Robert Plant & The Band of Joy

Welcome to another posting of a series of gig listings for 1960s bands. None of these lists is exhaustive and my idea is to add to them in the comments section below over time. They are here for future researchers to draw on.  I have also added a few interesting bits of information and will add images in time.

I’d like to encourage band members to get in touch to share memories, or for anyone to send corrections/clarifications to my email: Warchive@aol.com 

Equally important, if you attended any of the gigs below or played in the support band, please do leave your memories below in the comments section for future historians to use. If you know of any missing gigs, please add them too, if possible, with the sources.

ROBERT PLANT & THE BAND OF JOY:

Robert Plant – lead vocals

Chris Brown – keyboards/vocals

Vernon Pereira – lead guitar/vocals

Lyndon Laney – bass

Pete Robinson – drums

14 April 1967 – Carlton Club, Erdington, West Midlands (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

15 April 1967 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

21 April 1967 – Morgue, Bearwood, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail) Not in Barber’s book

24 April 1967 – Carlton Club, Erdington, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail)

26 April 1967 – Casa Fiesta Disco, Crown, Stourport, Worcestershire (John Combe book) Not in Barber’s book

 

3 May 1967 – Cedar Club, Birmingham with Denny Laine’s Electric String Band (Birmingham Evening Mail) Not in Barber’s book

6 May 1967 – Carlton Club, Erdington, West Midlands (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

10 May 1967 – Cedar Club, Birmingham with Denny Laine’s Electric String Band (Birmingham Evening Mail)

15 May 1967 – Cedar Club, Birmingham, West Midlands (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

16 May 1967 – Frank Freeman’s, Kidderminster, Worcestershire with Jimmy Cliff & The Shakedown Sound (Kidderminster Times & Stourport News)

19 May 1967 – Chateau Impney, Droitwich, Worcestershire (John Combe book)

19 May 1967 – Frank Freeman’s, Kidderminster, Worcestershire with Jimmy Cliff & The Shakedown Sound (John Combe book) Not in Barber’s book

19 May 1967 – Bolero, Wednesbury, West Midlands (Express & Star) Not in Barber’s book

Image may be subject to copyright

20 May 1967 – Co-op Hall, Worcester, Worcestershire (Worcester Evening News) Not in Barber’s book

22 May 1967 – Broadway Club, Dudley Zoo, West Midlands with The Omen (Express & Star)

27 May 1967 – Hen and Chickens, Langley, West Midlands (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

Image may be subject to copyright

31 May 1967 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with full supporting group (Birmingham Evening Mail) Not in Barber’s book

31 May 1967 – Bilston Town Hall, Bilston, West Midlands (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

 

5 June 1967 – Club Cedar, Birmingham with The Warren Davis Monday Band and Edwin Starr (Birmingham Evening Mail) Not in Barber’s book

10 June 1967 – Bilston Town Hall, Bilston, West Midlands with Shooting Stars (Express & Star)

18 June 1967 – Frank Freeman’s, Kidderminster, Worcestershire with Whisky Mac (Kidderminster Times & Stourport News)

Image may be subject to copyright

22 June 1967 – Black Horse, Kidderminster, Worcestershire (Kidderminster & Stourport News)

25 June 1967 – Ship & Rainbow, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Track (Express & Star) Not in Barber’s book

 

3 July 1967 – Broadway Club, Dudley Zoo, West Midlands (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

4 July 1967 – Malvern Hippie Festival, Malvern, Worcestershire (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

Image may be subject to copyright

14 July 1967 – Higham Ferres New WMC, Higham, Northamptonshire (Northamptonshire Evening Telegraph)

16 July 1967 – Le Metro, Birmingham, West Midlands (Express & Star)

Image may be subject to copyright

18 July 1967 – Chalet Country Club, Rednal, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail) Not in Barber’s book

22 July 1967 – Malvern Winter Gardens, Malvern, Worcestershire with Derek Bruce & His Show Band (Worcester Evening News) Not in Barber’s book

23 July 1967 – Ship & Rainbow, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Shooting Stars (Express & Star)

Image may be subject to copyright

24 July 1967 – Mercers Arms, Coventry, West Midlands (Coventry Evening Telegraph)

26 July 1967 – Elbow Room, Aston, West Midlands (Birmingham Evening Mail) Not in Barber’s book

Image may be subject to copyright

28 July 1967 – The County Arms, Blaby, Leicestershire (Leicester Mercury)

29 July 1967 – Black Horse, Northfield, Birmingham (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

30 July 1967 – Gig in Coventry (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy) Final gig by the first version according to Barber.

