To navigate through the years, use the Archives box on the right. December 1960 will give the complete listing for that year. Comments have now been disabled. Any images or information relating to the Ballroom, the bands that played there or Albert Bonici would be much appreciated. Mail me: info@rockmine.com.
1969
December 31, 1969January 01 – Moray Dance Club present New Year Special with Jim Martin Band plus The T-Set
January 02 – Aberdeen Students’ Charities Campaign presents Chartride starring the Jim Martin Quartet plus The Cresters
January 07 – M.D.E. Club presents The Cresters plus My Dear Watson
January 09 – Aberdeen Students’ Charities Campaign presents The Freedom Fighters
January 10 – The Cresters plus Jim Martin Band
M.D.E. Club discotheque every Sunday. 2.30 – 5.30 p.m.
February 10 – Monday Scene in the Two Red Shoes with Toy Shop
February 24 – Monday Scene in the Two Red Shoes with Marjorine
March 03 – Monday Scene in the Two Red Shoes with Colour Supplement (ex-Electric Circus)
Come dancing every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday with The Jim Martin Band
April 13 – Midnight Revels starring My Dear Watson. Midnight – 2.30 a.m.
May 07, 09, 10 – The Three Days
By this time Albert Bonici was promoting dances at New Elgin Hall on Saturdays with a new band every week. After a few weeks he moved to Bishopmill Hall
May 21, 23, 24 – Meet Denise. Clublands most popular exotic dancer.
June 06, 07 – 2 Dimensions
June 18, 20, 21 – In the cabaret spot. A really dynamic girl singer. The gorgeous Rae Gordon
July 09, 11, 12 – Russ and Johnny
July 25, 26, 30 – For that something extra. See and hear four fabulous fillies. They’re delightful! They’re fantastic! They’re the Tender Plenty.
August 01, 02 – For Go-Go eyes. See Les Oiseaux. Two “with-it” scene dancers. Strangely, on Saturday August 2nd, they were also appearing at Bishopmill Hall in Elgin with Gully Foyle who ended up in trouble that night. It seems someone didn’t like the level of noise they were producing and they charged with a breach of the peace! The copy of the writ against the band seen below is public domain but was previously published in “Fit Like, New York?”
August 10, 11 – Local Holiday Hop. Tangerine Atmosphere plus My Dear Watson
August 15, 16, 20 – Meet the dynamic 5ft 3in. explosive “Little Jinny” with her own style of music
September 01 – Monday Beat Scene with King Size Keen
September 24, 26, 27 – Be seen at the special “Evening Express” sponsored dances starring the beautiful, curvaceous, scintillating Tina Jaen with her own special style of singing
September 28 – M.D.E. Sunday discotheque recommences
October 01, 03, 04 – Russ and Johnny
October 13 – Special M.D.E. club dance featuring The Elizabethans plus The T-Set
The Northern Scot dated Saturday October 4th, 1969 – Appearing as resident guest stars for the rest of October, Zany Rocky Pebble with Marie
October 08 – November 01 (Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays) – The “Zany” Rocky and Marie with The Jim Martin Band
M.D.E. Sunday Disco with our two DJs Vic and Jack
November 01, 05, 07, 08 – Rocky and Marie Pebble with The Jim Martin Band
November 12, 14 – Russ and Johnny with The Jim Martin Band
November 19 – For four weeks. It’s the lovely Hilda Herd as resident star vocalist
November 24 – M.D.E. Monday Special. Beat at its best starring Britain’s most talented all-girl group Girl Talk
December 17 – Wednesday Over 25’s Special Ladies Night (Ladies admitted at half price) Plus more expensive spot prizes.
December 25 – Xmas Day Drop-In with all the latest from DJs Vic and Jack (2.30 – 5.30 p.m.)
December 25 – Elgin Young Conservatives present A Tinseltingle with My Dear Watson plus Somerset
© Copyright 2008-2010. Roy Deane, Rockmine Archives. All rights reserved. No part of this web site may be copied, redistributed, broadcast or published in any form without approval.
