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Birmingham Nightclubs of the Past - Memories

I remember the Dolls Club, used to be owned by, I think, Jimmy McKenzie. A friend of mine, on a celebration, had his tie removed by Monique, and she proceded to do with it what only she could do, and then gave it back. He has never forgotten it. The other club was the Revue Bar, in a side road off Soho Road, upstairs. Monique is a relative of a friend of mine, and I think she is still around somewhere. Not working now though!!!
 
Kandor I knew me and you were soul mates anyone that knows old Raymond Froggatt has to be the bees knees
Ray was born in Aston and he has wrote hits for Cliff Richard, Dave Clarke Five. Dionne Warwick, Billy Joe Spears and loads of other stars, if you have never heard his song White pearl handled gun you want to listen to it. its starts, When I was a young kid growing up in the back streets of Aston..........
He went to the states in the 60's and recorded with the Kings backing group as well as so many other great singers
Old Ray was one of us and his writings has gotta be the best thing thats ever come out of Brum WORD WISE
 
:) Here is another. I went to the Metro Club under the arches and railway line in Livery Sreet.
 
The Loccarno Monday, West End Tuesday, Whisky a go go Wednesday, Brum Cavern Thursday, Plaza Handsworth Friday, and Saturday then in the cars and down the  Pink Elephant in Wardor st London or the Pink Flamingo to see Gorgie Fame play he was my all time favorite. I tell my grandson who plays in a group about all the groups we used to see playing live, you cant beat it. Beatles and the Kinks at the Plaza, Freddy and the Dreamers at the West End.
I CELABRATED my 60th in April and had a 60's party where we all dressed up, Mods, Flower power ect. We had the best time ever,all the music, proper 60's food and drink it was brilliant.If I get the courage and find out how to do it I might put some photo's on so you can all have a giggle.
 
I USED TO FREQUENT "THE GRAND CASINO" OPPOSITE THE OLD SQUARE IN CORPORATION SREET, AM I GOING BACK TOO FAR, NO ONE ELSE HAS MENTION THE PLACE, THE YANKS GAVE IT A BAD NAME IN THE WAR AND IT STUCK. GEFF
 
We used to go to the Casino Geff, in the days when you could sit in the balcony and watch Edmundo Ross. Often there were more of us up there than dancers on the floor. :)
 
GREAT STUFF AND BRILLIENT MUSIC ALF , HE WAS ONE OF THE BEST BANDS AROUND , ALONG WITH BILLY COTTONS BAND , INCIDENTLY BILLY COTTON CAME TO OUR MOMS HOUSE TO ATTEND MY GRAND FATHERS FUNNERAL IN ASTON , CO,S HIM AND MY GRAND DAD WAS GREAT FRIENDS , FOR MANY , MANY YEARS , AND HE KNEW MY MOM SINCE SHE WAS A CHILD ,AND ALSO BILLY , AND WEE GEORGIE WOOD AND MY GRAND PARENTS , ERNEST JELF AND BERTHA , VICTORIA JELF , MY MOTHER JOYCE IVY BEATRICE JELF USED TO TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD FOR HOLIDAYS ,THREE TIMES A YEAR MY MOM WAS A STAGE DANCER AT THE HIPPODROMES AND MUSIC HALL,S SHE DANCED FOR A DANCING TROUPE CALLED HARRY LEVEINE DANCE TROUPE , YOU CANNOT BEAT THE OLD TIME BIG BANDS MUSIC ALF , THE KIDS TODAY DON,T KNOW WHAT MUSIC HIS TODAY , ALF .
 
i have just found this web site and had to smile at all the fond memeries that have come flooding back

the rainbow suite

was run by the family of the drummer with the Rocking Berries ( terry bond -- his mom, dad, sister, and brother in law and i think two cousins) it was 3/4 nights a week mondays-friday-saturday and sunday ( ithink) it was above the Co-op in High St in the city center and i uses to go there every week

apart from the berries carl palmer (emerson, lake and palmer) was the drummer with a group called the Craig and also John Walker from the Walker Bros played there after they split.

