o / t Rock bands from Lancaster Uni's golden era

[Christies Child]

My wife reckons the worst we saw was a certain Mungo Jerry.....not for me to disagree....

[thedoc]

First big band I ever saw were Deep Purple in 1970 at the Great Hall there when I was 15. They were top of a bill which included the Uni's own house band - Urbane Guerilla (perhaps the cleverest name for a band ever....) and another called Farm (who did not become famous many years later). Deep Purple were fantastic and I thought that was the standard to be expected at all rock concerts - if only...

[Phoenix Shrimp 2017]

In my distant memory I seem to recall seeing Procol Harum around 1976 and even Hot Chocolate.
Does anyone recall them playing at the Great Hall?

Hot Chocolate were brilliant that night. They didn't do many of their hits but did a lot of less commercial stuff which seemed to have the entire audience up bopping for the whole show. I think that was the night of the great storm, remember driving back through Lancaster to find the road closed and the bus station under several feet of water after the Lune burst its banks. Long detour to get back to Morecambe to find the West End Pier washed away.

[SimplyRed MFC]

I've had a sneak preview at Barry's new book already and one of the best of many good quotes comes from Graham Parker of The Rumour with reference to the night they played the Uni when Morecambe was devastated by that infamous high tide in 1977.

The band were actually staying overnight in Morecambe that night and he was reported as saying " The Rolling Stones & The Who might trash hotel rooms - but whole towns get trashed when we are on ! "

[Bare Grills]

Favourites have to be Stiff Records Tour with Ian Dury & Elvis Costello, The Jam (briefly wondered why they stripped all the coloured gel off the lights after the warm-up band) and Graham Parker & The Rumour's practice gig ahead of their European tour, couldn't fit them all on stage

[seasonsinthesun]

Don't know if it has been mentioned, but I recall someone once telling me that around 1972 ish Mott The Hoople played at the Uni with a support band called Queen.

[Alan]

Alan, didn't The Kinks play as well?

I think they headlined a Rag Ball in the 70's.
Also remember Heads,Hands & Feet containing Albert Lee and Chas Hodges.
Plus Quintessence (psychedelic rock band) who played Glastonbury in 1971.

[Arnside Red]

I came back from Leeds to attend, I was a huge fan of the support band Clover who I had seen supporting Lizzy and Lynrd Skynrd, some of their members became more famous after they split, Huey Lewis and Sean Hopper formed Huey Lewis and the News, John McFee became lead guitar for the Doobie Bros and Alex Call wrote a mega US hit (.....Jenny) for Tommy Tutone
Queen did support Mott in around 73-4 but I missed it,
T.Rex appeared in the early 70's, the other gig I should have gone to, didn't and always regretted it was Nils Lofgren supported by Tom Petty

[Christies Child]

Such a pity that those days of good bands at the Uni have gone.....or am I totally out of date...

[Crazeenick]

I would go to gigs at the Uni if they still had them - I usually have to go to Manchester for my live music fixes!

[Sakhalin Shrimp]

I had tickets to see Mott the Hoople but the gig was cancelled due to them splitting up. I thought that was around '74 but maybe was later, it's such a long time ago

[Freez]

Arnside red, the song was called Jenny Jenny, and I'd never heard it until this morning until The Hairy Bikers played it on Planet Rock, weird!!

[SimplyRed MFC]

Neil, the problem is mainly one of capacity. When Barry was booking all the acts the legal capacity was 1,000 and as U2's Bono said to Mick Jagger in 82 " Its a lot better to start your tour in front of a good 1,000 capacity venue like Lancaster and iron out any mistakes before you hit Wembley "

The problem now is that despite any major alterations to the Great Hall, the legal capacity is only around 600 and therefore not enough for most big names to perform.

Despite that, I played a gig in it in January with no problem !!!

[Gone_Shrimping]

All the big acts now only play the big cities with big venues.

Last year I went to see The Beach Boys (now Brian Wilson and Al Jardine + brilliant session musicians) at the Apollo in Manchester. It holds about 1,800 and was full at £40 or £50 per ticket. The tickets at the University were subsidised by the Students Union in the 70's when all the top acts turned up.

[SupermarketShrimp]

Simmy, yes Blondie did play the Uni on 27 Feb 1978. They were supported by Mungo Jerry, Advertising & Hanleo & Katrina - a knife-throwing act previously known as Las Vivas who had supported Free at the Great Hall in 1972. (Barry just told me !)

You might need to check the date on that. It was probably a similar date in 1980....

[SupermarketShrimp]

The stories about quiet period. Many of them went into legend but I was
Told the Rolling Stones were told no because it was quiet period. Quiet period!

[SupermarketShrimp]

In my distant memory I seem to recall seeing Procol Harum around 1976 and even Hot Chocolate.
Does anyone recall them playing at the Great Hall?

Hot Chocolate were brilliant that night. They didn't do many of their hits but did a lot of less commercial stuff which seemed to have the entire audience up bopping for the whole show. I think that was the night of the great storm, remember driving back through Lancaster to find the road closed and the bus station under several feet of water after the Lune burst its banks. Long detour to get back to Morecambe to find the West End Pier washed away.