1966
December 31, 1966January 01 – Carnival Dance
January 03 – Elgin Jazz Club New Year Revels. Dancing to The Jimmy Martin Band
January 06 – Aberdeen Students’ Charities Campaign “Rout 66” Music by The Facells
January 17 – SJPA presents Sounds Incorporated plus Sol Byron and The Senate
On Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays Dancing as usual to The Jimmy Martin Band with Alyson Armstrong
Starting Tuesday February 01 – The Verandah Discotheque dancing to top pops featuring disc jockey Douglas Eames in the colourful atmosphere of the London disc-clubs
February 03 – The Mindbenders
February 10 – The Copycats
Elgin Courant Wednesday February 16, 1966: Every Tuesday – Top Of The Pops presented by disc dolly Miss Eithnie Alexander
February 24 – The Poets
March 10 – Aberdeen Students’ Charities’ Campaign “Run Riot ’66” featuring The Four Pennies
April 01 – The Students Charities Ball. Bar, breakfasts, three bands
Wednesdays – Over 25’s Night, Fridays – Late Nite, Saturdays – Palais Nite with Allysun Armstrong and the Jimmy Martin Band
April 21 – The Return of that “With-It” B.B.C. TV show Stramash satrring Sol Byron – The Three Bells – The Senate
June 16 – Another big show special with The Mindbenders and The Drovers
July 21 – The Moody Blues and The Copycats
Elgin Courant for Wednesday, July 27 announces that as of Friday 29th July, the big centre for the Friday Night Beat Scene is now Keith.
Whatever Albert Bonici’s reasons were for moving the Thursday headline acts from Elgin to Keith it was a sign of problems with the Two Red Shoes. The Ballerina Ballroom had opened in January and already it had taken over from his Elgin venue. Why this should have been the case is anyone’s guess, Nairn had a much smaller population than Elgin and Keith’s was smaller still.
It has been suggested that Elgin was in the grip of a serious gang problem and it was no longer safe for dancers to come from places like Forres despite buses being laid on. Any insight into this would be most helpful.
Elgin Courant August 03 carries the advert “Regular dancing every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday to the Jimmy Martin Band with Eithnie Alexander
August 04 – The Whingdinger Beat Show with The Overlanders and The Copycats
Elgin Courant August 10 carries the advert “Regular dancing every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday to the Jimmy Martin Band and vocalist Deirdre Cameron
October 06 – For the Jet Set and High Camp followers, it’s Teen-Beat starring The Flintlocks. The fabulous Australian group now touring Britain with their own “Down-Under” sound.
December 15 – The Rebel Sound plus The T-Set
December 29 – Krazy Karnival Knight. Admission for only 1d if it’s dated 1953. Two admitted for 1d if it’s dated 1950 and six admitted for 1d if it’s dated 1951. Free entry for curly-toothed creeps or Bald Bearded Dolls. Starring The Agents plus The Throb
© Copyright 2008-2010. Roy Deane, Rockmine Archives. All rights reserved. No part of this web site may be copied, redistributed, broadcast or published in any form without approval.
1965
December 31, 1965January 01 – Findhorn Water Ski Club presents New Year’s Carnival Dance
January 03 – Elgin Jazz Club presents Midnite Holiday Dance. Music by The Alex. Sutherland Band with Alyson Armstrong.
January 07 – Special Teenage Dance “Beat Away The New Year Blues” Johnny And The J.P.s plus The Copycats
January 13 – The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
January 14 – Moray Dance Club presents Dave Berry And The Cruisers. Here’s Dave with Little Things which would hit the chart in March.
January 15 – Late Night
January 16 – Palais Night
January 21 – The Copycats
January 26 – Tuesday Teen Beat Dancing recommences. Dancing to The Copycats
January 28 – SJPA presents Wayne Fontana And The Mindbenders with The Alex. Sutherland Sextet. Here are Wayne and The Mindbenders performing “Game Of Love” which will enter the chart next week and hit the number two spot and “Just A Little Bit Too Late”.
February 04 – Lulu And The Lovers
February 09 – The Leopards
February 18 – Moray Dance Club presents ex-Beatles‘ Drummer The Jimmy Nicol Sound plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
February 23 – Teenbeat Dancing “The Eagle Force Seven” Group
February 24 – Over 25’s Night
February 25 – Elgin Folk Music Club presents Big Beat Night with Malcolm Clarke And The Cresters, George Washington and the Senators, The Stepping Stones, The Leopards, The Jacobeats, The Alex. Sutherland Band
March 11 – The Swinging Blue Jeans, seen above with “Shake, Rattle And Roll” and “Good Golly, Miss Molly” from last year’s NME Pollwinners Concert.
