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I remember this gig very well because at the time the Kursaals were being touted as the new big thing. If you watch the Rick Wakeman-narrated BBC4 documentary about life on the road in the 60s and 70s for British bands, they have a lot of footage of the Kursaals on this tour, even though they don’t bother interviewing Paul Shuttleworth. It was a miserable January night and not many people came. You could tell that because we arrived late and the space between the sound desk and the stage wasn’t filled up. The NME reported on the gig and said it didn’t have much of an impact, “but at least the locals got up and danced”. That was basically me and my friend Brian More – because there was so much space.
From Frank Hopkinson
Motorhead arrived late because they had been recording for TOTP, then had taken a private plane to Staverton Glos, and a car to Malvern – when they arrived, they walked straight in through the hall to the stage. The loudest band I’ve ever heard… I remember being half-way back from the stage and looking down – my trousers legs were flapping from the sound waves. Deaf for 3 days – fabulous !
As a member of the original Falcons (formed in 1958) we played the Malvern Winter Gardens a number of times at the famous Saturday Night Dances, alongside the Eric Benson Dance Band and the Dennis Wheeler band. Packed audiences in the ballroom, loads of people in the Pump Room and last but not least queues for drinks in the bar. The Winter Gardens in Malvern was a unique venue for top artists but also for local talent. The organisation always supported this and the dancegoers, the fans & the followers never let us down. The attendances were invarioubly as high as for the professionals. Saw many top artists (hundreds) during this great and unforgettable period. The memories will never be erased …….. Dave Edwards
I was there as well. Adam Faith was at the top of the hit parade in December, 1961. I spent 3 months helping out at the Winter Gardens before joining the RAF in Jan 1962. As it was a sit-down concert we set out 100s of chairs in the ballroom. Every place was taken and it was a great performance. Dave Edwards
At this T-Rex show my now husband of 48 years was bass player in the support band Rebellion. The line up consisted of Stewart Halion (bass), Rob Mason (drums), Phil Goddard (guitar) and John ‘Spike’ Nolan (vocals).
Oh my god I was there! And yes Mike Fleetwood did indeed announce the cancellation. I was 15 at the time and remember being sooo disappointed!! MWG was one of my favourite haunts and this archive has evoked soo many great memories with fab artists. Those were the days!
I remember everyone singing along to Fog on the Tyne – especially when they got to the lines “ we can swing together, we can have a wee wee, we can have a wet on the wall”
Pink Floyd did not play. The Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation played instead.
A friend and I met Zoot Money and Andy Somers. In 1967 a friend and I worked at a school near the Winter Gardens. Zoot Money and Andy Somers came back to the school kitchen with us, where we attempted to make them a cup of tea in the urn! I have their autographs, and the autographs of other groups such as Manfred Mann, the Spencer Davis group and Nick Mason from Pink Floyd.
My very first ever gig! Magical.
In photo 4 of 4, the big guy lying down at the front is Phil Smith, and from Phil’s haircut and the clothes I would say it was probably 1978 or possibly 1979. Tony H
As I remember, Deep Purple split their set into two parts. After their first set, Taste played a full set, then Deep Purple returned.
Deep Purple were as loud as I have ever heard a band. They also had a strobe light show, so the house lights were dimmed to allow this. That was rare at that time.
This was my first gig at MWG, and to the best of my memory I can confirm this was a full house, but Fleetwood Mac did not turn up. Mick Fleetwood and John McVie went on stage to say that the others were delayed or missing, so all went home with no show. This was not unheard of at that time. I hope somebody else can confirm this.
I am the ‘Charlie’ mentioned in Phil’s diary entry, I am glad he wrote this down as I have little recollection (apart from hitting the kerb on the way home!)
Good luck with your efforts on this. No personal memorabilia to contribute myself, but was a big regular supporter of the Winter Gardens gigs in the earlier years.
The record shop remembered by David Roberts, which was opposite the Great Malvern Hotel (formerly the Beauchamp Hotel) , was called Counterpoint.
I was there at the Adam Faith event and went backstage after and met him briefly with 2 of my friends. One of the great memories of my early teens.
The one thing I remember about this gig is that when John Mayall finished his set, everyone shouted for an encore – but by Ten Years After, not Mayall!
I was playing trumpet with The Derek Bruce Showband on this performance. I remember it very well.
I think The Derek Bruce Showband were the resident band at the time and played every Saturday night and at private functions. I remember many hunt balls which were very raucous affairs. We had to compete for sound against the ‘hunting horns’!!
Billy J Kramer and The Dakotas had just had hits with ‘Bad To Me‘ and ‘Do You Want To Know A Secret‘. The girls were going crazy at the front, and screaming their heads off.
I remember Mr Briggs as being the ballroom manager at the time.
My husband and I got engaged at this gig.
That’s right, Robert. Iain McNay knew Malvern-based producer John Acock, who had worked with Steve Hackett of Genesis. Iain suggested to Mike that he could produce Cherry Red’s first single, Bad Hearts, by The Tights (1978). I believe John went on to produce at least one more release by Cherry Red.
I understand that Cherry Red had a record (or two) produced by my pal John (Bonny) Acock who was from Malvern but worked with many famous bands at the time in London Studios. His younger brother Pete (Bimbo) Acock was, I believe, in The Tom Robinson Band that played The Gardens. He certainly toured with the band (and also Val Doonican Band and Barbara Dickson) about that time.
Sharon’s recollection of Ozzy being “smashed” and underperforming strikes a chord with me also. He was due to appear ahead of Whitesnake on the Sunday at the 1980 Reading Festival but pulled out at the last minute leaving Slade to fill in, who had not gigged for years but brought the house down. I think it was one of Ozzy’s more ‘tired and emotional’ phases.
