La Dolce Vita night club in Birmingham was opened by Lance Percival in 1967. Our aim is to build a complete list of gigs at Dolce Vita. Here’s a start but we need your help!
Plastic Penny 23/06/68
Celebrating Birmingham's Popular Music History
Celebrating Birmingham's Popular Music History
La Dolce Vita night club in Birmingham was opened by Lance Percival in 1967. Our aim is to build a complete list of gigs at Dolce Vita. Here’s a start but we need your help!
Plastic Penny 23/06/68
Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
This work by Birmingham Music Archive is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
There Are Currently 44 Comments for this Post
I saw Light Fantastic her in 1971 ish
I remember taking my girl friends their saw Shawaddy waddy and some Reggea bands, stayed behind one Sat night when they turned the main lights on the carpet looked horrific. Roger
I was there to see Showadywady. My wife was pregnat and missed the whole show being sick. A great night!
Showaddywaddy 1973 great night 👍
I worked the ‘Dolce’ and its sister club, the Cavandish, (nr the Swan, Yardley) in the very late 60s/early 70s as a drummer with a couple of bands, one was Sunstroke. We supported the Avons, the Hollies, Tommy Roe (Dizzy), Dick Emery (who was marvelous fun) and a few others. The manageress was a blonde lady with a wonderful smile and tits bigger than your head. I remember the waitresses being particularly nice and dated one called Chris, who was a head taller than me. The contrast between the glitzy public arena and backstage was indeed stark with the latter finest unpainted breezeblock. I saw some great artistes there but by far the best was The Hollies.
Do you remember Derek Johns who I believed managed/owned the club in the 60’s some time?
In the early 70’s I saw Roy Castle, a brilliant Australian Hypnotist whose name has slipped my mind, and the greatest one man stage act ever, the late Tommy Cooper. My jaw ached after an hour and a half.of his comedy.
Martin St James was the hypnotist at the Dolce Vita Birmingham
The Australian hypnotist was Martin St James.
worked at the dolca casino and part time dj and host at the club ,still djing and run retrosoundsdj.com
colin roberts retrosounds dj face book
would love to hear from any one from them times or any one who used to go the rainbow suite the mayfaire soundwave disco at the silver blades henrys blues houes the parisian pub,
cheers ,
colin.
I worked at the dolce as a dancer from 1973-1974. The resident band then we’re called the ides of March. I too saw the hypnotist, tommy cooper, and many many more. I even shared a dressing room with Johnny Johnson’s bandwagon. I can list many of the artists. I got autographs from many of the. Bernard manning. Mike Reid. Norman wisdom. Carl Wayne. Showaddywaddy. Polynesian dance review, sweet sensation, real thing, I loved it there.
Hi it’s Sue also a dancer at both La Dolce Vita and bloomers, I was working around 73 / 74 I moved on to other Bailey clubs in Liverpool Stoke on Trent etc.. Do u remember me blonde shoulder length hair?
Hi, Sue,
Yes, I remember you.
I also have a staff photo which may have you on it.
Deb
Hi Sue, I remember you very well. I was assistant manager at Bloomers and then the ldv under Tony Sprang. How the devil are you Paul
Hi Deb, I used to go to the Dolce from around 1970, met my now wife there around 1971. Great days or nights, fantastic entertainment, oh how I wish there was somewhere like that today. Do you remember Kenny Robbins he was the manager at the time and there was another guy called Lindsey Hustler, it was Kenny’s mate, not sure what he did. Happy days eh?
Hi, Geoff.
The manager when I first started there was a middle aged chap who used to be a singer. Can’t remember the name of the group he sang with right now. [Age is a terrible handicap to memory]. OH, yes, I remember now – he used to be one of the Dallas Boys, apparently. He dated my sister for a short while. His successor was Mr Spragg. [I think] I have a photo of him somewhere, saved on my pc. Happy days, eh!?!
I worked there in 1966 when it first opened. Many great stars of their time including Bob Monkhouse, Dave Allen, Michael Bentine, Lionel Blair, Martin St James, Showaddy waddy, Mickey Curtis and the Samurai and many motown groups. The cabaret room had three bars including the Long Bar. There was a disco half way up the stairs between the Latino lounge where meals were served while a trio played and the cabaret room. There was a wimpy bar next door to the club where we took our breaks. The bar manager and myself a barman were the only two men amidst dozens of barmaid and waitresses, heaven for an eighteen year old. Would have worked there for nowt.
would you remember Derek johns who I think was the owner/manager for a period?
