Live Venues Timeline
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.
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.
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.
The Everly Brothers
at ABC Cinema
Cliff Richard and the Shadows
at ABC Cinema
The Rolling Stones
at The Jazz Cellar
Roy Orbison
at Granada Cinema
Cilla Black and Gerry & The Pacemakers
at Granada Cinema
The Yardbirds play at Kingston Art School
The Yardbirds perform at Kingston Art School as back up to legendary jazz player, Cyril Davies.
The Yardbirds
at The Toby Jug
The Yardbirds
at Coronation Hall
The Rolling Stones
at Granada Cinema
The Animals
at Jazz Cellar
The Kinks and Gerry & The Pacemakers
at ABC Cinema
The Kinks
Granada Cinema
The Small Faces
at The Jazz Cellar
Cream
at The Jazz Cellar
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.
Pink Floyd
at Kingston Polytechnic
John Martyn
John Martyn plays regularly on the Kingston Folk Barge
The Who
at Granada Cinema
Fleetwood Mac
at The Toby Jug
Jethro Tull
at The Toby Jug
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.
Led Zeppelin
atThe Toby Jug
Yes & Queen
at Kingston Polytechnic
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.
David Bowie
at The Toby Jug
ABC Cinema closes
The ABC Cinema closes, having hosted a number of high profile concerts, including Cliff Richard and the Everly Brothers.
Granada Cinema closes
The Granada Cinema – having played host to Roy Orbison, The Rolling Stones, and The Kinks – closes after nearly 50 years.
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.
Toby Jug shuts it’s doors
The Toby Jug closes.
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.
International Youth Arts Festival
The first International Youth Arts Festival launches with live music a core component
Lambstock
The Lamb pub in Surbiton launches Lambstock, Surbiton’s first dedicated music festival, complementing its existing extensive live music programme.