Dixieland – Colwyn Bay Pier
The Dixieland Showbar on Colwyn Bay Pier was a regular venue for ‘medium’ sized touring bands in the 70 and 80s.
I’m trying to compile a gig list and where possible, links to reviews and.or pics; but your help is needed.
Many thanks to Craig Davies for his help with this…
And also to Martin Peel for the listings up to 1965, he says, ‘At this point my research ended. The majority of these gigs were promoted by Dennis Johnson from Rhyl: he also promoted shows at the Washington, Llandudno, Denbigh Town Hall and Ruthin Town Hall. Support acts were, in the main, local groups.’
25.11.60 – Johnny Dankworth
19.8.62 – Clinton Ford with Merseysippin Jazz Band
15.2.63 – Jay Beats
13.4.63 – Jay Beats plus The Venoms
17.1.64 – Group One
24.1.64 – Rory Storm & The Hurricanes supp by Aristocrats
Aristocrats were a Llandudno based rock’n’roll band of 1962-65, feat; Ray Gardner (who runs Tiffanys Restaurant in the town). Played residency spot at Llandudno’s Washington pub.
31.1.64 – Escorts supp by Anglesey Strangers
Anglesey Strangers were a rock’n’roll band from early tipped for bigger things but nothing ever came of it. Feat; Bryn Chamberlin, Gordon Humphreys. S4C aired a documentary c1997 on the band. Lemmy also hung out at a few rehearsals. Band were heading for stardom until their manager, Joe Meek committed suicide by shooting himself in the head in Bangor (03.02.67)
14.2.64 – London Beats supp by Aristocrats
15.2.64 – Cossacks supp by Aristocrats
13.3.64 – Jess Conrad
26.3.64 – Jeannie And The Big Guys supp by Anglesey Strangers
3.4.64 – Escorts supp by Aristocrats
11.4.64 – Gene Vincent & The Shouts supp by Anglesey Strangers
24.4.64 – Outlaws supp by Anglesey Strangers
15.5.64 – Escorts supp by Cossacks
22.5.64 – Screaming Lord Sutch supp by Aristocrats
23.5.64 – Wailing Art Woods
29.5.64 – Licorice Locking’s All Sorts
5.6.64 – Paladins
26.6.64 – Swinging Blue Jeans
3.7.64 – Silverstones supp by Aristocrats
10.7.64 – Informers supp by Aristocrats
17.7.64 – Merseybeats
31.7.64 – Dec Dooley’s Dominators
4.9.64 – Rory Storm & Hurricanes
5.9.64 – Road-Runners
11.9.64 – Cy Tucker’s Friars
18.9.64 – Chick Graham & The Coasters
10.10.64 – Wayne Fontana & Mindbenders
28.10.64 – Herman’s Hermits
7.11.64 – Four Just Men supp by Toggery Five
5.12.64 – Kinsley’s
13.02.65 – Escorts
01.05.65 – Undertakers
26.6.65 – Escorts supp by Betrayers
Jul/Aug 1965 – Nashville Teens
Jean Cox says, ‘I was only allowed to go because it was the Pier!’
04.12.65 – Swinging Blue Jeans supp by Escorts
20.04.66 – Sounds Incorporated supp by Escorts
14.01.67 – The Questions (pic above)
Mike Hall says; ‘As I recall, we were the only band on stage that night, so it must have been a regular Saturday night dance. The band worked under the name of The Questions at that time, tho’ according to my diary, we changed our name to Uncle Herbert (short for Uncle Herbert’s Big Soul Band) on January 21st, one week later. The personnel was Haydn Bannister (voc), Pete Flaherty (drms), Steve Griffiths (bass), Martin Peel (gtr) and myself, Mike Hall (keys). Sadly, Haydn & Pete are no longer with us.
We were not averse to letting the odd ‘guest musician’ sit in with us at gigs from time to time, and Lemmy was a frequent visitor on stage, as he was living in the area at that time, before his trip to London & fame & fortune. I recall he played guitar, rather than bass, in those days, and sometimes came along to roadie for us for a couple of quid when he was short of cash – quite a frequent occurrence.’
15.04.67 – The Jaybirds (Mike Hall remembers)
17.06.67 – The Move
01.07.67 – Jeff Beck Group
Mike Hall says, ‘This listing is highly questionable. Beck was one of my favourites then so I would have seen him thru’ hell or high water had he appeared at the Pier! Who gave you this info?’
13.11.71 – Lyle Marshall Band
31.12.71 – Lyle Marshall Band (new year’s eve pics above courtesy of Roger Tinsley)
22.03.73 – Sutherland Brothers & Quiver
25.03.73 – Brinsley Schwarz (Ian Gomm talks)
06.06.73 – Blackfoot Sue
1973 – Thin Lizzy
Steve Morris says, ‘I remember in my college days going to see Thin Lizzy it was the ‘Whisky in The Jar’ year. They were actually a substitute because I think it was The Equals could not be there.’
