Bown Set and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers. 

1967

25 March (Saturday) – Pink Floyd and The Shame (45 Worlds website)

26 March (Sunday) – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (45 Worlds website)

27 March (Monday) – The Soul Society (45 Worlds website)

After returning from Italy in April 1967, Motivation rehearses new singer Denny Alexander, who knows the club from playing with The Clayton Squares.

22 April (Saturday) – The Move (Disc & Music Echo)

28 April (Friday) – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (flyer at: www.radiolondon.co.uk/caroline/scrap60/p4scrap60.html)

29 April (Saturday) – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds (flyer at: www.radiolondon.co.uk/caroline/scrap60/p4scrap60.html)

6 May (Saturday) – The In Crowd and The Errol Bruce Show (flyer at: www.radiolondon.co.uk/caroline/scrap60/p4scrap60.html) Dave Allen’s research has Herbie Goins & The Night-timers on this date instead of The Errol Bruce Show

13 May (Saturday) – The Who (flyer at: www.radiolondon.co.uk/caroline/scrap60/p4scrap60.html)

20 May (Saturday) – Prince Buster & The All-Stars (Fabulous 208)

28 May (Sunday) – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band (Fabulous 208)

17 June (Saturday) – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Melody Maker) Melody Maker reports that Jimmy James collapses from exhaustion and the next gig in Derby is cancelled

15 July (Saturday) – The Move (Fabulous 208)

During August as Motivation changes to The Penny Peep Show, the group uses the Shoreline to rehearse their new stage act and material. 

3 December (Sunday) – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds (Fabulous 208)

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.