Off to the 50th Anniversary of the original tour in sheffield in October. Seen this a few timea now, always a full on experience.
Bay Hotel one monday night, in front of about 30 people, most thought it was free, think it was about 2 bob , couple of years later 2,000 + at the Locarno, I saw them 5 or 6 times altogether every performance was memorable, Kossoff exceptional showman .
Even luckier git. Too early for me, I'll have been about 5 or 6, but listen to both regularly. Two I really wish I'd seen. I reckon Paul Rodgers has got one of finest voices in rock.
You would have loved those days mate, on very little money and travelling time you could usually see two or three live shows a week sometimes within touching distance .
A Change is Gonna Come - The Vintage Explosion (youtube.com Not my normal type of music to listen to but what a voice this bloke has.
I would, I know. Hendrix, The Who, Free, Led Zep, Sabbath, Jethro Tull to name a few I would have loved to have seen around that time. Sunderland was on just about all the bands venues to play I think...was it The Locarno Ballroom they used to play? I've seen pics of Hendrix at the City Hall, must have been class seeing all these on their way up.
The live music scene really got going at the Bay Hotel when the Doorman Jeff Docherty (with advice and help from local musicians living in London and later disc jockey John Peel ) began to book bands for the Ball Room, the venue became too small, and he had quickly became a full time promoter, utilising The Mayfair in Newcastle and The Locarno in Sunderland .
One of my first concerts Snaggey. 1968 at the City Hall Newcastle and I was 14 years old. From the mists of my clouded mind this was the line up (I am sure I am missing someone) Yes The Small Faces The Crazy World of Arthur Brown Joe Cocker and the Grease Band The Who Tickets were 15 shillings which in todays money is 75p