25.01.74 – Budgie
10.10.74 – McGuinness Flint
22.10.74 – KC & The Sunshine Band
03.02.75 – Stackridge
23.10.75 – Showaddywaddy / The Arrows
13.05.76 – JR Walker & The All Stars / James Alexander Barr (poster above courtesy of Mike Hall)
17.01.77 – Motorhead (ticket)
22.04.77 – Sad Cafe / Hot Water
27.05.77 – Hot Water
02.10.77 – The Enid (info)
16.12.77 – The Radio Stars
17.12.77 – Siouxsie & The Banshees / Amsterdam (poster & info)
22.12.77 – Bert & The Eggos
05.02.78 – Motorhead (this may not have happened)
17.02.78 – Prefects / TV Eye (Paul the drummer’s last gig with the Prefects)
27.03.78 – Whitesnake (Gig cancelled, David Coverdale said they were too big to play)
Kev Hughes of Stone Cold says, ‘We were booked to support Whitesnake we worked so hard on our set then they pulled the gig and we ended up supporting Hugo Dines. We also supported Steel Pulse and the Pirates. Sad Café played the Pier, Elvis Costello, Strife, Ginger Baker Band, 29th And Dearborn. The pier was a great place for local bands and I for one will never forget it.’
18.05.78 – Pirates / Stone Cold
25.05.78 – John Grimaldi
20.07.78 – Hot Water
Summer 1978 – Les Enfants played twice during the summer, once with Amsterdam (‘they were tossers and wouldn’t let us use their PA’) and once at a Tech Dance (for Llandrillo College)
14.08.78 – The Jam / The Jolt (Craig Davies says, ‘I had the poster, had the ticket, but they never turned up. NME said they had to go on BBC’s Top Of The Pops show for David Watts single. Emyr ac Elwyns [record shop] said they only sold 16 tickets.’) (David Alexander adds, ‘The Jam didn’t play because they didn’t sell enough tickets, the promoter said publicly that The Jam (being very popular right then) were the most expensive band he’d booked for years so the public would have to basically show support by selling the gig out months before. Craig is right 16 tickets…clearly they didn’t support it, wonder why?)
08.03.79 – Martha Reeves & The Vandellas / Honky
(poster pic by Terry Lamb)
19.12.79 – Hot Water
10.01.80 – Ginger Baker’s Energy / Last Rytes
12.01.80 – Hot Water
14.01.80 – Witchfynde
20.02.80 – Harvest Moon / Quad
17.03.80 – Elvis Costello / Clive Langer & The Boxes (bootleg album)
26.03.80 – Money
08.05.80 – Saxon / Lutreck
15.05.80 – Run 229
11.06.80 – The Specials / Bodysnatchers / Reluctant Stereotypes
Alan Littlehales says, ‘Reluctant Stereotypes supported Specials and the Bodysnatchers the guy from King sang for them before he formed King.’
Harold Bennett says ‘I was first in the queue to see The Specials I also was in the Malibu World Disco Championships in 1985 … I painted the palm trees on the fire curtain and also painted the sign Colwyn Bay Pier Fun Club Disco on the side that got told had to be removed asap.’
Steve Rastin; ‘There were obviously tensions within the band that night – Roddy Radiation trashed his guitar towards the end in a manner that suggested genuine unhappiness rather than mere theatrics – but the performance absolutely fizzed. The layout of the venue meant that there was no barrier between band and audience and with several hundred rude boys n girls, punks and skins bouncing around in unison you felt that The Pier was in imminent danger of collapsing into the sea, but my god we’d have all drowned happy!’
24.06.80 – Cockney Rejects / The Grids
06.08.80 – Girlschool / Harvest Moon
14.08.80 – Angelwitch / Harvest Moon
24.09.80 – Tygers of Pan Tang / Taurus (Graham Pritchard says, ‘I was at this gig, I was 15 and got hammered. My mate tried to get on stage and knocked the speaker over.)
Oct 1980 – ‘Son of Stiff Tour’ – Ten Pole Tudor / Equators / Any Trouble / Dirty Looks / The Crowns
15.10.80 – Diamond Head
18.10.80 – Bad Manners (Ste says, ‘Remember Peter Powell [Radio 1 DJ] getting a slap because he was shite and Buster Bloodvessel running off stage when fighting started in the crowd. I think Colwyn Bay was a bit to scary for some people in them days)
28.11.80 – Stray Cats / Seventeen – this gig was cancelled due to Top Of the Pops appearance
03.12.80 – Revillos
16.12.80 – Slade / Taurus
Jan.Feb 81 – Deadringer / Mask – Mask pulled out and Colwyn Bay band Zenith played last minute.
