BRFC - The Nostalgia Thread

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just researching that Beatles appearance I discovered that earlier that year The Beatles actually played in Darwen !

On the 25th of January 1963 they played at the Co-operative Hall in Darwen. It was a gig arranged by " a local Baptist church youth club " ! Supporting The Beatles were The Electones, The Mike Taylor Combo, The Mustangs with Ricky Day. Four acts for what was probably pocket money. This would be just before " Beatlemania " swept the country. The entrance fee would have been in the 2/6 to 3/0 range. If anybody had a poster advertising that gig now it would be worth big money. Those were the days when none of us knew how things would turn out. Do any of the old Darwen lads on here know if the Co-operative Hall still exists ? Anybody remember the gig ?

Thanks to the wonder of the internet I discovered that there are repro versions of the poster from the Darwen gig and the admission fee was 6/-. Roughly 30p in todays money but half of what I got per week for doing my paper round then. Apparently the Co-op Hall has been demolished and replaced by an " Iceland " store. Bloody vandals.

Edited January 24, 2021 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[oldjamfan1]

1 hour ago, rigger said:

I saw Blondie at King Georges Hall in the mid 70's. Debbie Harry wore a bin liner.

I was at that gig as well. KGH attracted all the top bands in those days.

[oldjamfan1]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Just researching that Beatles appearance I discovered that earlier that year The Beatles actually played in Darwen !

On the 25th of January 1963 they played at the Co-operative Hall in Darwen. It was a gig arranged by " a local Baptist church youth club " ! Supporting The Beatles were The Electones, The Mike Taylor Combo, The Mustangs with Ricky Day. Four acts for what was probably pocket money. This would be just before " Beatlemania " swept the country. The entrance fee would have been in the 2/6 to 3/0 range. If anybody had a poster advertising that gig now it would be worth big money. Those were the days when none of us knew how things would turn out. Do any of the old Darwen lads on here know if the Co-operative Hall still exists ? Anybody remember the gig ?

Thanks to the wonder of the internet I discovered that there are repro versions of the poster from the Darwen gig and the admission fee was 6/-. Roughly 30p in todays money but half of what I got per week for doing my paper round then. Apparently the Co-op Hall has been demolished and replaced by an " Iceland " store. Bloody vandals.

 

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Just researching that Beatles appearance I discovered that earlier that year The Beatles actually played in Darwen !

On the 25th of January 1963 they played at the Co-operative Hall in Darwen. It was a gig arranged by " a local Baptist church youth club " ! Supporting The Beatles were The Electones, The Mike Taylor Combo, The Mustangs with Ricky Day. Four acts for what was probably pocket money. This would be just before " Beatlemania " swept the country. The entrance fee would have been in the 2/6 to 3/0 range. If anybody had a poster advertising that gig now it would be worth big money. Those were the days when none of us knew how things would turn out. Do any of the old Darwen lads on here know if the Co-operative Hall still exists ? Anybody remember the gig ?

Thanks to the wonder of the internet I discovered that there are repro versions of the poster from the Darwen gig and the admission fee was 6/-. Roughly 30p in todays money but half of what I got per week for doing my paper round then. Apparently the Co-op Hall has been demolished and replaced by an " Iceland " store. Bloody vandals.

The Co-op was demolished many years ago Tyrone but when I was growing up there was a nightclub above it which had a few different names. I first remember it as Uncle Toms Cabin, then Tiffany's with an adjoining club called Nocturne. On the site of the old Co-op now stands a couple of charity shops, Savers, Iceland and Asda.

[Rogerb]

1 hour ago, oldjamfan1 said:

I was at that gig as well. KGH attracted all the top bands in those days.

Siouxie and the banshees. The clash. Ian Drury. The buzzcocks. Come to mind

[Rogerb]

3 hours ago, rigger said:

I saw Blondie at King Georges Hall in the mid 70's. Debbie Harry wore a bin liner.

And no knickers!

[Elvis Biro]

I saw the Four Pennies at KGH circa 1963 when they had their big hit, 'Juliet'. I suppose because of that, and the home town connection, they were top of the bill. One of the support acts was a really good band who wore red hunting jackets at the time..... The Kinks! Whatever happened to them?

Also on the bill: Herman's Hermits and the Stylos.

[Gav]

Queueing for tickets:

 

Rovers v Arsenal

 

Preston plumber

 

 

Match day at Mill Hill station

 

 

Vulcan Pub

 

 

Match day parking, picture taken from the top window at The Albion Pub.

[bazza]

The last picture, taken from the Albion pub, must be the 1920s judging by the vehicle designs. Maybe Philipl can help identify.

In the first picture, queuing for tickets, the man in the trilby hat and long overcoat walking away in the bottom left corner could easily have been my father. He used to look exactly like this.

