|
|
 |
This is the archive of the combined Barking Spider and Andy Broad Portsmouth Blues Site mailing lists.
For the latest information on what's on at The Bullfrog Blues Club click here
Barking Spider Promotions Mailing List |
|
Dr. Dave Allen (ex Harlem Speakeasy / Rosemary / Reet Petite & Gone and Country Joe's band) is giving a public lecture entitled "Here Come the Sixties" at the New Theatre Royal on Monday 12 October 2009 about popular music in Portsmouth in the 1960s. It's unlikely that anyone else in Portsmouth would have the depth of knowledge that Dave has of this subject.... In the early sixties Dave's interest in R&B and the folk blues of people like Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee & Big Bill Broonzy led him to start performing around the folk clubs of Portmouth on vocals and harmonica, whilst the late Pete Gurd played fingerpicking guitar. However, by the mid sixties his interest in the mod scene led him to the legendary Pompey clubs, The Birdcage and The Rendezvous, who regularly presented leading R&B acts from Britain and America every week including The Yardbirds, Little Richard, The Graham Bond Organisation, Wilson Pickett, Charlie & Inez Foxx,The Who, The Small Faces, John Mayall, Georgie Fame, Cream, Tomorrow, and The Move, whilst The Savoy Ballroom on Southsea seafront and Portsmouth Guildhall afforded Dave the chance to see bands such as diverse as The Beatles, Stones, Them, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Animals,Duke Ellington,John Lee Hooker, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Little Walter, Albert King, Roland Kirk, Nina Simone and Indo-Jazz Fusions. By early 1968 Dave was gigging heavily, singing and playing sax with soul/r & b band Harlem Speakeasy. They signed to the Chrysalis agency and released a single on Polydor, which received airplay on Radio 1, and received excellent reviews. However, by now Dave had taken a great interest in the psychedelic music scene and the band folded at the end of the year, and Dave formed Rosemary, covered songs by Country Joe, Tim Buckley, Bob Dylan, Fairport Convention, The Doors and a few old blues songs. They were gigging hard by early 1969. Rosemary were regulars at London gigs like The Marquee, The Flamingo,The Freakeasy and The Country Club, where they shared bills with the likes of The Liverpool Scene, Atomic Rooster, Mott the Hoople, Daddy Longlegs and Free. A review in 'Melody Maker' likened Rosemary to Pink Floyd. Later Dave went back to college and became a teacher, researcher at Portsmouth University, and finally "Dr Dave", academic. He now runs a degree course in which young people study the industry, get access to magnificent recording gear, present radios shows, and create their own web sites, videos and graphics. Whilst at Portsmouth University he was a member of Reet Petite and Gone, the finest blues/skiffle bands in Britain. This was an opinion shared by Country Joe McDonald, who requested that Reet Petite and Gone accompanied Country Joe as his band on his 2001 tour. The band had folded by then but reformed just for the tour. This brought things full circle for Dave, who in 1969 had first seen Country Joe & The Fish, on South Parade Pier - the venue for Country Joe & Reet Petite & Gones's first U.K gig together. Dave's "Here Come the Sixties" presentation will be covering pop, rock, jazz, folk, and dance bands. The event is at The New Theatre Royal, Guildhall Walk, Portsmouth on Monday 12 October 2009. Don't miss it! It's FREE entry and everyone attending gets a free booklet. Tickets to the 7.30 show have all gone, but Dr Dave is doing another show at 3 pm limited to stalls, so there are about 220 more tickets for that show Tickets for the show are (at present!) avaialble from the Box Office on 023 9264 9000 or www.newtheatreroyal.com HURRY!!!!!!!