Bloomers

this was over the Swan Center at yardley and Thursday Nights you got in free if you wore a skirt otherwise known as ladies night

rum runner

saw some great bands there but a small dance floor

top rank

this was in dale end i think it is now the Hummingbird ( ot at least it was)
againg another great thursday night gig the top floor only was open and it had the great name of grannies attic and the dj was pete york

some of the places i was too young for -- mothers and ceder club

as i got older i worked at the La Parisienn ( we wont go into the outfirs the girls had to wear -- except to say my mother nearly had a heart attack when she saw me in mine) i then went to work at the mullberry bush ( great pub)

ahh happy days
 
davidfall said:
:) Here is another. I went to the Metro Club under the arches and railway line in Livery Sreet.

I went to the Metro Folk club where the tables were lit with candles in wine bottles and the condensation ran down the bare brick walls. Ian Campbell (father of the UB40 Campbell bros) and his sister, Lorna, used to play there regularly, along with the Black Country Three and Martin McCarty.
 
This is excellent! Wasn't there another pub/club next door to La Parisien? In the early 80s we loved Peppermint Place at 5 ways with the smallest dance floor ever, Boogies (John Bright Street?) and The Millionaire etc. Do you remeber becoming a "member" and getting free tickets through the post for your birthday? I had a friend who got these tickets for Millionaire and had her wedding reception there! She regretted it though - the ultra violet lighting made her wedding dress glow!!! It was hysterical!
 
I don't think anyone has mentioned The Cresta Club Solihull great cabaret club. I remember the Rum Runner saw Ossi Osbourn Jeff Lynn,Carl Wayne there often. Rebeccas Barbarellas, the Cedar Club was Sunday's as for some reason it stayed open later, you also had to knock on the door and the doorman would decide if he would let you in or not. My hubby also mentions the 59 Club which was in a basement on the corner of John Bright Street. He also still has his membership card for the Tudor Club which I believe was inside The Lacarno which is now Oceana. Perhaps he's hoping to use it!
 
MomaP, I remember the Tudor Club inside the "Lockers" as we called it. Nice photo with good memories no doubt.

I used to go to the Locarno three times a week. This would be in l963 before I went to Canada. We had some great times there at their special events. I remember a great dance band led by Colin Jones. It was a full dance band and had two really good singers. The band won award I remember. One male who sang like Frank Sinatra. The other was a female singer who I heard in later years was killed in a car accident. Not sure how true that is. I have a list of over l00 songs that were played by this band over the times I went there. I used to make notes of the songs for some reason and listed them on my old typewriter 30 years ago.

New Year's Eve 1962 I lost my handbag in the very crowded lobby at the Lockers. We had a taxi home and I was sure I had left it in there. No...not there. I phoned the Lockers two days later and they had my bag with everything intact including the full pay packet. I have never forgotten that. I wish I knew who handed it in.

There was a Jazz Quartet that used to appear in the band breaks. They were on a moveable circular stage. I thought they were great.

The Plaza, Handsworth, Madame Amies, Lozells, The Galleon
Stratford Rd, were some other places I visited. The Carlton Ballroom before it became Mother's in Erdington High Street. There were a few fights at times there but a great spot for that era in the late l950's. Also, the Cedar Club, Constitution on visits home.

Thought someone else might remember these songs.