30.04.81 – Tygers of Pan Tang / Magnum / Alcatrass
05.05.81 – The Bureau / The Modettes
08.06.81 – Iron Maiden / Aragorn (this may not have happened)
18.06.81 – Samson
22.06.81 – More
29.06.81 – Praying Mantis
02.07.81 – Revillos (download this gig!)
07.07.81 – Steve Gibbons Band
28.07.81 – Limelight / Chevy
18.08.81 – Spider
26.08.81 – The Beat / Mood Elevators – Pirahna Boy says, ‘900 people jumping up & down to Stand Down Margaret in a small room at the end of the pier! Looking back I’m surprised we didn’t all end up in the sea’
Alan Holmes however said, ‘They were so shit that I sold all their records the next day and have been unable to listen to them ever since! (the same happened with Rush in Liverpool a couple of years previously).’
30.08.81 – Harvest Moon / Zenith (date may not be correct, but in Aug)
01.09.81 – 7-20 / Streetfighter
08.09.81 – Lionheart / Saxon / Aragorn (please verify)
24.09.81 – Budgie
01.10.81 – Stray / Liason
15.10.81 – Steve Gibbons Band / The AK Band
26.10.81 – Theatre Of Hate / Southern Death Cult
Steve Rastin says, ‘The Theatre Of Hate gig was a particularly nasty one. A bunch of Southern Death Cult fans, off their heads on lighter fluid, were beating the crap out of anyone who tried to dance to ToH.’
20.11.81 – The Damned / Anti-Nowhere League (review)
30.11.81 – The Bureau / Tearjerkers / Modettes
16.01.82 – Black Flag / Vicious Circle (review)
23.02.82 – Magnum
19.03.82 – Budgie (a bootleg of the gig has done the rounds)
31.03.82 – Diamond Head (a bootleg of the gig has done the rounds)
11.05.82 – Fish
20.05.82 – Wishbone Ash
13.07.82 – Magnum
01.12.82 – Meteors / Mercenary Skank (memories)
Paul Duffield went to this gig, ‘because my Dad ran antique fairs from there I used to go back stage. One of the bands had grafittied their name on one of the purple velour chairs!’
29.12.82 – Dagaband
14.04.83 – The Enid
12.05.83 – Hanoi Rocks
14.03.86 – ‘Northern Soul All Nighter’ (pic)
11.06.06 – ‘All Day Festival’ – Skunkfish played, Rob Loughlin of the band says, ‘I definitely played there twice although I can’t remember if one of the times was with the Deadlight Spiral or whether it was with Skunkfish twice. I was drunk one of the times hence having a hazy memory but we got called off the stage halfway through our set the first time we were there as there were complaints from local residents about the noise.’
23.05.08 – Global Parasite / Anti Virus
11.07.08 – Global Parasite / Portrait of A Lifetime / Leucine
Aug 2008 – Inferno / Tramp With A Plan – the final live performance at this venue
Other bands that played but we’re unsure of the dates (your help is needed) –
Thin Lizzy (c1973), Desmond Dekker (1985), The Drones (1977.78), Nine Below Zero, Sad Cafe, Trust, One Foot In The Grave, The Blue Cats (Jul81), Body Snatchers (1982), Trident, Black Roots, Swan, Groundhogs, Boney M (!), Rainbow Cottage, Blodwyn Pig, Strife, Cilla Black, Bill The Murderer, Les Enfants, Twisted Sister, Splodgenessabounds . The Grids, Jimmy Clarke & His Band, Steel Pulse, O Jays, The Real Thing (1978), Limmie and The Family Cookin’, Four Tops, Andrea True Connection, Lords of The New Church, Glitter Band, Trapeze, Nutz, Herman’s Hermits, The Escorts, Roy Wood & His Helicopters (1983?), TNT, Sgt Furry, Blue Cats, The Jets, Dr Feelgood, Vardis, Swinging Blue Jeans, Black Slate, Jackie Wilson, Jr Walker and Major Lance. Dexys Midnight Runners were due to play until Kevin Rowland sacked the band. They subsequently formed The Bureau and played The Pier twice.
David Alexander who used to play for Trident says, ‘I used to work a bit in the Dixieland so got in free to a lot of the gigs, plus went as a punter early on, remember the Hugo Dines Band ‘riot’ also similar fights being common for The Enid!’
‘Hugo Dines Band got bottled off by about three old Teds who had been looking for trouble all night. I met them after, they were scousers I think (punks) they were very chuffed with the riot and asked me to send them any newspaper clippings.’