Pereira, Brown and Robinson formed a rival, second version while Plant put together another line-up together with members from Wolverhampton band, Paper. On 1 October, Pereira’s version had to change name to The Good Egg (Harry Barber)

Robert Plant – lead vocals

John Elston – lead guitar

Dave Evans – rhythm guitar

Pete Bowen – bass

Steve Taylor – drums

Image may be subject to copyright

5 August 1967 – Hen & Chickens, Langley, West Midlands with The UK Bonds (Birmingham Evening Mail) Not in Barber’s book

6 August 1967 – Tudor Club, Craven Arms, Coventry, West Midlands (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

12 August 1967 – Clouds, Derby, Derbyshire (Derby Evening Telegraph) Not in Barber’s book 

Thanks to Jake Beatson for the photo and confirmation

14 August 1967 – Town Hall, Pitlochry, Scotland with The Rite Tyme (Fabulous 208/Concert advert)

15 August 1967 – Palace Ballroom, Aberdeen, Scotland with The Rite Tyme (Aberdeen Evening Express)

16 August 1967 – Douglas Ballroom, Aberdeen, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

17 August 1967 – Caledonian Hotel, Inverness, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

18 August 1967 – Victoria Hall, Dunblane, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

19 August 1967 – Ritz Club, Skewen, Wales with The Clockwork Motion (Port Talbot Guardian)

19 August 1967 – Empire Ballroom, Neath, Wales with Barnaby’s Vision (Port Talbot Guardian)

24 August 1967 – Palais De Danse, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire (Fabulous 208

25 August 1967 – Severn Club, Shrewsbury, Shropshire (Fabulous 208)

25 August 1967 – Civic Hall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with The Montanas, The Staffords and Maddening Crowd (Express & Star)

26 August 1967 – Town Hall, Oxford, Oxfordshire (Fabulous 208)

27 August 1967 – Ritz Ballroom, King’s Heath, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

27 August 1967 – Plaza Ballroom, Handsworth, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

28 August 1967 – Golden Torch, Tunstall, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)

Image may be subject to copyright

28 August 1967 – Cofton Club, Rednal, West Midlands with Pesky G and Group Therapy (Birmingham Evening Mail/Redditch Indicator) Not in Barber’s book

30 August 1967 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

 

1 September 1967 – Cofton Country Club, Cofton, West Midlands with Virus (Birmingham Evening Mail/Redditch Indicator)

Image may be subject to copyright

2 September 1967 – Penthouse, Birmingham with Delroy Good-Good Band (Birmingham Evening Mail) Not in Barber’s book

Record Mirror from 2 September 1967, page 10 has a picture and story on the band

Photo: Record Mirror. Image may be subject to copyright

3 September 1967 – Cavalier Club, Warwick, Warwickshire (Fabulous 208)

4 September 1967 – Queen’s Ballroom, Wolverhampton, West Midlands with Geno Washington & The Ram Jam Band (Express & Star)

7 September 1967 – Ritz Ballroom, Hereford, Herefordshire (Fabulous 208)

8 September 1967 – Yeoman Club, Stafford, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)

9 September 1967 – Starlight Ballroom, Boston Gliderdrome, Boston, Lincolnshire (Fabulous 208)

10 September 1967 – Olympia Ballroom, Cromer, Norfolk (Fabulous 208)

Image may be subject to copyright

10 September 1967 – Swan, Yardley, West Midlands with The Flowers (Birmingham Evening Mail) Not in Barber’s book

19 September 1967 – Empire Ballroom, Neath, Wales (Fabulous 208)

20 September 1967 – Cofton Country Club, Rednal, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

21 September 1967 – Ringway Club, Birmingham (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

22 September 1967 – Town Hall, Kendal, Cumbria (Fabulous 208)

23 September 1967 – Majestic Ballroom, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

25 September 1967 – Magpie Club, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

30 September 1967 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Fabulous 208)

 

1 October 1967 – Country Club, Warmingham, Cheshire (Fabulous 208)

2 October 1967 – Magpie Club, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

3 October 1967 – Jazz Cellar, South Shields, Tyne & Wear (Fabulous 208)

4 October 1967 – Ice Rink, Ayr, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

5 October 1967 – Naval Base, Arbroath, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

6 October 1967 – Victoria Hall, Selkirk, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

7 October 1967 – Miners’ Welfare Institute, Kirconnel, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

8 October 1967 – Kinema Ballroom, Dunfermline, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

9 October 1967 – Burma Ballroom, Kirkcaldy, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

11 October 1967 – Mr Magoos, Edinburgh, Scotland (Fabulous 208)

13 October 1967 – Queen’s Hall, Barnstaple, Devon (Fabulous 208)

14 October 1967 – Penthouse Club, Birmingham with Ray King Soul Band and Haig and Al Capone (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