DANCE NUMBERS FROM THE LOCARNO BALLROOM, BIRMINGHAM- 1962-63
1. I'M BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT
2. I'VE TOLD EVERY LITTLE STAR
3. HERE I GO AGAIN - TAKING A CHANCE OF LOVE
4. LOCOMOTION
5. TILL THERE WAS YOU
6. THERE I'VE SAID IT AGAIN
7. PUT ON A HAPPY FACE
8. THE HOUSE OF BAMBOO ( JAZZ QUARTET)
9. TILL THERE WAS YOU
10. CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN,FORD EVERY STREAM
11. DOE A DEER A FEMALE DEER
12. A COTTAGE FOR SALE(jazz quartet)
13. EVERYTHING'S COMING UP ROSES
14. STRANGE WORLD ISN'T IT
15. BABY ELEPHANT WALK
16. BLAME IT ON THE BOSA NOVA(I met him on a bus in Barcelona
17. STRANGERS CAN BE LOVERS(PASSING STRANGERS)
18. TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS
19. AUTUMN IN ROME (JAZZ QUARTET)
20. THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER YOU
21. CHICAGO CHICAGO THAT TODDLING TOWN
22. THE PEPPERMINT TWIST
23. THE THINGS WE DID LAST SUMMER
24. LEARNING THE BLUES (The Tables are empty)
25. TWIDDLY TWIDDLY TWIDDLY DEE
26. LET'S TWIST AGAIN
27. ROCKIN ROBIN
28. I'VE GOT THE WORLD ON A STRING
29. YOU'D BE SO NICE TO COME HOME TO
30. SWEET SUE
31. I LIKE NEW YORK IN JUNE HOW ABOUT YOU
32. SOUTH OF THE BORDER DOWN MEXICO WAY
33. THAT'S ALL (I can only give you love that last's forever)
34. JUST IN TIME, I FOUND YOU JUST IN TIME
35. TEACH ME TONIGHT
36. LOVE WAS MADE FOR YOU AND ME
37. WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE
38. GONNA BUILD A MOUNTAIN FROM A LITTLE HILL
39. LOVE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER(JAZZ QUARTET)
40. YOURE NOBODY TILL SOMEBODY LOVES YOU
41. WHEN WILL YOU BE MINE (JAZZ QUARTET)
43. I TOOK ONE LOOK AT YOU (HEART STOOD STILL)
45. WITCHCRAFT
46. GYPSY IN MY SOUL(jazz quartet)
47. TIME AFTER TIME
48. FLY ME TO THE MOON
49. IMAGINATION IS FUNNY
50. MOONLIGHT IN VERMONT
51. THE SONG IS YOU ( I HEAR MUSIC WHEN I LOOK AT YOU)
52. BECAUSE OF YOU
53. FANLIGHT FANNY
54. LET THERE BE LOVE
55. THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF COFFEE IN BRAZIL
56. TANGERINE
57. WATERMELON MAN
58. JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS(a trip to the Moon on gossamer wings)
59. ALL OF ME, JUST TAKE ALL OF ME
60. DON'T BRING LULU
61. MY KIND OF TOWN CHICAGO IS
62. LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME
63. I DON'T KNOW WHY I LOVE YOU LIKE I DO
64. BABY FACE you have the cutest little baby face
65. LOVE ME OR LEAVE ME OR LET ME BE LONELY
66. WHEN I TAKE MY SUGAR TO TEA
67. THE VERY THOUGHT OF YOU
68. STRANGE WORLD ISN'T IT
69. GOODY GOODY
70. UP A LAZY RIVER (jazz quartet)
71. MY KIND OF GIRL
72. IT'S ALRIGHT WITH ME. (It's the wrong place,with the wrong girl)
73. PAPER MOON
74. YOU'RE THE TOPS YOURE THE EIFFEL TOWER
75. YOU MAKE ME FEEL SO YOUNG
76. ANNIVERSARY WALTZ
77. NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT (Holding hands at midnight)
78. STARDUST (reminds me of Carroll Levis Discoveries on TV) Born in Vancouver
79. YOU MAKE ME FEEL SO YOUNG
80. STRING OF PEARLS (Glen Miller style)
81. 76 TROMBONES (The Music Man)
82. MOON RIVER (Breakfast at Tiffany)
83. PENNSYLVANIA 6500 (Glen Miller)