March 18 – The Honeycombs
March 25 – Elgin Jazz Club presents Them
April 08 – Moray Dance Club presents Unit 4 + 2 (seen here with “Concrete And Clay”) plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
April 15 – Goldie And The Gingerbreads plus The Boomerangs and The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
April 22 – The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
April 29 – Irish Showband The Viceroys and Liverpool recording group The Mighty Avengers
May 06 – Elgin Jazz Club presents The “I Can’t Explain” Group The Who plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
May 13 – Findhorn Water Ski Club presents Neil Landon And The Burnettes
May 27 – The Searchers plus The Rats
June 03 – Moray Dance Club presents The Measles plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
June 10 – SJPA presents The Fabulous Lectrones plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
June 17 – Irish Showband The Drumbeats
June 24 – Moray Dance Club presents The Four Pennies plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
July 15 – Modern Dancing Enterprises “Night Of The Beat People”
July 22 – Fitz-N-Starts
August 02 – Elgin Jazz Club “Holiday Dance”
August 11 – Over 25’s Night
August 12 – Star Night with Johnny Peters And The J.P.s
August 13 – Late Night
August 14 – Palais Night
August 18 – Over 25’s Night
August 20 – Late Night
August 21 – Palais Night
August 25 – Over 25’s Night
August 26 – Kris Ryan And The Questions
August 27 – Late Night
August 28 – Palais Night
September 01 – Over 25’s Night
September 02 – No Dance
September 03 – Late Night
September 04 – Palais Night
September 08 – Over 25’s Night
September 09 – The Manchester Playboys
September 10 – Late Night
September 11 – Palais Night
September 15 – Over 25’s Night
September 16 – Elgin Dance Club presents The Peasants and The Jimmy Martin Band
September 17 – Late Night
September 18 – Palais Night
September 23 – Elgin Jazz Club presents The Toggery Five plus The Groundhogs. The Toggery Five were a Manchester band named after a clothes shop in Southport. They only released two singles. This, their second, “I’d Much Rather Be With The Boys”, was written by Andrew Loog Oldham and Keith Richards.
October 01 – Late Night with The Sandy West Dance Band
October 02 – Palais Night
October 07 – Moray Dance Club presents The Mighty Avengers plus The Delinks
October 12 – Moray Dance Club presents The Ivy League, seen here with their number 8 hit from earlier this year, “Funny How Love Can Be”.
October 14 – Kenny Ball And His Jazzmen
October 21 – Thursday’s Chart Cart – The new style Thursday night entertainment to the jet set with Douglas Eames as resident D.J. All the tops from the pops with special guest group The Kubas
October 28 – Elgin Folk Music Club present The group to set the heather on fire George Fame And The Blue Flames
November 09 – SJP Association present The Nashville Teens, seen above performing “Tobacco Road” on the U.S. TV show, Shindig! back in March.
November 11 – Chart Cart Nite. Guest group Phil Ryan And The Crescents
November 18 – Chart Cart Nite. Guest group The Washington D.C.s
November 25 – Chart Cart Nite. Guest group The Powerhouse Six plus Johnny Cannon
The Northern Scot dated Saurday December 4th, 1965 carried the notification “Thursday dancing discontinued until further notice”
December 17 – Sounds Incorporated
December 24 – Christmas Eve Carnival Dance
December 25 – Christmas Day Dance
December 30 – The Copycats Fan Club present after their successful two-moth tour of the German high spots a welcome home to The Copycats in their Mask ball ’65 (Bring your own face and we’ll supply the mask)
December 31 – Hogmanay Dance
© Copyright 2008-2010. Roy Deane, Rockmine Archives. All rights reserved. No part of this web site may be copied, redistributed, broadcast or published in any form without approval.
1964
December 31, 1964The resident band this year is once again The Alex. Sutherland Sextet. Many newspaper adverts at this time would only list Friday Night as Late Night and Saturday as Palais Night without details of the resident band. Thursday nights as usual were when the larger touring acts would be featured.
January 01 – The Findhorn Water Ski Club New Year’s Day Carnival Dance
January 02 – The Elgin Jazz Club presents The Charlie Galbraith Jazz Band
January 03 – Late Nite
January 04 – Palais Nite
January 16 – The Elgin Ladies’ Hockey Club presents Mark Peters And The Silhouettes
January 23 – Johnny Kidd And The Pirates in the Town Hall. Was there dancing at The Two Red Shoes after?
January 30 – Lorraine Grey And The Chaperones
February 04 – (and every Tuesday) Roundabout with Eddie Le Pard And The Leopards
February 06 – The Tycoons
February 07 – Johnny And The Copycats with Eddie Le Pard And The Leopards
February 08 – (and every Saturday) Palais Night with The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
February 13 – Elgin Jazz Club presents The Shakes
February 20 – Moray Dance Club presents Ian Crawford And The Boomerangs with The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
February 27 – The Washington D.C.s
March 05 – Moray Dance Club presents The New Apaches
March 12 – The Sheffields
March 19 – The Elgin Ladies’ Hockey Club presents Johnny And The Copycats plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
March 26 – Lossiemouth Racing Pigeon Club presents Bobby Angelo – Susan Terry and The Tuxedos
April 02 – Moray Dance Club presents a return visit of Cervazes, now known as The Formula Five
April 09 – Elgin Jazz Club presents Pete McLain and The Four Just Men plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
April 16 – Malcolm Clarke And The Cresters
April 23 – Elgin Jazz Club presents the girl from the recent “Searchers” show Suzy Cope plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
April 30 – Findhorn Water Ski Club presents The Aces plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
May 07 – Elgin Jazz Club presents the first ever Mod Ball featuring Brian Epstein’s golden boy Tommy Quickly (seen above with “The Wild Side Of Life”) and The Remo Four.