He continues, ‘I don’t reckon Iron Maiden played though, Samson did (so yes to Bruce Dickenson) but I have seen an official list of Maiden’s Welsh gigs, there was a few in South Wales, but their only recorded date in North Wales was supporting Judas Priest at Deeside Leisure Centre on the British Steel Tour.’
The entire pier was been earmarked to be demolished, having fallen into disrepair. Being deemed unsafe and too expensive to renovate, the final part was removed in May 2018.
This is what the venue looked like in January 2014.
June 29, 2013 @ 6:29 am
show waddywaddy was there,, I went to see them, not sure of the date though,it was the year (under the moon of love) was there hit
June 29, 2013 @ 11:48 pm
23.10.75 – Showaddywaddy / The Arrows
February 2, 2017 @ 11:35 am
I went to see NEW YORK CITY there I think in 1972 and they sang “I’m doing fine now”
April 24, 2018 @ 12:36 pm
i saw New York City at the pier in 1972 there was a backing band called Trax who stood out with orange Afro hair do’s also remember Eddie Floyd being billed some time later but cancelled due to Ill Health, also George and Gwen Mc Crae
April 23, 2018 @ 8:29 pm
Date sounds good, my sister went to this gig I think
July 27, 2015 @ 2:29 pm
yea we were there had my jacket nicked
June 29, 2013 @ 12:15 pm
Here’s a couple more, although I’ve no idea of the dates: Hugo Dines (got bottled off stage), Big in Japan.
June 29, 2013 @ 2:39 pm
Hugo Dines would’ve been sometime between Sep77 – Feb78
June 29, 2013 @ 3:31 pm
Hugo Dines Band got bottled off by about three old Teds who had been looking for trouble all night. I met them after, they were scousers I think (punks) they were very chuffed with the riot and asked me to send them any newspaper clippings.
June 29, 2013 @ 3:23 pm
Remember peter powell geting a slap because he was shite and buster blood vessel running off stage when fighting started in crowd think colwyn bay was a bit to scary for some people in them days
June 29, 2013 @ 4:19 pm
I was at the tygers of Pantang 1980 gig,I was 15 and was hammered. My mate tried to get on stage and knocked the speaker over.Was also at the Budgie 81 and a few of the others.Good days.
February 4, 2017 @ 3:52 pm
Saw the Tygers 3 times at Colwyn bay pier Got most of their albums on vinyl.
June 29, 2013 @ 9:43 pm
If we’re talking about the ballroom in the middle of the pier then Skunkfish played an all day festival there on the 11th June 2006 (line up – Gary Roberts guitar/vox, Rob Loughlin bass, Mark Haigh drums, Hector Zaphiro (I forget his real name!) percussion). I have some photos of it on an old hard drive if anyone is interested.
I definitely played there twice although I can’t remember if one of the times was with the Deadlight Spiral or whether it was with Skunkfish twice. I was drunk one of the times hence having a hazy memory but we got called off the stage halfway through our set the first time we were there as there were complaints from local residents about the noise.
If we’re talking about the room closest to the land end of the pier that was refurbished sometime around the mid to late 2000’s then I never played there and please disregard all this!
June 30, 2013 @ 12:04 am
yeah pics would be good – cheers
July 11, 2013 @ 9:28 pm
When I was at Llandrillo College I went to a lot of the rock gigs on The Pier Colwyn Bay c1973 The first gig I went to was Thin Lizzy before they were famous
Oh the memories.
June 26, 2015 @ 11:55 pm
I remember in my college days going to see Thin Lizzy it was the ‘Whisky in Jar year’. They were actually a substitute because I think it was The Equals could not be there.
June 27, 2015 @ 12:03 am
Remember seeing Blackfoot Sue at the pier cant remember the date but I still got the vinyl album ‘Nothing to Hide’
February 4, 2017 @ 3:54 pm
Saw many Rock Bands in the early 80’s while in my college years. Then it was called the Dixieland Show bar. Some of the best Rock bands around at that time. Thin Lizzy, Budgie, Diamond head, Wishbone Ash (2), Saxon, Dark Star, Magnum (3), Blackfoot Sue – Nothing to Hide tour, Ginger Baker’s Energy, Witchfynde, Harvest Moon (3) ,Saxon, Girlschool (2), Angelwich, Praying Mantis, Zenith and many more including my favourite Tygers of Pan Tang (3). Still have a mass of vinyl LPs and metal badges of some of these groups, and some groups still going strong today.
July 20, 2013 @ 1:51 pm
I went here quite a lot. from 1980 to 82 Remember a French band called Trust. Nico McBrain on drums before he left for Iron Maiden. Samson did play but post Bruce
January 27, 2014 @ 9:39 pm
My band Tramp With a Plan played there with Inferno at the last Pier Live music performance there in August 2008.