Edited January 24, 2021 by bazza
Addition

[DeeCee]

3 hours ago, Rogerb said:

Siouxie and the banshees. The clash. Ian Drury. The buzzcocks. Come to mind

Bowie, Hawkind, Damned, Status Quo, hell, I even saw Queen as support to Mott The Hoople 😁

[oldjamfan1]

5 hours ago, Rogerb said:

Siouxie and the banshees. The clash. Ian Drury. The buzzcocks. Come to mind

The Jam, The Police and many others. 78-80 was an amazing time for gigs in Blackburn. 

[Exiled in Toronto]

I remember seeing Status Quo supported by Bachman Turner Overdrive in either 73/4

[DeeCee]

50 minutes ago, oldjamfan1 said:

The Jam, The Police and many others. 78-80 was an amazing time for gigs in Blackburn. 

I've still got one of  Rick s drumsticks (well my son has now as it's in the ex wife's house)

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

13 minutes ago, DeeCee said:

I've still got one of  Rick s drumsticks (well my son has now as it's in the ex wife's house)

My record collection of 30 odd years went the same way.

[darrenrover]

What a fantastic thread this is: makes you want to puff your chest out with pride once again, being a Rover!

I'm currently up to the early sixties, with my little missive on the darrenrover family history. Please forgive me because I'm gonna make an enormous leap to September 2018 and a tale of a tee-shirt and a pair of crocs!

Mrs darrenrover and I were in USA in September 2018 for a month, half holiday and half business: We had 5 days in fabulous Key West, Florida and were having lunch at Caroline's Burger Bar on Duval St, when I spotted 'Big Yin' Billy Connolly and his wife Pamela sat a few tables away. We're not the star struck type and just left them to eat their lunch in peace.

Midway through our meal, the heavens opened and we were all deluged with rain, running for the only cover, a canopy in front of the bar. As we wiped ourselves dry best we could, I got a tap on my shoulder, looked round and Billy asked me "City fans are yee? Can I buy yee all a drink?" Most indignantly I replied, "are we buggery, we're all Rovers, Blackburn Rovers, what makes you think we're City fans?"  "Yer tee-shirt" he replied pointing at my Darwen Blues tee-shirt (photo below); no further explanation required for Big Yins misapprehension!

We drank up and left, the storm now having passed. Walking along Duval Street together afterwards, we saw a Croc Shop with a sale on , went inside and the Connollys followed us in. I spotted a white pair at a third of normal price and carried on browsing. A few minutes later Pamela said " I hope you don't mind but I've just bought these for you, I think they'll look well on your new Crocs." she'd bought for me 4 letters and 2 red roses. As you can see from the photo of them below, she'd shown some real imagination and I was really thrilled as you can imagine! We left the shop, said our thanks, goodbyes and went on our own way.

So why tell this tale now you may ask?

2 weeks later I endured a serious lumbar back problem, from which I have really suffered from since. The sciatic leg pain at times was unbearable. My legs, feet and toes were always extremely swollen and I couldn't contemplate wearing a pair of shoes (or crocs) Roll this forward to 16th January and I had cause to have an emergency4.5 hour surgery on my back.

A week on: no pain, soreness or suffering anywhere, foot and ankle swelling gone and total mobility regained. Fantastic accolade to the surgeons in my view, the leg pain being unbearable previously, most of the time, now having completely gone.

Last but by no means least,

COYB!

WE ARE The Rovers!!!

 

Edited January 25, 2021 by darrenrover

[darrenrover]

17 hours ago, Rogerb said:

Siouxie and the banshees. The clash. Ian Drury. The buzzcocks. Come to mind

Anyone remember The Stiffs?  

..4 Blackburn lads who flirted with the charts on a couple of occasions in the late 70s/early eighties.

I'm still in occasional contact with one of them, Phil Hendriks. One of his current jobs is as guitarist in, of all things and in total contrast, The Bay City Rollers!!

 

 

 

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

9 hours ago, darrenrover said:

What a fantastic thread this is: makes you want to puff your chest out with pride once again, being a Rover!

I'm currently up to the early sixties, with my little missive on the darrenrover family history. Please forgive me because I'm gonna make an enormous leap to September 2018 and a tale of a tee-shirt and a pair of crocs!

Mrs darrenrover and I were in USA in September 2018 for a month, half holiday and half business: We had 5 days in fabulous Key West, Florida and were having lunch at Caroline's Burger Bar on Duval St, when I spotted 'Big Yin' Billy Connolly and his wife Pamela sat a few tables away. We're not the star struck type and just left them to eat their lunch in peace.

Midway through our meal, the heavens opened and we were all deluged with rain, running for the only cover, a canopy in front of the bar. As we wiped ourselves dry best we could, I got a tap on my shoulder, looked round and Billy asked me "City fans are yee? Can I buy yee all a drink?" Most indignantly I replied, "are we buggery, we're all Rovers, Blackburn Rovers, what makes you think we're City fans?"  "Yer tee-shirt" he replied pointing at my Darwen Blues tee-shirt (photo below); no further explanation required for Big Yins misapprehension!