May 14 – Lossiemouth Racing Pigeon Club presents the big band from London, The Trends plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
May 15 – The Copycats will be playing in place of The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
May 21 – Moray Dance Club presents Neil Landon And The Burnettes plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
May 28 – Elgin Jazz Club presents Johnny Anger and the Wild Ones plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
June 04 – SJP Association presents Wayne Fontana And The Mindbenders
June 06 – Melody Maker runs a fascinating article called “The £ S D Of Beat” where the writer puts forward that groups are pricing themselves out of the market and that ballrooms are facing a slump in attendances due to the “over-exposure of groups on TV pop shows”. MM quotes the fee to book The Remo Four for a weekend gig at £ 120. Mid-week slots were always cheaper and this is why I think Albert Bonici had name acts perform on a Thursday. Having promoted myself, I know that it was easy and cheaper to book bands who had a break in their tour between two larger cities. I suspect Albert made it known that he’d offer dates at relatively short notice if he could get acts cheaply enough. Adverts throughout the years would seem to back this up with a number of bands being advertised in advance but never actually appearing.
June 11 – Modern Dancing Enterprises presents The Deacons plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
June 18 – Findhorn Water Ski Club presents Lulu And The Lovers plus The Puppets plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet. Lulu’s featured above with her top ten hit, “Shout” which entered the chart last month.
June 25 – SJP presnts a Mod Ball featuring The Animals. Here they are with their massive hit, “House Of The Rising Sun” which entered the chart today.
July 02 – Moray Dance Club presents The Undertakers plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet. The Undertakers (seen above in an advert for Selmer) were an offshoot of Bob Evans & The Five Shillings which is said to have been Merseyside’s very first rock group. They only existed from February 1961 to December 1964 when they split, partly due to a flu jab paralyzing the arm of saxophonist and vocalist Brian Jones. When they played the Two Red Shoes, they featured Jackie Lomax on bass and vocals, who went on to be one of the first releases on The Beatles own record label, Apple.
July 10 – Late Nite – The Jack Sinclair Band with Dave MacIntosh will be playing, not The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
July 16 – Malcolm Clarke And The Cresters
July 23 – Moray Dance Club presents The Jacobeats pluys The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
July 30 – Findhorn Water Ski Club presents Johnny And The Copycats
August 08 – The Alex. Sutherland Sextet will be absent competing in the National Jazz Finals in London. Playing instead – The Jacobeats
August 10 – Moray Dance Club’s Special Elgin Holiday Dance with The Copycats
August 13 – SJDA presents Neil Landon And The Burnettes plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
August 20 – Elgin Jazz Club presents Robb Storme & The Whispers
August 27 – Moray Dance Club presents The Mad Klassix
September 10 – Findhorn Water Ski Club presents Malcolm Clarke And The Cresters
September 17 – Shirley, Johnny and The Ricochets with The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
September 24 – SJDA presents Neil Landon And The Burnettes plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
October 01 – Moray Dance Club presents Dave Adams and The Bel-Aires plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
October 08 – Moray Dance Club presents The Fairies
October 15 – The Findhorn Water Ski Club presents The Johnny Douglas Combo
October 22 – Lossiemouth Racing Pigeon Club presents Me And Them
October 23 – The Daly Brothers
October 27 – The Wildkats
October 28 – The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
October 29 – Moray Jazz Club presents R & B Incorporated
October 20 – The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
October 31 – The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
November 05 – Elgin Jazz Club presents Johnny, Mike and The Shades plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
November 12 – Moray Jazz Club presents The Gonks plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
November 26 – Findhorn Water Ski Club presents Kris Ryan and The Questions plus The Alex. Sutherland Sextet
December 07 – The Jacobeats plus The Leopards plus The Copycats
December 10 – The Rustiks and The Deacons
December 17 – Moray Dance Club presents The Applejacks, seen above with “Tell Me When” from earlier this year plus The Just Four Men
December 24 – Aberdeen University Students’ Campaign Beatnik Ball
December 25 – Christmas Carnival
December 28 – The Leopards plus The Copycats plus The Jacobeats
© Copyright 2008-2010. Roy Deane, Rockmine Archives. All rights reserved. No part of this web site may be copied, redistributed, broadcast or published in any form without approval.
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