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Groups We Have Seen Live

I saw Status Quo at the NEC once. We had seats four rows from the front. With 48 kilo watts of sound power coming out of the speakers, I was a trifle deaf after, so much so, that when I went out to start my car in the car park after the event, I hung on the starter wondering why it wouldn't start. It was actually running, but I couldn't hear it. So the starter was trying to catch up with a running engine. Great show though.
 
I saw Status Quo at the NEC once. We had seats four rows from the front. With 48 kilo watts of sound power coming out of the speakers, I was a trifle deaf after, so much so, that when I went out to start my car in the car park after the event, I hung on the starter wondering why it wouldn't start. It was actually running, but I couldn't hear it. So the starter was trying to catch up with a running engine. Great show though.

The original line up (Rossi, Parfitt, Alan Lancaster and John Coghlan ) are reforming for series of gigs next March, including Wolverhampton Civic Hall!
 
Used to go to The Belfry in the late 60's/early 70's. They booked bands well in advance. By happy circumstance, often, the Bands booked would have a record in the Top 10 by the date of their appearance. This way, I saw most of the 60s Bands and quite a few 70s for a cheaper price than usual. (I remember Curved Air were the support Group there on Saturday night, the preceeding Thursday, "Back Street Luv" had gone to No1! ... Very unusual night that was......!)
Later we'd go to the Railway in Curzon St, you never knew who'd be there. The Winwoods, Roy Wood. most of ELO, and others passed through.
Tamworth, in the 60s was a stop for most top groups. hence the Beatles, Stones, etc., being there.
 
the first group/band I saw was Xavier Cugat and Abbe Lane in a Hong Kong Cinema in 1953 or 54, South American 'brass' music which I have always been partial to, the last group I saw were the Bachelors, actually went to see Frankie Laine at some night club in Solihull and the Bachelors and Frank Carson were on the Bill. Cannot think when that was may be 70's or even 80's
 
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Heavy Metal Kids(Gary Holton)
Cockney Rebel
Bebop De-luxe
One the Juggler(with Mick Ronson)
The Stranglers
The Jam
Edwin Starr
Rubber Rhino
Neon Hearts
The Kinks
The Gas
Jackson Five
The Move
Wire
Swinging Blue Jeans
Cimerons

More when I can think of them..
 
Carol, I saw the Everlys at the NEC in the 80's too - great show musically!!
Favourite for me is still Chris de Burgh, my first "grown-up" concert at the Odeon when I had just started training - had seen Mud, Shawaddywaddy and Leo Sayer, but all with someones parents accompanying us.
Love Bryan Adams too and the Levellers, and a new band, spin off from one of the Levellers, Simon Friends Seismic Survey.
Wosrt gig ever is a toss up between Pop will eat itself and AC/DC, both abysmal!!!
Sue
 
I've seen loads of the 60's groups including the Beatles (twice) - Last week I saw the Pointer Sisters and the week before I saw Boys II Men
 
In the 70's we used to go to the "Night Out" on the Horsefair. Its had several names since, Dome, Dome II, etc., The 2 most memorable evenings there was (a) Showaddywaddy - hundreds of 'Teds' all in the Drapes, Beetle Crushers, Bootlace Ties, dancing and singing along ......... and (b) Jim Davidson, fresh from New Faces. His "Nick-Nick" routine directed at a table of about 100 WM Police officers right next to the stage, but what had the whole room aching with laughter, including many black people, was his second half "Chalkie" routine.
We saw many top stars there, Gene Pitney, Roy Orbison, etc.,
 
hello big gee
as luck has it me and my two mates queued that night to see the beatles and we got in.we got drenched that night. they just recorded.. please please me....happy days........ billy regan
 
hello big gee
as luck has it me and my two mates queued that night to see the beatles and we got in.we got drenched that night. they just recorded.. please please me....happy days........ billy regan

Is that when they were playing at The Plaza in Rookery Road, Handsworth?

A bit off-thread, but I heard a tale told by a former pub gaffer in Newcastle who'd booked a band called The Animals, to perform a few weeks hence. In the meantime, they released 'House Of The Rising Sun', which was a massive hit as we all know (dead easy chords to the guitarists amongst us) but they honoured their gig at the pub. Unfortunately, several hundred people turned up that night to see them, and damn near wrecked the place. True or not, I like the story.

G
 
HI GEE
I Remember that night indeed i was there ;along with eric the lead singer of the animals ;
i used to go out with one of his female cousins ;

i hope to se you both soon ; best wishes alan ; astonian;
 
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Alan your memories and people you known never cease to amaze me, i love reading your posts, so when is that book that I am dying to read going to be finished and on the book shelves patty xx
 
hello big gee

yes it was. we used to look forward going to the plaza on a friday night. my two mates split two girls up who were dancing and married them two years later. happy days gee..........bye now ... billy regan
 
Hi Alan,

well, you must have been pretty young, mate, as the Animals' gig I mentioned was in 1964 and in Newcastle-upon-Tyne! I was 18 at the time, and I think I'm a few years older than your good self? Also, the song 'House Of The Rising Sun' is traditional American, probably based on an old English folk song. It has been recorded many times, one of the better-known older recordings being by Roy Acuff in 1941, and I've got it somewhere. Joan Baez also recorded it before the Animals, I think I'm correct in saying. It's a good song, but goes on a bit in my opinion! Incidentally, I saw The New Animals at Tamworth Assembly Rooms a couple of years ago. Only the original drummer remains, can't remember his name. John Somebody? Spencer Davies was on the same bill - I remember him when his band were the resident band at Birmingham University Students Union in the 1960's. And they really were happy days, at least musically.

All the best and see you soon!

Cheers,

G
 
Hi Alan
I think you will find Bob Dylan recorded it a couple of years before the Animals.
I don't think anyone is sure when it was written or who wrote it but some say it was probably written about 90 years ago.
Bill.
 
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Alan your memories and people you known never cease to amaze me, i love reading your posts, so when is that book that I am dying to read going to be finished and on the book shelves patty xx

Patty I don't know whether your comment was directed at me or not, but writing a book about my life as a Brummie, might not be a bad idea. If only I live long enough to finish it. I haven't started it yet, so I better get a move on. Lol
 
House Of The Rising Sun

Here's a link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5tOpyipNJs to a Leadbelly recording of this song, made around 1945. Bill123, I've heard it said that some of the lyrics could well go back to 17th century England. It's about a brothel, actually!

A great deal of American folk and blues songs can be traced back to England, and some to France. Nothing new under the sun, as they say.

G
 
Emerson, Lake and Palmer in 1972
Here's the proof - ticket stub from the Concert - Friday November 24 1972, 2nd Performance at 9.00 P.M.
Ticket Price 85 pence!!
I am sure I have loads more if only I could find them.
ELP 1972.jpg
 
Two, lucky you to have seen ELP. Greg Lake is at the Alex in Brum on Monday 19 November but a bit of an increase in price £27.50. When I first saw Genesis they were at the Odeon, much better atmosphere than NEC.
 
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