Great stage. 🙂
January 27, 2014 @ 10:01 pm
Think the reluctant stereotypes supported the Specials and the Bodysnatchers the guy from King sang for them before he formed King. I saw a band called B Movie who had a couple a good singles. Rememberence day and Marilyn Dreams would be about 1980 I guess they were really average:. Alan Littlehales
January 30, 2014 @ 11:26 am
I played there about 3 weeks before it closed in a band called Colobos. Roger Hughes on bass, Luis Titchener guitar, gaz Williams vox and acoustic guitar and me on drums.
About a year before this I saw Drumbago play with the trumpet player who ran the jazz night at the Ship in rhos, I think it was part of a festival. Great night, stinking hot and everyone sat out on the benches admiring the view after the gig.
April 29, 2014 @ 12:59 pm
Hey, what a fine list and SO MANY MEMORIES! Now none of us can recreate our youth, of course, but next best thing in this context would be to Restore the Pier. Yeah, I know Conwy Council want to pull it down but what do they know about anything. Look at the scree on the North Face of Llandudno!! (Which was a beach before the council got its hands on it.)
Colwyn Bay Victoria Pier Trust are working hard to achieve this goal and aim to hold awareness and fund raising events over the summer to push the campaign forward. Supporting this are well draughted plans and clear indications of the availability of very substantial lottery funding to carry out the actual works.
Now….who can we have for the Grand Reopening Gig?
I’m Chris Hemmings – crishtrees@gmail.com
July 17, 2014 @ 11:04 pm
I saw Venom (black metal band) at the pier. I think it was in 1983
July 18, 2014 @ 12:59 pm
Well I cocked up there it was Demon another black metal band and not venom
August 21, 2014 @ 5:24 pm
Martha reeves & the vandellas .. mar 8th 1979 .. the original poster is shown on the facebook page @ soul suite wrexham
January 23, 2015 @ 9:55 am
I remember Tygers of Pan Tang, Samson, Roy Wood and Wizard, Mr Wood came out for a chat with the crowd before the doors opened….what memories…I remember chating with Samson’s Bruce Bruce Dickinson at the bar, a year later he was front man with Iron Maiden..MEMORIES…
January 25, 2015 @ 10:48 am
When I was a kid I used to get my hair cut by Harvest Moon front man Steve Jones at the LoxBox in Colwyn Bay…he invited me along to a gig at the Pier and I never looked back, my music of choice was forged in Dixieland…
January 25, 2015 @ 10:28 am
My wife tells me she saw The Selector and Splodgenessabounds at Dixieland in 1979 or 1980…
January 26, 2015 @ 6:50 pm
Was that at the same gig Dave?
January 26, 2015 @ 7:36 pm
Nope, different dates…would have been an interesting evening if they had done the same date…or should I say a spectacular bar fight…
March 1, 2015 @ 2:17 pm
KC AND THE SUNSHINE BAND 22ND OCT 1974
April 6, 2015 @ 9:47 pm
hi we (stone cold) were booked to support whitesnake we worked so hard on our set then they pulled the gig and we ended up supporting hugo dines. we also supported steel pulse and the pirates. sad café played the pier elvis Costello,strife, ginger baker band, 29th and Dearborn , steve jones was singer chris white bass nigel bellis keyboards , john gwyn davies lead and kev hughes drums. the pier was a great place for local bands and I for one will never forget it
kev hughes
June 30, 2015 @ 11:40 am
I remember those gigs! I filled in for Kev for a short time time in 1978.
June 30, 2015 @ 11:38 am
We played there twice as punk band ‘Les Enfants’ summer 78. Merve, Keith, Chris and Bob. Happy days.
August 4, 2015 @ 9:55 pm
What bands did you play those gigs with Keith?
March 29, 2020 @ 2:25 pm
First gig we played with Rhyl band Amsterdam (tossers wouldn’t let us share the PA), second gig was a tech dance and we played alone.
July 26, 2015 @ 3:47 pm
My band ‘Tokyo Rose’ played there supporting, l think, ‘Harvest Moon’. I have no idea of the date but l remember my Dad giving the whole band and all our gear (with the drum kit strapped to the roof) in my mums Triumph Herald.
July 27, 2015 @ 9:34 am
Sad Cafe? I remember seeing the posters around the Bay!!
July 27, 2015 @ 9:37 am
Bodysnatchers and Reluctant Stereotypes were definitely support to The Specials and I’m pretty certain The Modettes were on the same bill as The Bureau.
July 27, 2015 @ 10:17 am
Good looking list up there, well done on your work. Done some searching on the web and found a couple more, Jeff Beck Group July 1st 1967, also The Revillos played there another time December 3rd 1980.
