Opened by brothers Rik and John Gunnell in mid-February 1966, the Ram Jam Club (named after Geno Washington’s Ram Jam Band) was situated on the Brixton High Road.
The famous venue hosted most of the top UK acts of the 1960s as well as visiting US blues and soul artists. I have started to compile a gig list and would welcome any additions in the comment below.
1966
17 February – The Animals (open the club)
19 February – Zoot Money & The Big Roll Band
24 February – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames
25 February – The Gass
26 February – The Shevelles
27 February – The Gass
3 March – The Spencer Davis Group and Paul Fenton & The Crowd
4 March – The Graham Bond Organisation
5 March – Tony Knight’s Chessmen and The Loose Ends
6 March – The Gass
10 March – The Who and The Train
11 March – The Gass
12 March – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band and The Peter B’s
13 March – The Gass
18 March – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
24 March – The Peter B’s and Wilson Pickett
31 March – The Peter B’s, Don Covay and The League of Gentlemen
1 April – Screaming Jay Hawkins
2 April – The Peter B’s, Arthur Alexander, The Jimmy Brown Sound, The Shevelles
7 April – Martha & The Vandellas and The Gass
8 April – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
9 April – The Peter B’s and Gary Farr & The T-Bones
14 April – The Vibrations and The Peter B’s
15 April – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames and The Amboy Dukes
16 April – The Gass and The Peter B’s
17 April – The Gass
21 April – Lee Dorsey and The Peter B’s and The League of Gentlemen
22 April – Freddie Mack’s This and That Show
23 April – Jimmy Witherspoon and The Shevells
24 April – The Gass
29 April – The Action
30 April – Zoot Money & The Big Roll Band
5 May – Patti La Belle & Her Belles (with Bluesology?)
7 May – The Shotgun Express and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
12 May – The Drifters and The Chessmen
13 May – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
21 May – The Shotgun Express
26 May – Ben E King and The Chessmen
27 May – Zoot Money & The Big Roll Band
28 May – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds and The Stormsville Shakers
2 June – The Steampacket
3 June – The Gass
4 June – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers and The Amboy Dukes
9 June – The Yardbirds (cancelled)
10 June – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
18 June – The Shotgun Express
24 June – The Moody Blues
25 June – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
30 June – The Graham Bond Organisation
1 July – The Five Proud Walkers
2 July – The Yardbirds and Tawny Reed Heatwave
3 July – The Rick ‘N’ Beckers
7 July – The Alan Price Set
8 July – The Shevells
9 July – Zoot Money & The Big Roll Band
10 July – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
14 July – The Amboy Dukes
15 July – Dave Anthony’s Moods
16 July – The Shevells
17 July – Solomon Burke
21 July – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames
22 July – The Stormsville Shakers
23 July – The Nightimers with Herbie Goins
24 July – The Gass
28 July – The Graham Bond Organisation
30 July – The Amboy Dukes and The Objects
4 August – Solomon Burke
5 August – O’Hara’s Playboys and The Eyes of Blue
6 August – The Gass and Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
7 August – The Rick ‘N’ Breckers
9 August – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
11 August – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
12 August – The Gass
13 August – Dave Anthony’s Moods and Rik ‘N’ Beckers
14 August – The Amboy Dukes
18 August – The Alan Price Set
19 August – Mark Barry
20 August – The Shotgun Express
21 August – The Amboy Dukes
25 August – The Blues Healers (with Malcolm Magaron)
26 August – Mark Barry and Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
27 August – Cream
28 August – The Amboy Dukes
29 August – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
1 September – The Spencer Davis Group
2 September – Mark Barry
3 September – The VIPs
4 September – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames
8 September – Zoot Money & The Big Roll Band
9 September – The Carl Douglas Set
10 September – The Amboy Dukes
11 September – The Blues Healers (with Malcolm Magaron)
15 September – The Loose Ends
16 September – The Five Proud Walkers
17 September – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
18 September – Otis Redding
22 September – The Eyes of Blue
23 September – The Shevelles
24 September – The Gass
25 September – The Gass
29 September – The Knack
30 September – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
1 October – The Shevelles
2 October – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
6 October – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
7 October – The Shevelles
8 October – The Playboys (not clear if this is The Manchester Playboys)
9 October – The Rick ‘N’ Beckers
13 October – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers
14 October – The Knack
15 October – The Amboy Dukes
