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WESTON-SUPER-MARE WINTER GARDENS THE POP AND ROCK YEARS. 1962 - 1973. ARTISTS AND BANDS. Compiled by David Andrews and Stuart Andrews. The Winter Gardens, described by many as the flagship of Weston, has been the venue for many of the country's top bands. Douglas Ashman was the pavilion manager in the 1950s when the Winter Gardens was advertised as 'The mecca of good dancers' and 'Weston's all-year-round rendezvous'. It looked impressive, with coloured floodlights illuminating the front and the rear. The waterfall, also lit up, was surrounded by fragrant trailing shrubs and flowers along the pond. For a time the roof was decked with coloured lights as part of the seafront illuminations. In the mid 1950s Young Dancers' Nights were introduced featuring dancing to live big bands. These proved popular and were renamed Teen and Twenty Dances around about 1958. Again these featured dancing to a big band advertised as dancing to rock, cha-cha and even the charleston with the message 'no squares allowed'. These were held on Wednesdays from 7-10pm and, as the bar was separate, you didn't have to be 18 to get in. THE WINTER GARDENS 1956-1958 YOUNG DANCERS NIGHTS. THE WINTER GARDENS 1958-1961 TEEN AND TWENTY DANCES THE WINTER GARDENS 1962. Ken Birch then became manager of the Winter Gardens, with Basil Flavell the entertainment manager. TEEN AND TWENTY DANCES. July 18th, 1962, Ronnie Hancox and his band played with a special guest. GENE VINCENT with Sounds Incorporated. Vincent became the first rock and roll star to play in Weston. He sang "BE BOP A LULA". THE WINTER GARDENS 1963. GENE VINCENT AND THE BLUE CAPS. A large photo of Gene and the Blue Caps at the Winter Gardens in 1963 appeared in the local newspaper 'The Mercury'. (He also appeared for 2 shows one night at the Odeon - the week before the Beatles came for 6 days in 1963.)  CLIFF BENNETT AND THE REBEL ROUSERS BERT WEEDON staged one of the ROCK AND TWIST NIGHTS TEEN AND TWENTY DANCES renamed TOP TWENTY NIGHTS The Odeon, which was a single screen cinema in the 60s, stopped showing films for a while to make way for The Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers, who appeared there for six nights in July. In August Bert Weedon also played there as did David Frost who appeared with his show and guests for four weeks. THE WINTER GARDENS 1964. The Winter Gardens meanwhile, once again moving with the changes in the music scene, renamed its Teen and Twenty Dances as Top Twenty Nights. After Beatlemania hit Weston in 1963, 1964 proved a quiet year. THE APPLEJACKS. MARTY WILDE. TRENDSETTERS LTD. JOHNNY KIDD AND THE PIRATES. BEAT GROUP CONTESTS TOP TWENTY NIGHTS. The Rolling Stones and The Barron Knights appeared at the Odeon on August 25th 1964. THE WINTER GARDENS 1965. Saturdays were named Saturday Dance Date and usually finished before 12midnight with the main band leaving the stage by 11pm. It's not obvious why The Winter Gardens decided to provide so much for teenagers and young adults. The building itself was under threat of demolition for a new East/West Road which would have linked the seafront with Waterloo Street. The road would have gone by the side of the Winter Gardens and the Royal Hotel. After a debate the scheme was rejected. In April, a Pop Gear Concert was held at the Odeon with Matt Monroe, Susan Maughan and The Animals. THE MOJOS BILLY J KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS THE APPLEJACKS THE ANIMALS JOE BROWN AND THE BRUVVERS UNIT 4+2 THE SWINGING BLUE JEANS THE BARRON KNIGHTS TRENDSETTERS LTD THE HOLLIES SOUNDS INCORPORATED CLIFF BENNETT AND THE REBEL