March 25, 2016 @ 8:11 am
Hi Glyn, Just seen your comment about Jeff Beck playing at Colwyn Bay Pier in 1967. Can I ask you where you got this info from please? I was at school in Colwyn at that time & I don’t remember it happening. Knowing Beck, he probably cancelled at the last minute, as he did twice when I went to see him in London!
July 27, 2015 @ 7:36 pm
Complete bollocks in regard to Souther Death Cult. That was Paul form Junction tripping and trying to set fire to Ian Astbury and anyone else who got in his way!
July 27, 2015 @ 8:51 pm
There are quite a few bands/ artists missing from your list which we promoted ( The North Wales Soul Club & PLH in association with the North Wales Soul Club ) many of which I still have surplus posters of. – New York City, Major Lance, Limmie & the Family Cookin, The Tymes, Jackie Wilson, Betty Wright, Disco Tex & the Sexolettes, Andrea True Connection, Jimmy James & the Vagabonds. Most of which were between 1973-76. Martha Reeves 79 along with Andrea True Connection.
August 1, 2015 @ 2:08 pm
Hi Gilbert, do you have the dates please?
April 23, 2018 @ 8:36 pm
Disco Tex etc would have been Jan/Feb 75. I went to something at the Talardy about then and won tickets for Disco Tex gig. Sold them for two vodka and limes!
July 29, 2015 @ 1:24 pm
this is perhaps the biggest tragedy regarding the fate of Colwyn Bay Pier – it could be a fantastic venue for live bands , excellent access to the railway station, lots of parking , largely away from any residents ( and hence complaints), central to the town centre etc…..
And how Colwyn Bay could do with a live music venue!
But, rather sadly it seems cursed……………..
July 30, 2015 @ 9:32 pm
I so agree – Victoria could once again be the best venue in the whole region. Sad so few people can see this. It could generate a very good income, be used 7 days a week and 52 weeks a year and have a wide range of music, theatre, comedy etc. It could inspire whole new lists like there is on this page, which reads like a history of late 20th century popular music.
The restoration money is out there, the job is readily do-able, it’s just Conwy Council do not want competition for their services. Victoria (“Dixieland”) would not be theirs.
August 1, 2015 @ 11:39 am
Can I ask you guys to show your support for Colwyn Victoria Pier Trust (they have a Facebook page) who are trying to get the Heritage Lottery people to give us £9 million to save the pier. Conwy Council are the only stumbling block, so please email them with your thoughts about the pier as a music/entertainment venue. If enough of us do that, we can save the pier!
July 31, 2015 @ 12:33 pm
I have an interesting but little-known story about the time when Ten Years After played at Colwyn Bay pier, before they were known as Ten Years After. Anyone want to hear it??
August 1, 2015 @ 2:07 pm
Yes please Mike
August 3, 2015 @ 11:36 am
Hi Neil, So here’s the story about Ten Years After playing at Colwyn Bay pier. On April 15th 1967, a pop band called The Smoke were scheduled to play at the pier. They had had a hit called ‘My friend Jack’ & so the pier was full of teeny bopper girls waiting to see this top pop group. I was in a group at the time – The Questions, later to be renamed Uncle Herbert – & we were, unusually, not playing that night, so we decided to go down & see this band. We weren’t expecting to be too impressed by them, but we had nothing better to do anyway. So just before the gig is due to start, an announcement was made that The Smoke were unable to make it, but this band from Nottingham, called The Jaybirds, had stepped in at the last minute to help out. But anyone who wanted to refund their tickets could do so etc etc. So we didn’t mind who was on stage, really – as I said, we had nowhere else to go on a Saturday night. So the other 4 members of the band & I sat in the front row of the pier pavilion to check out this band at close quarters, while this line of hundreds of girls waited at the door to get their money back & go & drown their sorrows elsewhere.
Anyway, this band appeared & plugged in. They had a Hammond organ & a Gibson 335 guitar so that was a good start. Of course, when they started, we were blown away! Probably the best band I’d ever seen (with the possible exception of the Artwoods at the Lido in Prestatyn) with this incredible guitarist who was a great singer too. I turned round to see how the rest of the audience were enjoying it & there was no-one else there! Everyone else apart from my band & I had left!
So we stayed & enjoyed every number, realising that this band were exceptional & we had to keep our eyes on them as they were going to be big at some time in the future.
Lo & behold, later that year they changed their name to Ten Years After, & I caught up with them again when I went to college in London, as I practically lived at the Marquee in Wardour Street. I still have old programmes of those times, & by the end of 1967, TYA were topping the bill at the Marquee on a Friday night, with newer bands like Black Cat Bones (with Paul Kossoff on guitar before he joined Free) opening for them. I also use to hear them at Klook’s Kleek in West Hampstead, & was there when they made their first live LP called Undead.