16 October – The Rick ‘N’ Beckers (Poster above lists Garnet Mimms)
20 October – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
21 October – Diane Ferraz & Nicky Scott and Simons Triangle
22 October – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
23 October – Ike & Tina Turner Revue (with Ike – Ettes, Bobby John, Jimmy Thomas, Kings of Rhythm Orchestra)
27 October – The Drifters
28 October – The Shevelles
29 October – The Shogun Express
30 October – The Gass
3 November – Cream
4 November – The Shevelles and The Anzacs
6 November – The Gass
8 November – The Rick ‘N’ Beckers
10 November – Gary Farr & The T-Bones
12 November – The Amboy Dukes
13 November – Paul Butterfield’s Blues Band and Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
17 November – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
24 November – The Action
25 November – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
26 November – The Shotgun Express
27 November – The Amboy Dukes
29 November – Julian Covey & The Machine
6 December – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
9 December – The Action
10 December – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers and The Jimi Hendrix Experience
11 December – Bobby Hebb and Zoot Money & The Big Roll Band
13 December – Rupert’s Rick ‘N’ Beckers Show
23 December – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
24 December – The Blue Healers (with Malcolm Magaron) and Dave Anthony’s Moods
25 December – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (afternoon and evening)
26 December – Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays
27 December – Rupert’s Rick ‘N’ Beckers
1967
1 January – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
6 January – The Alan Price Set
7 January – The Eyes of Blue
8 January – Felder’s Orioles
10 January – Rupert’s Rick ‘N’ Beckers
13 January – The Shotgun Express
14 January – The Amboy Dukes
15 January – The Gass
17 January – Rupert’s Rick ‘N’ Beckers
20 January – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band
21 January – The Shevelles
22 January – Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays
24 January – Rupert’s Rick ‘N’ Beckers
27 January – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
28 January – Cream
29 January – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
31 January – The Fireballs
3 February – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
4 February – Jimi Hendrix Experience and The All Night Workers
5 February – The Amboy Dukes
9 February – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
11 February – The Shotgun Express
12 February – Maxine Brown & The Q-Set
17 February – Ronnie Jones & The Blue Jays and The All Night Workers
18 February – Georgie Fame
19 February – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
24 February – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
25 February – The Amboy Dukes and The Main Line
26 February – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
3 March – The Shevelles
4 March – The Fenmen with Felders Orioles
5 March – The Q-Set
10 March – The Real McCoy
11 March – Zoot Money & The Big Roll Band
12 March – The Gass
17 March – Ronnie Jones & The Q Set
18 March – Chris Farlowe & The Thunderbirds
19 March – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
24 March – Julian Covey & The Machine
25 March – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
26 March – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
27 March – The All Night Workers
31 March – The Urchins
1 April – The Artwoods and Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
2 April – Ronnie Jones & The Q Set
7 April – The Main Line
8 April – The Eyes of Blue and Rick ‘N’ Beckers
9 April – Herbie Goins & The Nightimers
13 April – Mary Wells & The Playboys
14 April – The Shevelles
15 April – The Pretty Things and The All Night Workers
16 April – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
21 April – Julian Covey & The Machine
22 April – Felder’s Orioles and The Main Line
23 April – Nina Simone and The Peddlers
28 April – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
29 April – The Shevelles and The Gass
30 April – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede (may not have happened)
4 May – The Len Marshall Show
5 May – The Duke Lee Sound
6 May – Julian Covey & The Machine and The All Night Workers
7 May – Ronnie Jones & The Q-Set
12 May – The Duke Lee Sound
13 May – Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band and Ferris Wheel
14 May – Prince Buster & The Bees and Rupert’s Rick ‘N’ Beckers
19 May – The Duke Lee Sound
20 May – The Shevelles and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
21 May – The Gass
27 May – Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames and Felders Orioles
28 May – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band and The Hunky Chunk Band
2 June – Nat Cole Show
3 June – Cream and Impact Blues
4 June – Lucas and The Mike Cotton Sound
5 June – The Duke Lee Sound
9 June – Nat Cole Show
10 June – John Lee Hooker, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, The Savoy Blues Band and Mad Movies