ROUSERS DAVE BERRY AND THE CRUISERS ADAM FAITH AND THE ROULETTES THE HONEYCOMBS WAYNE FONTANA AND THE MINDBENDERS THE NASHVILLE TEENS JOHNNY KIDD AND THE PIRATES THE APPLEJACKS MANFRED MANN THE MOJOS THE SWINGING BLUE JEANS THE 4 PENNIES MARIANNE FAITHFUL THE FOURMOST THE MOODY BLUES GEORGIE FAME AND THE BLUE FLAMES TRENDSETTERS LTD GOLDIE AND THE GINGERBREADS BRIAN POOLE AND THE TREMELOES PETER JAY AND THE JAYWALKERS CLIFF BENNETT AND THE REBEL ROUSERS HERMANS HERMITS TONY JACKSON AND THE VIBRATIONS MANFRED MANN THE NASHVILLE TEENS SOUNDS INCORPORATED THEM (with Van Morrison) THE IVY LEAGUE THE APPLEJACKS THE YARDBIRDS (with Jeff Beck) THE PRETTY THINGS THE BARRON KNIGHTS T BONE WALKER AND THE BLUE JAYS The only blues man to appear. Apparently he was the first blues guitarist to play an amplified acoustic guitar and is best known for his song "Stormy Monday" BILLY J KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS BRIAN POOLE AND THE TREMELOES THE HOLLIES THE SWINGING BLUE JEANS THE MOJOS THE APPLEJACKS GEORGIE FAME AND THE BLUE FLAMES MIKE SHERIDAN AND THE NIGHT RIDERS. THE WASHINGTON DC'S. MAL RYDER AND THE SPIRITS. WEDNESDAYS TOP TWENTY NIGHTS Local and lesser known Bands. including THE JOKERS, THE VOIDS, THE IVEYS, THE BONES , THE SABRES, THE SILHOUETTES , THE AVALONS, THE WITNESS FOUR, BOBBY EUSTON AND THE CLICK, BLUECREW, MARK DUNE AND THE CLUBMEN , THE FALLING LEAVES, THE PRIMITIVES. THE WINTER GARDENS 1966. Wednesdays' Top Twenty Nights were stopped although for a while Disco Dates were laid on. Saturday Dance Dates CHRIS ANDREWS BILLY J KRAMER UNIT 4 +2 THE SORROWS THE FORTUNES THE BARRON KNIGHTS PAUL AND BARRY RYAN GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS GEORGIE FAME THE ROCKIN BERRIES FREDDIE AND THE DREAMERS THE SEARCHERS UNIT 4+2 THE SMALL FACES DAVE BERRY AND THE CRUISERS DAVE DEE DOZY BEAKY MICK AND TICH THE OVERLANDERS CRISPIAN ST PETERS AND THE CANDY CHOIR July 30th - England won the World Cup. GEORGIE FAME THE HOLLIES BRIAN POOLE AND THE TREMELOES THE ALAN PRICE SET THE 4 PENNIES DAVID AND JONATHAN THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP (with Steve Winwood) PINKERTONS ASSORTED COLOURS THE NEW VAUDERVILLE BAND THE BARRON KNIGHTS CLIFF BENNETT AND THE REBEL ROUSERS FREDDIE AND THE DREAMERS PAUL AND BARRY RYAN THE WINTER GARDENS 1967 THE ALAN PRICE SET DAVE DEE DOZY BEAKY MICK AND TICH ADGE CUTLER AND THE WURZELS Folk Concert with Fred Wedlock The audience went Adge Cutler and The Wurzels crazy with two folk concert appearances and a number of others. The Starlight Room probably ran out of cider! GENO WASHINGTON AND THE RAM JAM BAND THE SMALL FACES THE ROCKIN BERRIES THE EASYBEATS WAYNE FONTANA THE TROGGS ADGE CUTLER.AND THE WURZELS Folk Concert with Fred Wedlock THE BARRON KNIGHTS THE SMALL FACES THE TREMELOES CAT STEVENS GENO WASHINGTON AND THE RAM JAM BAND ADGE CUTLER.AND THE WURZELS THE MOVE THE ALAN PRICE SET THE NEW VAUDEVILLE BAND ADGE CUTLER.AND THE WURZELS DAVE BERRY AND THE CRUISERS GEORGIE FAME DAVE DEE DOZY BEAKY MICK AND TICH PAUL AND BARRY RYAN THE LONG JOHN BALDRY SHOW LJB's backing band at the time went by the name of Bluesology and included Reg Dwight on keyboards. THE MOVE JOHN WALKER AND THE TECHNIQUE EPISODE SIX (with Ian Gillan and Roger Glover who went on to join Deep Purple). ERIC BURDON AND THE ANIMALS THE LONG JOHN BALDRY SHOW CHRIS FARLOWE THE TREMELOES THE ALAN PRICE SET THE EASYBEATS DAVE DEE DOZY BEAKY MICK AND TICH FREDDIE AND THE DREAMERS GEORGIE FAME THE BARRON KNIGHTS CLIFF BENNETT AND THE REBEL ROUSERS AMEN CORNER THE WINTER GARDENS 1968. THE TROGGS January 13th - PINK FLOYD It was a rare gig as a five piece