I remember meeting them soon after their gig at Colwyn Bay, as there was an all-night petrol station & cafe on the outskirts of Chester, where all the bands used to meet up on their way back from gigs, to re-fuel (both their Ford Transits & their stomachs!). I remember us telling them how much we enjoyed the gig & how pleased we all were that The Smoke couldn’t make it!
Of course, within a couple of years they were topping the bill at Woodstock & in the movie of the same name. But not many people know that the Pier Pavilion Colwyn Bay played its own small part on their road to success.
November 24, 2018 @ 12:29 am
I was at this gig, I was tipped of by a guy on holiday (I lived in Llandulas at the time) that a good band was going to be playing there. After the band had played (there were about 50 people there) I went for a pint at the bar around the corner, & there was most of the band (I think three of them) including AL we got chatting & had a good time, happy days!
November 24, 2018 @ 2:44 pm
I don’t wish to doubt your story, Roi, but how could the guy know that they were playing there? Or maybe he was referring to ‘Smoke’ who were supposed to be playing. And I remember there being far fewer than 50 people there by the time everyone had queued up for their refund! Which was the ‘pub round the corner’? Why didn’t they drink at the Dixieland Pier bar?
January 4, 2016 @ 9:42 pm
I went to see Siouxsie, Motörhead, Girlschool,The Beat and the first Enid gig. Memories include playing pinball with Phil “Animal” Taylor before the Motörhead gig and the band disappearing from sight when an over zealous smoke machine kicked in! ( We also managed to play Space Invaders with Girlschool at their gig)
Finding Saxa from the Beat drinking in the Madocs pub before the show and having him drunkenly ask the way to the Gig.
The Enid riot was scary and totally unexpected, a stag night from Ellesmere Port looking for a late night drinking venue and the possibility of a ruck. The Enid were genuinely bewildered and kept in touch with fans to rearrange the charity follow up gig.
The Siouxsie gig was great and was just before they released “Hong Kong Garden” and became massive.The Jam gig being cancelled because of lack of sales is true, there were in a bit of a career dip before the release of All Mod Cons and there just wasn’t the interest locally.
Living in Colwyn Bay in the 70’s it felt that the world was going on elsewhere and other than coach trips to see rock bands at the Liverpool Empire or the occasional gig at Deeside leisure centre (The Police, Kiss, Bob Marley!) The Pier was a godsend and I remember it with real affection as a time when people off the telly unbelievably appeared in our own Dixieland Showbar!
October 20, 2016 @ 9:54 am
I was at the Beat gig stood next to the speaker to the left of the stage. Couldn’t hear a thing later only ringing :)))
January 26, 2016 @ 12:44 pm
I worked at the Pier initially as a cleaner, then bar/ cleaner, finally organising road crew for the gigs and playing records in between the bands. Iron Maiden were never booked to play…..Whitesnake cancelled as the stage was too small….Uriah Heep were booked to play and cancelled due to the promoter not paying their fee as agreed (Harvest Moon stepped in to play)……Saxon played on The Wheels of Steel tour (With Sounds Geoff Barton doing a feature on the gig)…they also played their under the Son Of A Bitch name……Slade played too……and Roy Wood Helicopter……Trapeze (minus Glenn Hughes) played in Nov 1977 with Nutz as support (my first gig!)…Wishbone Ash played twice, once with mams Boys as support…Tygers of Pan Tang played 3 times, Magnum 3 times, Budgie 3 times, Bernie Torme twice,………Samson played with Bruce Dickenson on vocals..,Trust also played with Nicko McBrain on drums……Lionheart never played….Chevy played twice…….Acker Bilk played for a Police Dinner dance too!!!
February 1, 2017 @ 6:28 pm
I saw The Nashville Teens on the pier in the 60’s with my brother. Can’t remember the exact date.
February 2, 2017 @ 12:13 am
Millie played at the pier in late 60’s, I worked there as a glass washer before I was 18 the Manager was a Mrs Vaughn this was in the days when the Council owned the pier. My ex brother in law Geoffrey Williams a door man later to rise to Manager. My ex husband Kevin Williams started as a chef cooking the good old chicken/scampi and chips in a basket (while studying catering at Llandrillo) he and his friends formed a team of D J,s I think there was 4 of them. The pier hosted many of the Tec dances a yearly event and also held an under 18’s disco on either a Tuesday or Thursday evening can’t remember which.
February 2, 2017 @ 7:35 am
I played here with my band ‘Exodus’ as supporting act for Tom O’Connor on a cabaret night at the time he was on Opportunity Knocks so must have been around the late 70s?
February 2, 2017 @ 9:57 am
my wife lost a charm braclete there 🙁
February 2, 2017 @ 10:00 am
can’t remember who was on as it spoilt the night, possibly Martha Reeves as it was that time period and we were/are both Motown/Soulies:]
February 2, 2017 @ 11:23 am
Motorhead 05-02-78 did happen, support act was Siouxsie and the Banshees, I was there !!