11 June – Jimmy James & The Vagabonds
12 June – The Duke Lee Sound
16 June – Nat Cole Show
17 June – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede, The Soul Meeting Band, Duke Lee Sound and Mad Movies
18 June – The Gass
19 June – The Duke Lee Sound
23 June – Nat Cole Show
24 June – Felder’s Orioles, The Chiffons & Rhythm and Blues Inc, Duke Lee Sound and Mad Movies
25 June – Ronnie Jones & The Q Set
26 June – The Duke Lee Sound
1 July – The All Night Workers (evening), then John Lee Hooker, The Savoy Brown Blues Band and The Duke Lee Sound (late night session)
2 July – PP Arnold (& The Nice)
3 July – The Duke Lee Sound
8 July – Ferris Wheel
9 July – Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band
15 July – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede with Mad Movies
16 July – Joyce Bond Show
22 July – Georgie Fame
23 July – The Coloured Raisins
29 July – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
30 July – Jackie Edwards
4 August – The Wages of Sin
5 August – O’Hara’ Playboys
6 August – The Gass
12 August – Ferris Wheel
13 August – Rick ‘N’ Beckers
19 August – The Skatalites
20 August – The Shell Shock Show
25 August – The New Jump Band
27 August – The Human Instinct and The Triads
2 September – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers
3 September – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
9 September – Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac
10 September – The Coloured Raisins with Honey Darling and Earl Green
16 September – The Bees
17 September – Ferris Wheel
23 September – The Shevelles
24 September – Jimmy Cliff & The Shakedown Sound
25 September – Maxine Brown & The Q-Set
28 September – The Soul Vendors starring Roland Alphonso, Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, Johnnie Moore and Jackie Mitto
30 September – The Amboy Dukes
1 October – Jackie Edwards
5 October – Vanilla Fudge
7 October – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
8 October – The Soul Vendors (starring Roland Alphonso, Alton Ellis and Ken Boothe)
14 October – The Skatalites
15 October – Horatio Soul & The Square Deals
19 October – Freddie King
21 October – Joey Young & The Tonics
22 October – The Bees
23 October – Junior Walker & The All Stars
28 October – The Delroy Williams Show
29 October – PP Arnold & The TNT
4 November – Johnson’s Dynamo Set
5 November – Junior Smith
6 November – Ben E King
11 November – The Sound Casters
12 November – The Soul Vendors
19 November – Little John & The Shadrocks
25 November – Eddie Floyd and his American Group, Sounds Incorporated and The Peppermint Men
26 November – Ferris Wheel
2 December – The Official Receivers
3 December – Desmond Dekker & The Aces
9 December – Watson T Brown and The Lastic Band
10 December – Joey Young and The Tonics (Joe Tex was originally advertised)
16 December – Dr Marigold’s Prescription
17 December – Jackie Edwards
23 December – The Vibrations and The Kingston By-Pass
24 December – The Delroy Williams Show
30 December – The Peppermint Men and The Duke Reid Sound
31 December – The Pyramids
1968
5 January – Desmond Dekker & The Aces
6 January – Owen Gray and Youth and Rudy and The Shell Shock Show Band
7 January – PP Arnold & The TNT
13 January – Joyce Bond and The Duke Reid Sound
14 January – John L Watson & The Web
20 January – Jimmy McGriff and Nepenthe
21 January – Dandy
27 January – The Skatalites and Sir Coxon Sound
28 January – Ronnie Jones & The Q-Set
3 February – James and Bobby Purify and The Duke Reid Sound
4 February – Jimmy McGriff
10 February – Robert Parker & The Quotations and The Sir Coxon Sound
11 February – Rupert’s Rik ‘N’ Beckers
17 February – Dandy & The Missions and The Duke Reid Sound
18 February – Nepenthe and The New Nadir
24 February – Little John & The Shadrocks and The Sir Coxon Sound
25 February – Joey Young & The Tonics
2 March – The Coloured Raisins and The Duke Reid Sound
3 March – The Fantastics (& The House of Orange)
9 March – Sir Coxon Sound
10 March – The Dave Davani Four
16 March – Jackie Edwards and The Duke Reid Sound
17 March – Horatio Soul & The Jokers
23 March – The Duke Reid Sound
24 March – Carl Douglas & The Big Stampede
30 March – Joyce Bond and The Sir Coxon Sound
31 March – The Chico-Bailey Show and The Night Hawks Band
6 April – The Original Impressions and Joey Young & The Tonics
7 April – The Sonny Burke Show
12 April – The Ethiopians with The Healers
14 April – The Original Drifters
20 April – Rupert’s Rick ‘N’ Beckers and The Sir Coxon Sound
21 April – Garnet Mimms
27 April – The Fantastics (& The House of Orange) and The Duke Reid Sound
28 April – Sugar Simone & The Programe
5 May – J J Jackson
Melody Maker stopped advertising from this point on
Most of the gigs were sourced from Melody Maker and gig posters. Thanks to Tony Webb for use of the club posters and to Ken Baxter for some Carl Douglas gigs from his contracts. Thanks also to Bruno Ceriotti and Mick Capewell for providing dates.
Copyright © Nick Warburton. All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior permission from the author.