We drank up and left, the storm now having passed. Walking along Duval Street together afterwards, we saw a Croc Shop with a sale on , went inside and the Connollys followed us in. I spotted a white pair at a third of normal price and carried on browsing. A few minutes later Pamela said " I hope you don't mind but I've just bought these for you, I think they'll look well on your new Crocs." she'd bought for me 4 letters and 2 red roses. As you can see from the photo of them below, she'd shown some real imagination and I was really thrilled as you can imagine! We left the shop, said our thanks, goodbyes and went on our own way.

So why tell this tale now you may ask?

2 weeks later I endured a serious lumbar back problem, from which I have really suffered from since. The sciatic leg pain at times was unbearable. My legs, feet and toes were always extremely swollen and I couldn't contemplate wearing a pair of shoes (or crocs) Roll this forward to 16th January and I had cause to have an emergency4.5 hour surgery on my back.

A week on: no pain, soreness or suffering anywhere, foot and ankle sweeping gone and total mobility regained. Fantastic accolade to the surgeons in my view, the leg pain being unbearable previously, most of the time, now having completely gone.

Last but by no means least,

COYB!

WE ARE The Rovers!!!

 

You were brave to have the back op but I suppose if you're in constant pain something has to happen. I had sciatica once for about 3 months. It was awful. I couldn't walk more about 200 yards before I had to stop and rest my leg. The pain would go and I'd walk another 200 yards and I'd have to stop again. Then it went away without any reason. I can still feel a slight twinge at times but it's nothing compared with how it was.

[darrenrover]

4 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

You were brave to have the back op but I suppose if you're in constant pain something has to happen. I had sciatica once for about 3 months. It was awful. I couldn't walk more about 200 yards before I had to stop and rest my leg. The pain would go and I'd walk another 200 yards and I'd have to stop again. Then it went away without any reason. I can still feel a slight twinge at times but it's nothing compared with how it was.

I'll send you a private message later Tyrone.

[Elvis Biro]

Somebody else on here must have been at the David Bowie gig at KGH , after Aladdin Sane came out? Fantastic - as we all agreed in the Vulcan afterwards. I'd seen him on the legendary 'Ziggy' tour at Preston Guildhall the year before.

[DeeCee]

30 minutes ago, Elvis Biro said:

Somebody else on here must have been at the David Bowie gig at KGH , after Aladdin Sane came out? Fantastic - as we all agreed in the Vulcan afterwards. I'd seen him on the legendary 'Ziggy' tour at Preston Guildhall the year before.

Yes! I was there, think the tickets were £3, if I remember rightly (?) 31st May 1973 

[Riversider28]

2 hours ago, Elvis Biro said:

Somebody else on here must have been at the David Bowie gig at KGH , after Aladdin Sane came out? Fantastic - as we all agreed in the Vulcan afterwards. I'd seen him on the legendary 'Ziggy' tour at Preston Guildhall the year before.

I was there also with my girlfriend at the time. In the upper tier, right of stage as close as you could get. An absolutely awesome concert, Bowie at the most creative period of his career in my opinion. Probably the best gig I have ever attended and that includes The Stones and Springsteen.

[HowieFive0]

On 25/01/2021 at 07:44, darrenrover said:

Anyone remember The Stiffs?  

..4 Blackburn lads who flirted with the charts on a couple of occasions in the late 70s/early eighties.

I'm still in occasional contact with one of them, Phil Hendriks. One of his current jobs is as guitarist in, of all things and in total contrast, The Bay City Rollers!!

 

 

 

 

The Stiffs ... Inside  Out ! ..(name of their single )... original pin badge from back in the day .. ive also got the single somewhere too.

Edited January 26, 2021 by HowieFive0

[Gone to seed]

On 25/01/2021 at 07:44, darrenrover said:

Anyone remember The Stiffs?  

..4 Blackburn lads who flirted with the charts on a couple of occasions in the late 70s/early eighties.

I'm still in occasional contact with one of them, Phil Hendriks. One of his current jobs is as guitarist in, of all things and in total contrast, The Bay City Rollers!!

 

 

 

 

yes, was at school with Tommy O'Kane the drummer... St. Mary's College. Nice lad, quite quiet and unassuming. I always hoped the Stiffs would make it, but it never really came off for them.

This is a great thread, by the way - memory lane it may be, but they can't take our memories away can they?

 

 

Edited January 26, 2021 by WIR Second Coming

[HowieFive0]

7 minutes ago, WIR Second Coming said:

yes, was at school with Tommy O'Kane the drummer... St. Mary's College. Nice lad, quite quiet and unassuming. I always hoped the Stiffs would make it, but it never really came off for them.

This is a great thread, by the way - memory lane it may be, but they can't take our memories away can they?

 

 

Best record collection in C-L-M had Tommy !

[Gone to seed]

Just now, HowieFive0 said:

Best record collection in C-L-M had Tommy !

Chris Whalley's was better 😉