84. I REMEMBER APRIL AND YOU(Jazz quartet)
85 THIS IS A LOVELY WAY TO SPEND AN EVENING
86. LET'S GO ON A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY
87. CHATTANOOGA CHU CHU ( JAZZ QUARTET)
88. BUTTON UP YOUR OVERCOAT (You belong to me)
89. SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE
90. MOUNTAIN GREENERY(Mel Torme) The Velvet Fog
91. IT'S THE SATURDAY DANCE (don't get around much anymore)
92. YOU DO SOMETHING TO ME
93. FAVOURITE THINGS (The Sound of Music)
94. SAN FRANCISCO (I left my heart in)
95. IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS OF THE MORNING
96. RIVER STAY AWAY FROM MY DOOR(jazz quartet)
97. THAT'S WHY THE LADY IS A TRAMP
98. IT'S EASY TO REMEMBER BUT SO HARD TO FORGET
99. OUR LOVE IS HERE TO STAY
101. MAKING WHOOPEE
102. NICE AND EASY DOES IT
103. BIRTH OF THE BLUES
104. FROM THIS MOMENT ON YOU AND I BABE
105. KALAMAZOO(I Have a girl in Kalamazoo)
106. HARLEM NOCTERN
107. UNFORGETTABLE THAT'S WHAT YOU ARE
108. PERFIDIA
109. JEEPERS CREEPERS
110. MACK THE KNIFE
111. SOMEWHERE BEYOND THE SHORE
112. I'M GOING TO SIT RIGHT DOWN AND WRITE MYSELF A LETTER
113. BAND OF GOLD
114. IN THE MOOD(JOE LOSS BAND SIGNATURE TUNE)
115. WE'LL STROLL THE LANES TOGETHER
116. TAMMY ( i HEAR THE COTTON WOODS)
117. WHO HAS THE LAST LAUGH NOW(THEY ALL LAUGHED
when Christopher Columbus said the world was round)
118. I'VE GOT YOU UNDER MY SKIN
119. YOU'D BE SO EASY TO LOVE
120. AT THE WOODSIDE
121. WALKING MY BABY BACK HOME
122. BEWITCHED, BOTHERED AND BEWILDERED
123. LOVE LETTERS IN THE SAND
124. I WANT TO BE AROUND TO PICK UP THE PIECES
WHEN SOMBODY BREAKS YOUR HEART
125. AROUND THE WORLD I'LL SEARCH FOR YOU
126. SUNSHINE, LOLLIPOPS AND RAINBOWS
127. WHEN MY DREAMBOAT COMES HOME
128. BLUEBERRY HILL
129. THAT'S MY GIRL TAKE A LOOK AT HER SHE'S IN LOVE WITH ME
130. MARGIE I'M ALWAYS DREAMING OF YOU
132. A LITTLE GIRL IN CALICO
133. HOW HIGH THE MOON (Jazz Quartet)
135. THE SOUND OF MUSIC
136. QUIET NIGHT AND QUIET STARS
137. LET'S FALL IN LOVE
138. A ROOM WITHOUT WINDOWS A ROOM WITHOUT DOORS
139. IT'S MAGIC
140. BLUE MOON
141. THE MORE I SEE YOU
142. FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE i have someone who loves me
143. DESIFINADO
 
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Birmingham Nightclubs of the past

What memories you bring back JennyAnn, great selection of songs from that era. After my marriage broke up in 1963/64 I started going to the Locarno with a girl I worked with, does anyone remember the Beachcomber bar? I think that was it's name inside the Locarno, it had fishing nets hanging from the ceiling and various other beach type decorations, we thought it was quite something at the time, now it seems quite naff.
 
Anyone remember The Top Rank Suite, Dale End? Used to go there regularly on a Tuesday evening even though I wasn't old enough:rolleyes: Went a couple of times to Samanthas and a few times to the Locarno :) :)
 
I remember the Beachcomber I think it was originally the Tudor Club. I can remember seeing Slade at the Top Rank. Happy Days!
 
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