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 with Force Four (Bognor Regis Observer)
9 January (Sunday) – The Klimaks (afternoon) (Bognor Regis Observer)
9 January (Sunday) – The Cosmics (evening) (Bognor Regis Observer)
10 January (Monday) – Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s/Bognor Regis Observer)
12 January (Wednesday) – Dave & The Diamonds (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s/Bognor Regis Observer)
15 January (Saturday) – The Brothers Scarlett with Gary & Lee (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s/Bognor Regis Observer)
16 January (Sunday) – The Untamed (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s/Bognor Regis Observer) 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/Bognor Regis Observer)
19 January (Wednesday) – Dave & The Diamonds (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s/Bognor Regis Observer)
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)
5 February (Saturday) – Two groups (Bognor Regis Observer)
6 February (Sunday) – The Klimaks (afternoon) (Bognor Regis Observer)
7 February (Monday) – Billie Davis (Bognor Regis Observer)
9 February (Wednesday) – Dave & The Diamonds (Bognor Regis Observer)
19 February (Saturday) – St Louis Checks and House of Blues (Bognor Regis Observer)
20 February (Sunday) – The Klimak (afternoon) (Bognor Regis Observer)
21 February (Monday) – Peter Jay & The Jayhawks (Bognor Regis Observer)
23 February (Wednesday) – Dave & The Diamonds (Bognor Regis Observer)
27 February (Saturday) – The Talismen and Five More (Bognor Regis Observer)
28 February (Sunday) – The Klimaks (afternoon) (Bognor Regis Observer)
2 March (Wednesday) – Dave Russell & The Diamonds (Bognor Regis Observer)
5 March (Saturday) – All Nite Rave with The Noblemen, Dave Flack & His Muckabouts, Dave & The Diamonds, Alex Layne Group and The Legend Sect (Bognor Regis Observer)
6 March (Sunday) – The Legend Sect (Bognor Regis Observer)
7 March (Monday) – Tony Jackson & The Vibrations (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s/Bognor Regis Observer)
9 March (Wednesday) – Dave & The Diamonds (Bognor Regis Observer)
16 March (Wednesday) – The Overlanders and Mike Sax & The Idols (Bognor Regis Observer)
19 March (Saturday) – The Beat Merchants and The Creatures (Bognor Regis Observer)
20 March (Sunday) – The Klimaks (Bognor Regis Observer)
21 March (Monday) – Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s/Bognor Regis Observer)
23 March (Wednesday) – Beat contest (Bognor Regis Observer)
26 March (Saturday) – All Nite Rave with Perpetual Langley, The Alex Lane Group, The Klimaks, The Soul Society and Beat Contest Finals (Bognor Regis Observer)
27 March (Sunday) – The Equals and Ides of Mad (Bognor Regis Observer)
2 April (Saturday) – The Untamed and The Noblemen (Bognor Regis Observer) Paper (possibly 1 April issue, page 4) says the former is just about to start a season in Jersey while the latter have just returned from a continental tour
3 April (Sunday) – Just 5 (Bognor Regis Observer) Paper says just returned from continental tour
9 April (Saturday) – All Nite Rave with Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers, The Mob and The Klimaks (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s/Bognor Regis Observer)
10 April (Easter Sunday) – The Untamed and The Clayton Squares (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s/Bognor Regis Observer)
11 April (Easter Monday) – Arthur Alexander, The Jimmy Brown Sound and Jimmy Winston’s Reflections (poster in Mike Read’s book The South Coast Beat Scene of the 1960s/Bognor Regis Observer)
16 April (Saturday) – The Alex Lane Group and The Nocturnals (Bognor Regis Observer)
17 April (Sunday) – The T-Set (Bognor Regis Observer)
23 April (Saturday) – Jimmy Winston’s Reflections, The Equals, Dave & The Diamonds (direct from Italy), The Soul Society and The Inpulse (Bognor Regis Observer)
24 April (Sunday) – Plain and Fancy (Bognor Regis Observer)
27 April (Wednesday) – Bognor Carnival Beat Contest first heat (Bognor Regis Observer)
30 April (Saturday) – Jimmy Winston’s Reflections and The Creatures (Bognor Regis Observer)
1 May (Sunday) – Dave & The Diamonds (Bognor Regis Observer) Says direct from the Piper Club, Italy
4 May (Wednesday) – Beat contest, second heat (Bognor Regis Observer)
Bognor Regis Observer’s 6 May issue mentions that the Shoreline has come under fire for undesirable behaviour
7 May (Saturday) – The Equals, Alex Lane Group and The Orgs Beat Group (Bognor Regis Observer)
8 May (Sunday) – The Defiance (Bognor Regis Observer)
11 May (Wednesday) – Six groups beat contest (Bognor Regis Observer)
14 May (Saturday) – Champion Jack Dupree with The Equals and The Second Thoughts (Bognor Regis Observer)
15 May (Sunday) – Nine hours pop (Bognor Regis Observer)
17 May (Wednesday) – Carnival Beat Contest with six groups (Bognor Regis Observer)
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
28 May (Monday) – All Nite Rave with The Mike Stuart Span, The Mob and The Soul Society (Bognor Regis Observer)
29 May (Whit Sunday) – Jimmy Winston’s Reflections (Bognor Regis Observer)
30 May (Whit Monday) – Champion Jack Dupree (Bognor Regis Observer)
1 June (Wednesday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror) Band has Wednesday residency but this needs confirmation as do other June dates
4 June (Saturday) – Alex Lane Group and The Corncrackers (Bognor Regis Observer)
5 June (Sunday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror) See above/Bognor Regis Observer says there is nine hours of beat today so maybe other bands too?
The Shoreline Club appears in the Sunday Express newspaper on 6 June with negative press
8 June (Wednesday) – Carnival Beat Contest Heats (Bognor Regis Observer)
11 June (Saturday) – Jimmy Winston’s Reflections and The Equals (Bognor Regis Observer)
12 June (Sunday) – The Clayton Squares (Record Mirror) See above/Bognor Regis Observer says non-stop beat
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
4 July (Monday) – Gig by unnamed group(s) (Bognor Regis Observer)
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 (Bognor Regis Observer/Fabulous 208)
21 July (Thursday) – Group competition (Bognor Regis Observer)
23 July (Monday) – Gig by unnamed group(s) (Bognor Regis Observer)
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)
1 October (Saturday) – Shoreline closes (reported in Bognor Regis Observer’s Friday, 30 September issue, page 1)
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)
Bognor Regis Observer’s 18 November 1966 issue – the new managers talk about the problems they inherited.
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.
Great memories of the Shoreline I played there a lot with Dave and The Diamonds also Dave Storme and The Tremors. Remember seeing Peter Jay and The Jaywalkers fronted by a very young Terry Reid.
Terry Reid’s version of “Stay” off his first LP is the best ever. I saw him about 3 years ago at the Half Moon Putney. He’s put on a bit of weight and lost a bit of hair in the intervening years but still had the amazing voice.
Went to the Shoreline from the Birdcage in Nicholas Van Hoogstraten’s car when he had just bought both clubs. Why is he never mentioned in the history of the clubs?
Is he still around?