band with both Syd Barrett and new guitarist Dave Gilmour. CAT STEVENS THE SEARCHERS GEORGIE FAME PP ARNOLD JIMMY JAMES AND THE VAGABONDS GENO WASHINGTON AND THE RAM JAM BAND. DAVE DEE DOZY BEAKY MICK AND TICH. PROCOL HARUM THE BONZO DOG DOO DAH BAND THE MOODY BLUES THE MOVE THE BARRON KNIGHTS PP ARNOLD THE JEFF BECK GROUP (with Rod Stewart and Ron Wood) THE HERD (with Peter Frampton, the face of 68) THE LOVE AFFAIR JIMMY JAMES AND THE VAGABONDS MARMALADE WAYNE FONTANA THE TREMELOES THE TROGGS THE FREDDY MACK SOUND THE SPENCER DAVIS GROUP THE LOVE AFFAIR GENO WASHINGTON AND THE RAM JAM BAND THE NICE. (with Keith Emerson) Their third album cover has photos of them on Weston's seafront. JIMMY JAMES AND THE VAGABONDS CUPIDS INSPIRATION THE HERD PP ARNOLD THE TREMELOES. THE FREDDIE MACK SOUND. THE FANTASTICS GENO WASHINGTON AND THE RAM JAM BAND THE LOVE AFFAIR JIMMY JAMES AND THE VAGABONDS AMEN CORNER THE BARRON KNIGHTS SAVOY BROWN BLUES BAND FLEETWOOD MAC DAVE DEE DOZY BEAKY MICK AND TICH STATUS QUO THE LOVE AFFAIR THE TROGGS THE WINTER GARDENS 1969 THE BONZO DOG DOO DAH BAND THE CASUALS CHICKEN SHACK (with Christine 'Perfect' McVie) THE FANTASTICS JIMMY JAMES AND THE VAGABONDS SPENCER DAVIS GENO WASHINGTON AND THE RAM JAM BAND THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN Did he wear his helmet of flames to sing his hit 'Fire'? Arthur's touring drummer was Carl Palmer. THE GUN ALAN BOWN THE BONZO DOG BAND THE PRETTY THINGS (now a psychedelic band) AMEN CORNER FLEETWOOD MAC. Led by Peter Green. They had just had a massive hit with the brilliant single "Albatross". THE FANTASTICS CUPIDS INSPIRATION HARMONY GRASS GENO WASHINGTON AND THE RAM JAM BAND. CHICKEN SHACK JIMMY JAMES AND THE VAGABONDS JETHRO TULL THE BARRON KNIGHTS TEN YEARS AFTER A few months later Ten Years After appeared at Woodstock!!! PLASTIC PENNY PINK FLOYD Pink Floyd returned and also stayed in one of the hotels near to the Winter Gardens for a few days afterwards, enjoying some hot sunny weather ALAN BOWN THE BONZO DOG BAND. BLODWYN PIG JIMMY JAMES AND THE VAGABONDS FREDDIE MACK EXTRAVAGANZA THE MOVE DAVE DEE DOZY BEAKY MICK AND TICH MARMALADE GENO WASHINGTON AND THE RAM JAM BAND DESMOND DECKER AND THE ACES THE EQUALS VANITY FARE CLOUDS THE BANDWAGON THE TREMELOES LEE DORSEY  DEEP PURPLE The loudest rock band in the world, appeared with Weston born Ritchie Blackmore on lead guitar. Ritchie lived in Weston for a few years and is recognised as one of the best rock guitarists in the world. What a night! CHICKEN SHACK MARY JOHNSON 1910 FRUITGUM COMPANY SAVOY BROWN JIMMY JAMES AND THE VAGABONDS MIGHTY BABY YES DOBIE GILLIS BOB KERRS WHOOPEE BAND THE FOUNDATIONS It was clear that the Saturday Dance Date title was no longer suitable and it was changed to Saturday Scene. Up to now almost all the dances had The Ken Birch Band as the resident house band. It played mainly 50s dance music and the other support was usually a lounge bar combo. It was a weird set-up and the main bands probably wondered what they had let themselves into. The audience, however, was only there to see the big names. So who financed all this? Well, believe it or not, it was the local council. How much did it cost? Well up to now the most you would have paid was 8 shillings and 6 pence in advance in old money. That's about 40p. THE WINTER GARDENS 1970 LIVERPOOL SCENE / EIRE APPARENT JON HISEMANS COLOSSEUM This gig (10th January) nearly didn't happen as the group van had broken down at London airport. The band phoned the Winter Gardens at 7pm and said they would do their best to make it. They travelled to Weston Super Mare by car and borrowed equipment from