Hot chocolate were early 80s too.

[SimplyRed MFC]

Supermarket Shrimp - I did check the date yesterday after Simmy asked, Barry went to his book and told me it was definately the 1978 date when he booked Blondie.

When every single gig is listed in chronological order, he'll be mad if he got it wrong in his own book by 2 years !

The Rolling Stones story is pretty accurate though and very funny.

The Uni were offered 'a non-identified band' by Harvey Goldsmith the legendary Wembley tour promoter but it was strictly for just a certain date in June 1982,

But when Barry went to ask the Chancellor for the availability of the Great Hall he was told no as it was finals week. Barry then rang Harvey back and said it was a no-go on that date to which Harvey replied ...

" You don't understand, I REALLY need Lancaster on that date "
" Well who are the band anyway ? You usually tell me who they are ? "
" OK but absolutely strictly between us, its the Stones ! Bono has told Jagger how good the Great Hall is and they want to play it on that date " "
" Bloody hell, right, I'll go back and ask the Chancellor again ! "

So he went back a second time to try and book the Hall to which the top man replied exasperatedly
" Barry, this may come as a major shock to you but this is a University, its where parents send their children to get a Degree ! And that is what is happening in the Hall on that day. So that is it "
" But I've got the chance of this band ... "
" Barry, I don't care if you got the Rolling Stones, there are exams in the Great Hall and thats that ! "
" Well, its funny you should mention that ..... ! "

So that is just how close the Rolling Stones came to play Lancaster.
Oh, and you should have seen the Stones rider if they had actually done so !!!
But that's another story !

[SupermarketShrimp]

I'm really looking forward to the book. Barry was/is a good friend of my Mum and Dad.

[SupermarketShrimp]

Supermarket Shrimp - I did check the date yesterday after Simmy asked, Barry went to his book and told me it was definately the 1978 date when he booked Blondie.

When every single gig is listed in chronological order, he'll be mad if he got it wrong in his own book by 2 years !

The Rolling Stones story is pretty accurate though and very funny.

The Uni were offered 'a non-identified band' by Harvey Goldsmith the legendary Wembley tour promoter but it was strictly for just a certain date in June 1982,

But when Barry went to ask the Chancellor for the availability of the Great Hall he was told no as it was finals week. Barry then rang Harvey back and said it was a no-go on that date to which Harvey replied ...

" You don't understand, I REALLY need Lancaster on that date "
" Well who are the band anyway ? You usually tell me who they are ? "
" OK but absolutely strictly between us, its the Stones ! Bono has told Jagger how good the Great Hall is and they want to play it on that date " "
" Bloody hell, right, I'll go back and ask the Chancellor again ! "

So he went back a second time to try and book the Hall to which the top man replied exasperatedly
" Barry, this may come as a major shock to you but this is a University, its where parents send their children to get a Degree ! And that is what is happening in the Hall on that day. So that is it "
" But I've got the chance of this band ... "
" Barry, I don't care if you got the Rolling Stones, there are exams in the Great Hall and thats that ! "
" Well, its funny you should mention that ..... ! "

So that is just how close the Rolling Stones came to play Lancaster.
Oh, and you should have seen the Stones rider if they had actually done so !!!
But that's another story !

I'm told they then fought like merry hell to have it on the Rugby pitches and were told in no uncertain terms. "IT IS QUIET PERIOD".

[Arnside Red]

867-5309 / Jenny....but the opening line is Jenny Jenny

[Arnside Red]

they were on at Leeds poly the same tour, Hot chocolate I seem to remember played a couple of times in the mid 70's, but I didn't go to either show......Great story re the Stones by the way.......I did see U2 there just before they really took off..

[SimplyRed MFC]

Great news for everyone who has posted on this thread above.

Following Barry Lucas''s Book Launch of " When Rock Went To College" recently at Lancaster Uni where over 300 people turned up (!) we are going to do a smaller Morecambe launch soon in JBs Bar - its on THURSDAY 23 NOVEMBER from 7-30.

The Bay will be covering it as will The Visitor on the night. Its FREE admission and there will be a Question & Answer section if any one has something they want to ask Barry about any of the 100's of artists who played Lancaster Uni.

It will be a fascinating, different sort of night and great fun.

Its on a Thursday so that musicians who may be playing on a weekend night can come.
Any other info please just ask on here and spread the word as the book really is a superb 368-page record of an era which will never be repeated.

Oh, and as Barry is also a Morecambe fan the book is being discounted to Shrimps fans and also signed - an ideal Christmas present for music fans to purchase on the night.( So don't buy it off Amazon !!! )

[RonF]

Bought my copy last night at Bootleggers in Kendal, where Barry and Mary had a stall at the Wishbone Ash concert. Barry came up on stage with Andy Powell and reminded him of the £40 fee for their stunning initial Lancaster Uni appearance supporting Free in 1970!

Should be a great night on the 23rd in JB’s, as Barry is full of interesting facts and stories from the 70s and 80s (as well as being very knowledgeable about Morecambe FC), and if Mary turns up you can ask her about her 15 years at the Platform as well.

[Freez]

Apparently Bootleggers only paid them the same for last night!!!