In the 60’s does anyone remember a resident singer name Janet Starr or Janet Evans
My first professional gig as resident singer with the band Coda..1979…I think?… loved this place.
I had the resident band there in 1973. We worked with Del Shannon/Bobby Vee/Hank Marvin & John Farrar/The Fortunes/Showaddywaddy, and many many more….Happy happy days….we had a compere and 2 blonde dancers as well……….
Three. There were three blond dancers.
2 full times and a part timer.
I saw with a friend from Nuneaton The Alan Price Set on the 25th of July 1968 there.
It was the first of many times I saw Alan play live. It was such a great performance.
With Paul Williams in the Set. They started with “The time has come” and we were sitting on a table straight at the stage. When the brass section set in, it really blew me away.
Oh what amazing times and memories!!!
I know Dave Berry was apppearing there on Dec 19th 1975 as he was staying with us in Hall Green, Birmingham as we went to the club after her third birthday party.
I started working as a drinks waitress at the Dolce on the 18th December 1973.I met the man of my dreams on the 20th December. As he started to take me home he stated working as a doorman.We celebrated our 40 th wedding anniversary this year.Tonight we will celebrate the day we met 43 years ago at the wonderful La Dolce Vita Birmingham.
Marie & Mac
Congratulations!!
I was in the miss night club 1970-71 bob monkhouse hosted it! All contestants went to watch the golden shot! Can’t find any pictures of the night! Has any one got any photo’s of that night? Love to see some!
Looking for pictures for miss night club! Hosted by bob mokhouse has any one got any of this night! Would love to see some!
I played here with a band called the real thing in 1972. e went on to other things but i remember this was the first gig we did after forming
I worked at La Dolce Vita from 1969 as a waitress two girls I remember Annie Pearman and Gretta, Sheila St clair was the manager and after her Bill Anderson, the band was the Johnny Woodham trio and my husband was the bass player, ,,great place to work.
Johnny Woodhead.
Hi Linda i was the bar manager at the time Bill Alderson was manager, I went out with Annie Pearson, didn’t the drum players partner work with you on the cocktail bar? if you are on facebook my wife June can befriend you.Bunny Hedges
dj and croupier from 1974 till the dolca closed i am on face book if you want to get in touch its colin roberts retrosoundsdj
Hi Bunny I remember you well, didn’t you and Annie move into the flat under us.I have recently got back in touch with Annie, would love to hear from you.x
Looking for any photo’ of miss night club hosted by bob monkhouse early 70’s carol
Play there with a local band the Blend on the bill with Roy Or bison it was his birthday
he bought watches for his band members, also the grumble weeds
I worked in the Dolce Vita during the early 70’s as a dancer it was just fantastic .
I would like to know what was the name of the chain who ran these clubs all over UK I just can’t remember.
I was there during the appearance (for the first time after opportunity knocks) of The Real Thing, worked with Dave Allen, and many more.
Bailey Organation
I worked at the Dolce Vita in the early 1970’s with Roy Orbison. There was a sweet girl working there called Grace. A waitress getting some money together before going off to University. Good memories.
Worked as a dancer at the Dolce la Vita in the 70s Brother Lees Frankie Vali Shawaddy Waddy also Cavendish Club Great fun!
Does anyone remember a lady working there late 60’s named Sheila Tayles ?
Did I see Favid Essex there. Ot was that the night out?
I worked La Dolce Vita as a 17 year old guitar vocalist Val Joyce opening for Anita Harris
the week of the 26th August to the 1st September 1973. The Ides of March were the backing group and they were fab. Two IRA bombs went of in Solihull on the Wednesday of that week.i
I remember being on a work course for a month approx. July/August 1975 and we all used to go to La Dolce Vita at night for a fair few drinks. I’m not really sure how we completed the course as the social life was much better. So much so that I still remember the club name some 45 years later and decided to have a quick look to see if there was any info about it. lol.