I was a DJ at The Cellar club, The Tavern, Change Is, Sloopys, The Dolce Vita, The New Caverndish and a few more. I was quite good friends with Russell Smith, son of baileys owner, John Smith and I remember the house band at the Latino having a mad Australian front man. I was so petrified that I felt that every part of my body froze. I always say that a photograph is a moment of time captured, that youll never get back! Now a block of flats. Met some real characters. Id listen to the bands, be dazzled by the girls! 30 left on 9 February 2013. I still have the Badfinger single I won off the DJ in my treasure box. I later joined the Gamblers backing Billy Fury. Men I have one photograph of me in Sloopys in 1970. The Oxford Galleries opened as a ballroom in 1925 and was a popular haunt for dancers through to the late sixties. The lion was not part of the act, the guy just had it as a pet,it was amazing when he walked into the club with the lion on the lead. After the gig was finished Joe was going home and this band of youngsters were sitting in the arcade, one of them said Joe, lend us 10 bob to get some chips, were skint and starving so Joe took pity and obliged, that band turned out to be the Faces and the kid he loaned the 10 bob to was Rod Stewart, Joe was always moaning he never got his 10 bob back. What a night!!!!!!! Youve managed to make a truly great website even better THANK YOU!!! The Downbeat was another of Mike Jefferys clubs. Starting with the Downbeat Jazz Club in 1960 and most of the other venues mentioned. Loved the stories behind the venues and the old photos. Ah, Dusk! to be just a newcastle club owner & darn with the peace & love universal. The sixties may have belonged to London but in the seventies The NE was the place to be for the clubs! Vogue. I remember you, Dave Elliott, Bob Anderson and my other dads mate Alf. Near the North/South Shields ferry landing. I was told that Davey FINLAY my dad was sent to prison for 10 years for something done down the country but as I dont really know him I cant say. He was from Sunderland and used to come and meet me after school when I was in my school uniform. Lol. Roger, thanks for a great website, it continues to bring back memories some good, some bad and some unprintable. The Kon-Tors didnt play original music but were a great cover band. Both great clubs and bring back so many brilliant memories, we chose Change Is upstairs for our engagement party in November 1974 and once again not a single photo!I Such a shame it all came to an end way too soon. Man that was a great band. Used to visit all the above clubs including the strange Muscle Inn..the Downbeat was something else.I cant even remember a Gents toilet being there.but there was a backyard that we used! La Strada in South Shields opened around 1962 and ran throughout the 1960s. Had some good nights at the Majestic. Cheers. "These areas were thriving communities - and people love to reminisce by looking at old photographs and sharing stories.. which was poor quality, scratches etc. One of our group was Pat Carling. If Pete is still around you could use my email to get them together. Tatler Club in the Haymarket. How long would it take you to save for the home of your dreams? I have tried unsuccessfully to find photos but no one took photos way back then and so all of those precious moments and memories were never captured. I went to Change Is probably from 1969 until Scamps opened at the end of 1973. Uncle Bob n Uncle Alf. I was born in a Newcastle club (the Hillfield on Grainger Park Road, which my parents owned) and spent a lot of my late teens at the Pickwick in Whitley Bay (my home town), with frequent trips to Newcastle and the big-city night spots, mainly the Agogo, followed by the Cavendish and the Dolce Vita, or Greys if we were a bit flush. It has been lovely reading through these posts , brought a smile to my face x. I,VE JUST REMEMBERED I WAS THE DJ on the opening night of Sloopys the disco above La Dolce Vita. ideal for struggling musicians. Nice to see the Dolce vita, too. The Cavendish Club at the bottom of Grey Street opened as a nightclub in the early sixties and became part of the Bailey Group. The Criterion, on the right, Ocean Road, South Shields, 1970s (Norman Dunn), The Neptune Inn, South Shields Pubs, by Eileen Burnett, published by Amberley, The Tyne Dock Hotel, South Shields, 1938. any help would be great as they are my great uncles. it was Alfie wright who owned the Crescendo Club at Whitley Bay, not Ray Grehan, trust me I opened it Closed to become Ocean & Collins and has since rebranded as Bliss and is now Voodoo. They did a lovely beans on toast. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); But if you were there and you cant remember much, then this site will jog your memory, at least about the local north east music scene of the mid to late sixties. Find what you're looking for about Nightclubs in South Shields with city-visitor. We made many friends and had a wonderful time with so many happy memories. Ill never forget it. But I am sure that they also got a lot of bands from London. My mother Barbara Berg who worked At the Gogo when she was younger is in the second picture, along with the blonde lady on the right who is my Aunty Joan Tenniswood (young) who also worked there! The late Mike Carr appeared there as well as his brother Mike(vibes). No ones mentioned Nelson Street jazz club. JT, Hi Micky Dunn/ John Taberham, The Quay Club, which opened in 1965, was a popular venue in the sixties. Does anyone remember seeing Dick Haymes at either La Dolce Vita or Greys & The Cavendish in the 1960s? Ended up working for the Bailey Org, for short time, I think they kinda helped ruin the scene though. I spent so many happy weekends there in the 70s and remember being devastated when it closed down and we all had to transfer to the dolce. could.nt aford a leather jacket I was an early mod, not wantin any botha, then bought me 1st real bike from kens on westgate road. AGE OF AQUARIUS future existence. Jean (still dancing) x. I can still remember the feeling of excitement as you stepped down each dark stair til you opened the door and the whole place came alive, with music, gorgeous people and the amazing music which never sounded the same anywhere else and still doesnt! so it was really interesting to read the posts from Dave Pinder, Shani Lawn and Jo Slater, who also have connections to that time. Billy Bottos. ANNE MILLAR (TAYLOR) I DONT REMEMBER THE VENUE ANNE, BUT WE WORKED ALL OF THE AREA IN THE SIXTIES. Drink and lack of sleep took its toll.The candle which I burnt at both ends went out in 1977. Thank you. South Shields is a coastal town in the North East of England at the mouth of the River Tyne, about 3.7 miles (6.0 km) downstream from Newcastle upon Tyne. It had a bad name she said. Are you David Coates from the Felling and Ken Cooper from Windy Nook ? away from him: Jeffrey managed the ANIMALS & JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE like small club bands. The Old Ship Inn 8 Bars & Clubs By Fairydusters It's like stepping back in time in this bar. Great article. Read more about the Mayfair Ballroom on this link. Unfortunately I am not able to see them as I am not on Facebook. When the Grey Street premises closed in the mid-seventies, the New Cavendish opened at the site previously occupied by Change Is and Bloomers on Bath Lane. I was about 17 when Wilson Picket pulled me up onto the tiny stage at the Newcastle Club aGoGo Jazz Lounge. John and I are celebrating our 39th wedding anniversary today and so have been looking back to when we first met in two very special nightclubs in newcastle (long gone but never forgotten) mainly Change Is (later known as Bloomers) and our very favourite place Scamps. Eileen said: As we get older, we look back with nostalgia at the things we remember from our youth, places we visited, had once passed or had been told about. 2. As well as the Crescendo he ran the Club Tempo in London and the Pentland Club in Edinburgh. Thanks theses lists and memories are priceless but who can remember the truly horrible bands? He now lives in High Heaton I believe. I loved the clubs The downbeat where the animals used to play, great memories to treasure. Great site look forward to any info. I have never heard of Tom Oxley, but would love to know more. It was fun to meet and party with many stars of the times, Marty Wylde, Kathy Kirby etc. Fantastic!!!!! Hi I used to go to most of the clubs and dance halls in Newcastle the Gogo Downbeat Dolce Oxford Galleries but mostly the Majestic Ballroom where I first saw Rue and the Rockets who were from Carlisle and are still playing. Spent lots of time at the Club Ago Go on Percy Street and at Windows listening to the latest music in the booths wearing headphones. Also the GoGo and the majestic, many others wish I could turn the clock back, just to revisit these places. Yours nostalgically Hi, could anybody please give me any information about my father geoff manning aka harry branson gorst, who married my MOTHER, irene graham. i used to go to the old cellar club in south Shields i/m sure it did/nt sell alcohol then, any way my mam bought me a can can petticoat and it was made of lace that was starched and when us girs sat down the petticoat was a massive sea of lace and our [sussies and stockings] were often on view!! Bernie was the organist and his brother another name that eludes me were both from Sunderland. My old mans band (Alan NIcholson snr). HiFred If you have any photographs of that time I would love to see them. Quite a long time ago that Pete Wallis (ex Juncos and Gamblers) was trying to make contact with any of the Gamblers boys. Exciting times. Hi Anna #156. Later, graduated on to the Cavendish and Greys, dont know what happened to Sect. The original building has been demolished and has been replaced by a modern block, which now houses offices and a restaurant. Met my husband there and saw some great bands and stood next to Eric Burdon at the bar. Served lovely meals and had big Manny Burgo, ex-boxer on the door. re comment by margaret duz comment no. Myself and Ken Cooper were friends from Broadwood Junior school and we started going into town aged 14, as rockers with Brylcream quiffs, Jackson the Tailor drapes, drainpipes and beetle crushers and walking around in circles at the Maj Westgate road. The Greg Burman Sound was resident at the Quay Club and I will never forget Greg showing me the proper way to play James Browns I Feel Good top bloke. There is a good article by The Evening Chronicle when the last record went on sale in auction. Change Is opened with a flourish on 9th February 1969 with a promise of first class entertainment from the best acts around. Pete Wallis. 15 years of age in 1962. my 1st beer was in the railwaiy, whist livin on hillheads road. I went to a place in 1972 which I knew only as the dive bar and could never understand why. My dad nicknamed one of youre daughters shoulders I think her name was Siobhan or Dionne or something? A former South Shields nightclub is set to return to the town for one night only - and even has the support of Little Mix star Jade Thirwall.