the support band TIME CYCLE. THE MOVE CLOUDS / CIRCUS SAM APPLE PIE EDGAR BROUGHTON BAND THE GUN / HARDIN AND YORK TYRANNOSAURUS REX When Tyrannosaurus Rex appeared Marc Bolan reportedly said he had the horrors when he saw the other band (Ken Birch) and breathed a huge sigh of relief when it became clear that the audience was there to see him. The original stage was very low and the first half of Marc's set was acoustic, with the musicians sat on the stage floor. During the second electric set they stood up, and it was the first glimpse of the performers that many fans present actually had. Backstage Marc Bolan was seen checking his football pools results from one of the staff's Green Un paper. CHICKEN SHACK DEEP PURPLE Deep Purple returned and seemed even louder. CHRISTINE PERFECT Christine Perfect (McVie) with a rare solo appearance. FAT MATTRESS JUICY LUCY THE MOVE Weston College presents MOTT THE HOOPLE. PRINCIPAL EDWARDS MAGIC THEATRE COLOSSEUM ARRIVAL QUINTESSENCE They were the nicest smelling musicians to appear, filling the Pavilion with incense and joss sticks BLACK SABBATH THE FOUNDATIONS STEAMHAMMER JUICY LUCY CHICKEN SHACK WRITING ON THE WALL. WHITE PLAINS FAMILY VAN DER GRAFF GENERATOR FAT MATTRESS BLACK WIDOW JUDAS JUMP EVERYONE DADDY LONGLEGS THE STRAWBS They appeared with new member keyboards wizard Rick Wakeman BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST / STACKRIDGE October 31st TEN YEARS AFTER This gig sold out and at the peak of the band's performance 8 fans fainted! The newspaper review said they were treated by St. Johns Ambulance. EAST OF EDEN RARE BIRD BLODWYN CHICKEN SHACK. MATTHEWS SOUTHERN COMFORT Dec. 26th JUICY LUCY / STACKRIDGE / BUCEPHALUS The new college had a theatre and a number of concerts were held there. One featured Denny Laine, before he joined Paul McCartney's Wings, with his group Balls. THE WINTER GARDENS 1971 Jan. 2nd AUDIENCE / BIRTH / MENTAL BREAKDOWN FLEETWOOD MAC This was probably the last time guitarist Jeremy Spencer played with the band in England. Days later they went to America and Jeremy disappeared and joined a religious cult. BLACK WIDOW GINGER BAKERS AIRFORCE MICK ABRAHAMS BAND ELIAS HULK THE KEEF HARTLEY BAND / ARGENT THE TREMELOES THE EQUALS T.REX Marc Bolan's T Rex returned and were now glam rock and in the charts with their second single, Hot Love. THE GROUNDHOGS / BLONDE ON BLONDE SKID ROW Up to now there had been some brilliant guitarists who had played at the Winter Gardens but one name was missing. That was put right in 1971 when Skid Row made a number of appearances with Gary Moore. You can try to find a better guitarist but you'll struggle. STATUS QUO / GRASS THE LOVE AFFAIR GRAHAM BOND MARMALADE THE LOVE AFFAIR another college double bill PRETTY THINGS / HAWKWIND. MARMALADE ASSAGAI ATOMIC ROOSTER Atomic Rooster told the Mercury that it was one of the best places to play. They blew a fuse during their set and drummer Paul Hammond played a drum solo while it was repaired. He claimed to have the largest drum kit in the world. OSIBISA COLOSSEUM Colosseum returned and the review in the Mercury said the audience only got up three times, once to applaud the drum solo, once for an encore and once to go home! CURVED AIR / MICK ABRAHAMS BAND / MARK ELLINGTON ASHTON, GARDENER, DYKE THE EQUALS GEORGIE FAME / ALAN PRICE WILD TURKEY Glenn Cornick's Wild Turkey set was stopped early when a fight broke out on the dance floor. WILD ANGELS ST CECILIA PICKETTYWITCH KING CRIMSON King Crimson played a game of football on the sands with support band Birth prior to the gig McGUINESS FLINT SKID ROW BLACK WIDOW / GENTLE GIANT THE