I’m indebted to Ken Jones formly of Bright Eyes who sent me a list of gigs he either went to or had record, form the Town Hall, an oft overlooked important music venue in the country. The period spans 1964-1974 and reads like a who’s who of rock royalty. I have to say editing it for the site I couldn’t believe the unbelievable gigs at the venue. I’ve taken out a load of gigs in other Brum venues as I’ll add them to the site under the appropriate venue.
I’ve waited this long to get them on the site so I could tie it into a small research project I’m doing called Virtual Music Trails. I’ll post more news on this as it comes to fruition.
In the meantime, a huge thank you to Ken and I hope you enjoy the gig listing!
There Are Currently 9 Comments for this Post
Some Town Hall Concert Dates for you to add. Dates from Tickets……….
Taste – 10.04.1970
Procol Harum – 07.03.1973
John Mayall – 06.05.1973
Loudon Wainwright – 09.06.1973
Mahavishnu Orchestra – 20.06.19
Rory Gallagher – 03.12.1973 ( Rory played solo band stuck on motorway
Rory Gallagher – 22.12.1973 ( Hastily rearranged return gig.
Procol Harum – 24.03.1974
Jose Feliciano – 19.04.1974
Alan Stivell – 22.05.1974
Loudon Wainwright – 26.11.1974
Oscar Peterson – 06.03.1977
John Martyn – 21.11.1978
Albert King – 08.07.1992
Buddy Guy – 22.05.1993.
Sorry just found some more………
Rory Gallagher – 23.02.1973
Sonny Terry Brownie McGee – 06.05.1974
Rory Gallagher – 15.12.1975
re: Procul Harem 23rd March 74
Was this the gig when the Very Wonderful Viv Stanshall (supporting, as Viv Stanshall’s Vivarium) fell off stage and broke a leg/ankle?
Incidentally, I was also at Rory Gallagher’s gig in 1973 when the band got held up in fog on the motorway and couldn’t make it to the Town Hall. Rory came out, explained what had happened to the band and promised to play again at a later date, this time with the Band, and for free!!
I remember his brother Donal was drafted in to play keyboards (IIRC) and a roadie on drums. Instead of doing the few songs Rory said he would, he did two hours and followed that with two encores…..a true guitar hero of mine.
Simon
am I imagining this but didn’t Van Morrison join him onstage too at the first gig ? We’d nearly given up and gone home, and then one were treated to one of my favourite gigs, out of the blue! He was always fantastic at Brum Town Hall
Hi there Nick, just read your comments….so pleased to read something from someone else who was there. To my recollection though, Van didn’t join Rory on stage, it was just him, not sure who was on bass, a roadie on drums, possibly his brother Donal on keyboards. What I definitely remember was Rory apologising for the band being stuck in fog, but that he’d play ‘just a few numbers’ for those who’d managed to get to the gig despite it. Instead, we were treated to all the classics in his catalogue for 2 hours, plus two encores, by which time we were rocking their socks off! And true to his word, he and the band returned for a ‘proper gig’ a week or so later. No Charge either, just showed my old ticket at the door. One of my musical Heroes….
I saw Oscar Peterson three times at the Brum Town Hall – twice playing solo and once in a trio setting. Can’t remember the dates – late 70’s and early 80’s. He was godlike, a complete master of the piano.
My trick in those days, when I didn’t have much money and used to buy cheap seats, was to eye up a vacant seat close to the stage and then make a beeline for it at the first opportunity. I got really close to Oscar, BUT I discovered he had a habit of tapping with his other foot (the one not on the pedal) and mumbling along to the tune. So I moved back!
When I saw him in a trio – with Louis Bellson on drums (I forget the bassist) – there was such applause at the end he had to play two encores. This was a truly great concert. My friend came out with the classic understatement: ‘They do a good turn”.
My first ever experience of live American jazz was the Clark Terry Sextet at Brum Town Hall. This was 1975 or 76. It was stunning. These black guys were so far ahead of any British jazz musicians. The six of them made a sound like an orchestra.
In addition to the gigs already posted I remember Traffic, Wishbone Ash, Uriah Heep and Status Quo supported by Savoy Brown
My first ever gig was at Birmingham Town Hall – Curved Air – December 17th 1971.
My best ever gig was also at Birmingham Town Hall – Mahavishnu Orchestra – July 20th, 1972.
What a fantastic venue too!