

at Pontin's Seacroft Holiday Camp at Hemsby, Great Yarmouth. When that was over, I joined the band with Chipperfield's Circus. It was a hard blow - I remember muddy Newbury Race Course, 7 hour rehearsals in cold tents and bleeding lips.


For the past fifteen years we've been updating the world about jazz in the north east of England and updating the north east of England about jazz in the world. WINNER of the Jazz Media Category in the 2018 All Party Parliamentary Jazz Awards. Contact lanceliddle@gmail.com
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Holly Cooper, Mouthpiece Music: "Lance writes pull quotes like no one else!"
February
Wed 01: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Wed 01: Darlington Big Band @ Darlington & Simpson Rolling Mills Social Club, Darlington. 7:00pm. Rehearsal session (open to the public).
Wed 01: 4B @ The Exchange, North Shields. 7:00pm.
Wed 01: Take it to the Bridge @ The Globe, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Wed 01: Moonlight Serenade Orchestra UK: Glenn Miller & Big Band Spectacular @ Darlington Hippodrome. 7:30pm.
Thu 02: Vieux Carré Jazzmen @ The Holystone, Whitley Road, North Tyneside. 1:00pm. Free.
Thu 02: Gateshead Jazz Appreciation Society @ Gateshead Central Library. 2:30-4:30pm. £1.00. All welcome.
Thu 02: Paul Skerritt Duo @ Tomahawk Steakhouse, High St., Yarm. 8:00pm.
Thu 02: Tees Hot Club @ Dorman's Club, Middlesbrough. 9:00pm. Guests: Dave Archbold (keys); Josh Bentham (tenor sax); Donna Hewwitt (alto sax); Adrian Beadnell (bass).
Fri 03: Classic Swing @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Fri 03: New Orleans Preservation Jazz Band @ Oxbridge Hotel, Stockton. 1:00pm. £5.00.
Fri 03: Rendezvous Jazz @ The Monkseaton Arms, Monkseaton. 1:00pm.
Fri 03: Abbie Finn Trio @ Saltburn Community Hall. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Dilutey Juice @ Bobik's, Punch Bowl, Newcastle. 7:30pm.
Fri 03: Smoove & Turrell @ Hoochie Coochie, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors). £25.00.
Fri 03: Struggle Buggy @ Prohibiton Bar, Newcastle. 8:00pm. Blind Pig Blues Club.
Sat 04: Alligator Gumbo @ St Augustine's Parish Centre, Darlington. 12:30pm.
Sat 04: Play Jazz! workshop @ The Globe, Newcastle. 1:30pm. Tutor: John Pope - Up Your Rhythm Game. £25.00. Enrol at: www.jazz.coop.
Sat 04: King Bees @ Grainger Market, Newcastle. 6:30pm (doors). Live music, comedy, DJs, food stalls. £10.00. advance, £15.00. on the door. Blues band King Bees on stage 9:45-11:15pm. A Great Market Caper event.
Sat 04: Jives Aces @ The Witham, Barnard Castle. 7:30pm.
Sat 04: Renegade Brass Band @ The Cluny, Newcastle. 7:30pm (doors).
Sat 04: Rendezvous Jazz @ Red Lion, Earsdon. 8:00pm. £3.00.
Sun 05 Vieux Carré Hot 4 @ Spanish City, Whitley Bay. 12 noon.
Sun 05: Rivkala @ Cumberland Arms, Newcastle. 6:00pm.
Sun 05: Jive Aces @ Fire Station, Sunderland. 7:30pm.
Sun 05: Dale Storr @ The Globe, Newcastle. 8:00pm.
Sun 05: Jam No.13 @ Fabio's, Saddler St., Durham. Free. Durham University Jazz Society jam session. All welcome (students & non-students alike).
Mon 06: Harmony Brass @ Cullercoats Crescent Club. 1:00pm.
Tue 07: Jam session @ Black Swan, Newcastle Arts Centre. 7:30pm. House trio: Alan Law (piano); Paul Grainger (double bass); Rob Walker (drums). Jam session reverts to a first & third Tuesday in the month schedule.
7 comments :
I'm enjoying the Road to Hong Kong; fascinating story about how music can take you all over the world!
As I have been reading about Irish showbands I was interested to see that Colin describes the Steve Stephenson band as a 'showband' which included singing, dressing up and comedy in the overall act. I was wondering if this band was unusual in the UK context as I thought the 'showband' concept was pretty much an Irish phenomenon, albeit a highly popular one. At its peak in Ireland in the early 1960s there were 500 showbands and 450 dance halls throughout the country, some holding up to 3000 dancers. Was this a common thing in the UK as well?
JC
Hi JC,
You are correct about Showbands being an Irish phenomenon many of whom also came over and played in the UK, In consequence many combos who'd previously been known as dance bands and pop groups re-branded themselves as showbands to jump on the (show)band wagon playing working men's clubs and what remained of the dancehalls or, in Colin's case, holiday camps.
Lance, you hit the nail on the head, I remember being on the road, and on gigs with 2 or 3 bands at the same function, such as The Jack Hawkins Showband & Singers, Andy Ross, Ray McVay and many others did jump on the band wagon in the 60's & 70's. also a showband would play all different types of music from Quicksteps, Waltz's, Comedy to the current pops of the time, even a little jazz & swing, of course Glenn Miller's music was still very popular in that era, as it still is today.
The Steve Stephenson Showband worked for Mecca for a short period at the Mecca Ballroom, Belfast
Yes you are right, what year was this, maybe 1960's ?? and did you see the band ??
Hi I am Gene Mayo's Grandson.
I've been searching for any info or pictures but not having much luck.
Just wondered if that is him playing the drums in the G.M picture
Cheers Dave
Hi Dave,
Yes, that is your granddad playing drums at Pontin's Seacroft Holiday Camp, Gt Yarmouth. This is where I played one summer season with him back in 1976.
I also remember his name being up at the Oxford Galleries in Newcastle back in the mid to late late 60's, when I was a kid.
If you would like some pictures of the band at Pontin's Seacroft, I would be more than happy to email them to you.
My email. aitchisoncolin@yahoo.com
Regards
Colin Aitchison.
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