GROUNDHOGS. LINDISFARNE Lindisfarne had an audience of 1,300 (not a sell out) and were called back for three encores. THE SWEET Fleetwood Mac cancelled and Sweet appeared instead, the music was labelled 'bubblegum music' but they were about to become one of the biggest glam rock bands. WARM DUST / DUSTER BROWN / BRIAN AUGER CURVED AIR. Curved Air appeared again on New Year's Eve. The gig was a sell out and set new records. THE WINTER GARDENS 1972 The last full year of appearances came in 1972. The management tried hard to get Fleetwood Mac back but they cancelled three times. Gary Glitter was pencilled in but, fortunately, never made it. Wishbone Ash cancelled after all its equipment was stolen a few weeks before the gig. THE KEEF HARTLEY BAND SUPERTRAMP / TIR NA NOG STEELEYE SPAN THE EQUALS THE STRAWBS PROCOL HARUM THE GROUNDHOGS PATTO THE FLIRTATIONS CURVED AIR STACKRIDGE DANTA PETER SARSTEDT PROCOL HARUM LINDISFARNE URIAH HEEP DAVID BOWIE David Bowie appeared with his 'Spiders from Mars' in his Ziggy Stardust period. This was the turning point in his career and afterwards, as we all know, he became a superstar. There was a bomb scare on the night and it was evacuated. It's said that 1800 went out and then 2500 came back in. Staff thought it was a great scam and fun. ATOMIC ROOSTER THE FANTASTICS MOTT THE HOOPLE THE PLAINS / ASGARD CHICKEN SHACK / JUICY LUCY EAST OF EDEN THE ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA Slade were due to appear but couldn't make it at the last moment. STACKRIDGE D'ABO CURVED AIR Curved Air returned with Weston guitarist Graham Gregory whose previous bands included Maya and Armada. ROD STEWART AND THE FACES / NAZERETH Atomic Rooster was due to return again but cancelled, so instead we got a cracking replacement - Rod Stewart and The Faces with Nazareth and Forester Brown all for £1. As you would expect, it was another sell out. ROXY MUSIC PENTANGLE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD NAZERETH RALPH McTELL PRINCIPAL EDWARDS Broadoak School held an end-of-term dance with Principal Edwards who had appeared in Weston a number of times and you only had to be 14 to gain admission. THE STRAWBS ARGENT THE WINTER GARDENS 1973 SLADE Slade came and honoured their cancelled 1972 gig. It was another sell out. Support band ALBERT came in a Range Rover which they parked on the sands (mud) and the expensive new vehicle had to be rescued quickly before the tide came in. THE ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA LABI SIFFRE / MAGNA CARTA BLACKFOOT SUE HOME CHICKEN SHACK The last Weston College students' dance was held with Chicken Shack, who had played so many times in the town over the years. FAIRPORT CONVENTION STEAMHAMMER The last Saturday Scene was on June 9th and featured STACKRIDGE. |
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The reasons given for the sudden halt in bookings was that it was becoming too expensive and bands were becoming increasingly unreliable. The Winter Gardens has changed over the years and has been extended. If you go into the ballroom you will find that fortunately, yet sadly, it is still almost the same. The only difference I noticed was that the stage has been replaced and is now higher. It's not going to make any money if it remains largely unused and we know what happens to places that run out of money. Another case of use it or lose it? This is only part of an untold story so if you have any stories, memories, photos or recordings don't keep them to yourself, contact the North Somerset Museum in Burlington Street, or email me d.andrews23@hotmail.com |
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