February 2, 2017 @ 5:54 pm
circus of horrors november 18 2005, technically was victoria pier but still in the same venue
February 2, 2017 @ 9:14 pm
Pluto Shervington played circa 1982
February 2, 2017 @ 9:57 pm
worked at the bar 1978, happy days , still got a signed paper plate by ” the real thing ” not listed above..
February 4, 2017 @ 7:10 pm
I saw George Mc Crae there 1979/80
February 12, 2017 @ 6:58 pm
I remember chatting to Bruce Dickerson by the Mick g desk at the Sampson gig. When was drinking tea and eating Lincoln biscuits
February 12, 2017 @ 9:52 pm
I wish I could type!
February 12, 2017 @ 7:13 pm
This list really makes me question my memory. I could have sworn Saxon was my first Dixieland gig but I also saw Whychfyde who I was convinced was much later. Same for Girlschool (who were a bit shit). Looking at this list my last gig must have been the Tigers of Pan Tang/Magnum gig, although I’m sure I saw Diamond Head after that?
February 15, 2017 @ 2:08 pm
Just to update you, The Pier is not being demolished, but part dismantled, repaired and returned, there will be a new music venue on the pier, and also a food and drink venue, so hopefully people can once again play in the Pier.
February 17, 2017 @ 12:30 am
And where did you get this information?
February 18, 2017 @ 1:15 pm
Amassed it over the last 20 years
February 18, 2017 @ 8:55 pm
Question was for Martin Austin.
February 17, 2017 @ 12:38 am
The latest from the Daily Post.’The Colwyn Victoria Pier Trust campaign says it will continue to resist attempts to demolish the 19th century structure, following part of it collapsing into the sea yesterday’ No sign of rebuild there
March 1, 2017 @ 10:48 pm
I went to see slade with my partner on his birthday on 16th December 1980 it was our first date and we had to leave on the song goodbye to Jane as I was only 16 -and I had school in the morning!!
May 15, 2017 @ 9:47 pm
Dagaband supported Demon. Slade also played there at some point. Uriah Heep were mean to play but pulled out late due to access issues and were replaced by Harvest Moon.
June 26, 2017 @ 11:02 pm
Dagaband were the support act to Demon
March 12, 2018 @ 12:13 pm
I used to go to the Dixie during 1975 to 1976, used to sleep under the pier in my car (Triumph Herald Convertible and a Cortina estate afterwards) good times.
April 23, 2018 @ 9:56 am
Remember seeing George McCray.late 70s
April 23, 2018 @ 10:58 am
Around 77 and 78…George Mc Crae , Discotex and the Sexolettes Limmie and The Family Cookin`…I saw George and his band and they signed their sweaty towel for me, also Discotex invited me on stage and his missus then came from the back and tried to push me back off the stage!! Happy Days x
April 23, 2018 @ 6:59 pm
Son of a bitch – Saxon’s name before they became Saxon. Wasn’t there a precursor to Genesis once as well?
What about the Alarm? I remembered they played the leisure centre, not sure about the Dixie.
I remember a story about Ginger Baker smashing up his dressing room.
January 2, 2019 @ 10:05 am
i remember this gig. There was a fixed tripod erected to video the performance. Some drunk knocked it over. Perhaps that’s why Ginger Baker wrecked the dressing room.
April 23, 2018 @ 8:41 pm
Pluto Shervington (“Dat” & “Ram Goat Liver”) played the Pier in 82/83
January 30, 2019 @ 5:35 pm
great memories for all the local bands that played there. played support to diamond head when I was with Halloween.
February 25, 2019 @ 9:50 am
George McCrae was there too
July 18, 2019 @ 10:43 pm
Worked on the door there late 70s to late 80s lol
October 12, 2019 @ 5:00 pm
Disco tex and the sexolets were on there 1975 -76 ‘get dancin’ was their new single at the time. – sad its gone so many memories of fun times there.
December 22, 2019 @ 11:10 pm
I saw ’10 Years After’ here 1968/69. After they finished their set I went for a pint to the bar were three of the band were sat having a beer, had a chat with Alvin Lee & two other band members.
Happy days!
Roly
May 17, 2020 @ 9:19 pm
Seen flock of seagulls there
July 16, 2021 @ 2:50 pm
The last gig on the pier was Colobus in the bar (I have photos) maybe the Friday and the rave that got it closed on Saturday and the rest is history.
Also I bet Nile Rodgers was at the KC and the sunshine band gig. That was when he lived here
September 22, 2021 @ 12:03 am
The Exploited played there too, around 1980/81. That was awesome. Mosh pit went mad!
October 12, 2021 @ 9:39 am
George McCrae 1979/80