Live Venues Timeline

Live Venues
1947
Jan 22

Bell Musical Instruments founded

Bell Musical Instruments founded on Ewell Road in Surbiton. The store would go on to sell early instruments to Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and members of the Rolling Stones.

1956
Jan 31

Eel Pie Island parties begin

Arthur Chisnall begins organising free parties in the nearby Eel Pie Island Hotel, Twickenham, over time evolving into one of the foremost live music venues in the region. The trad jazz of Chris Barber and peers is later followed by the daring R&B sound as defined by the Rolling Stones.

1958
Jan 31

School chums

Eric Clapton attends Hollyfield School, Surbiton, along with other future Yardbirds Chris Dreja and Top Topham; all played concerts in the school hall.

1962
Jan 10

The Everly Brothers

 at ABC Cinema

Feb 03

Cliff Richard and the Shadows

at ABC Cinema

1963
Jan 09

The Rolling Stones

at The Jazz Cellar

Jan 09

Roy Orbison

at Granada Cinema

Jan 10

Cilla Black and Gerry & The Pacemakers

at Granada Cinema

Jan 22

The Yardbirds play at Kingston Art School

The Yardbirds perform at Kingston Art School as back up to legendary jazz player, Cyril Davies.

 

1964
Jan 01

The Yardbirds

 at The Toby Jug

Feb 01

The Yardbirds

at Coronation Hall

Feb 01

The Rolling Stones

at Granada Cinema

Mar 01

The Animals

at Jazz Cellar

Nov 01

The Kinks and Gerry & The Pacemakers

at ABC Cinema

1965
Apr 01

The Kinks

Granada Cinema

Nov 01

The Small Faces

at The Jazz Cellar

1966
Aug 01

Cream

at The Jazz Cellar

1967
Jan 31

John Martyn signed to Island Records

Record producer Chris Blackwell signs a 19 year old folk singer named John Martyn to Island Records following a recommendation from an impressed Folk Barge audience member.

Mar 01

Pink Floyd

at Kingston Polytechnic

Apr 01

John Martyn

John Martyn plays regularly on the Kingston Folk Barge

Nov 01

The Who

at Granada Cinema

1968
Mar 01

Fleetwood Mac

at The Toby Jug

Jun 01

Jethro Tull

at The Toby Jug

1969
Jan 31

Eel Pie Island Hotel re-opens

The Eel Pie Island Hotel briefly re-opens as Colonel Barefoot’s Rock Garden, hosting the heavier sounds of Black Sabbath and Hawkwind, before eventually having to close.

 

Apr 01

Led Zeppelin

atThe Toby Jug

1971
Feb 01

Yes & Queen

at Kingston Polytechnic

1972
Jan 31

Ziggy Stardust at the Toby Jug

David Bowie performs at the Toby Jug in Tolworth in what is widely believed to be the first public airing of Ziggy Stardust.

 

Feb 01

David Bowie

at The Toby Jug

1976
Jan 31

ABC Cinema closes

The ABC Cinema closes, having hosted a number of high profile concerts, including Cliff Richard and the Everly Brothers.

1987
Jan 31

Granada Cinema closes

The Granada Cinema – having played host to Roy Orbison, The Rolling Stones, and The Kinks – closes after nearly 50 years.

2000
Jan 31

The Fighting Cocks re-launches as a live music venue

Jamie O’Grady acquires The Fighting Cocks, formerly a jazz and R&B venue in the 1950s and 1960s, and relaunches it as a live music venue.

2002
Jan 31

Toby Jug shuts it’s doors

The Toby Jug closes.

 

2004
Jan 31

Banquet Records opens

Banquet Records forms and opens its flagship store in Kingston-upon-Thames. Acts they have since attracted to Kingston for live dates include Mystery Jets, Franz Ferdinand, Foals, and Blink 182.

 

2009
Feb 01

International Youth Arts Festival

The first International Youth Arts Festival launches with live music a core componentInternational Youth Arts Festival

2016
Feb 01

Lambstock

The Lamb pub in Surbiton launches Lambstock, Surbiton’s first dedicated music festival, complementing its existing extensive live music programme.