14 October 1967 – Bent-Jade Club, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)

15 October 1967 – Crofton Club, Rednal, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

Image may be subject to copyright
Image may be subject to copyright

The Birmingham Evening Mail from 18 October 1967, page 3 has a story and picture on Robert Plant

19 October 1967 – Penthouse Club, Birmingham with Haig and Al Capone (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

Image may be subject to copyright

21 October 1967 – Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire (Fabulous 208)

22 October 1967 – Penthouse Club, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)

22 October 1967 – Cofton Club, Rednal, West Midlands with Candy Stripes (Redditch Indicator) Barber says the group then embarked on a Scottish tour

In early November 1967, Fabulous 208 says Robert Plant offered his group’s services free of charge to the Chinese Charge D’Affairs

Robert Plant – lead vocals

Kevyn Gammond – lead guitar/vocals

Paul Lockey – bass/vocals

Chris Brown – keyboards

Paul Brittle – drums (soon replaced by John Bonham ex-Way of Life)

3 November 1967 – Winter Gardens, Penzance, Cornwall with The Atlantic Rollers (Fabulous 208/West Briton & Royal Cornish Gazette)

Image may be subject to copyright

4 November 1967 – Blue Lagoon, Newquay, Cornwall with The Atlantic Rollers (Cornish Guardian) Not in Barber’s book

5 November 1967 – Tabernacle, Stockport, Greater Manchester (Fabulous 208)

8 November 1967 – Club A Go Go, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear (http://www.readysteadygone.co.uk/club-agogo-newcastle-2/) Billed as Robert Plant & The Explosion. Not in Barber’s book

15 November 1967 – Blue Horizon, Ship & Rainbow, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Express & Star)

16 November 1967 – Penny Farthing, Hanley, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel) Not in Barber’s book

16 November 1967 – Crystal Ballroom, Stoke, Staffordshire (Evening Sentinel) Not in Barber’s book

17 November 1967 – Purple Onion Club, Hull (Fabulous 208)

18 November 1967 – Gainsborough Drill Hall, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire (Fabulous 208)

19 November 1967 – Redcar Jazz Club, Redcar, North Yorkshire with The Cresters (Dennis Weller, Chris Scott Wilson and Graham Lowe’s book) Not in Barber’s book

20 November 1967 – Broadway Club, Dudley Zoo, West Midlands with The Good Egg (Express & Star) Not in Barber’s book

23 November 1967 – Plaza Ballroom, Handsworth, West Midlands with Felice Taylor and The League of Gentlemen (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy/Birmingham Evening Mail)

23 November 1967 – Penthouse Club, Birmingham with Felice Taylor and The League of Gentlemen (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy/Birmingham Evening Mail)

Image may be subject to copyright

24 November 1967 – BSA Ballroom, Small Health, Birmingham with John Street (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy/Birmingham Evening Mail)

Photo from David Rigg

26 November 1967 – Cosmo, Carlisle, Cumbria with Amber World (Cumberland News)

 

3 December 1967 – Kinema Ballroom, Dunfermline, Scotland (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

6 December 1967 – Steering Wheel, Weymouth, Dorset (Dorset Evening Echo) Not in Barber’s book

Image may be subject to copyright

8 December 1967 – Steering Wheel, Dorchester, Dorset with The Question Marks (Dorset Evening Echo) Not in Barber’s book

Image may be subject to copyright

9 December 1967 – 400 Ballroom, Torquay, Devon (Herald Express) Not in Barber’s book

12 December 1967 – Ritz Ballroom, Bournemouth, Dorset (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

14 December 1967 – Technical College, Kidderminster, Worcestershire (Fabulous 208)

15 December 1967 – Technical College, Basingstoke, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

16 December 1967 – Southampton College of Art, Southampton, Hampshire (Fabulous 208)

19 December 1967 – Sibyllas, Swallow Street, London (Fabulous 208) Not in Barber’s book

21 December 1967 – Blue Horizon Club, Wolverhampton, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

22 December 1967 – St Michael’s Hall, Oxford (Fabulous 208)

23 December 1967 – Penthouse, Birmingham with The Troggs (Birmingham Evening Mail)  Not in Barber’s book

23 December 1967 – Ritz, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)

Image may be subject to copyright

24 December 1967 – Cofton Club, Rednal, West Midlands with Nu-2-U (Redditch Indicator) Barber’s book says this was 23 December

24 December 1967 – Penthouse, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)

26 December 1967 – Frank Freeman’s, Kidderminster, Worcestershire (John Combe book) Not in Barber’s book

30 December 1967 – Time and Place Club, Manchester (Fabulous 208)

31 December 1967 – Mercer’s Arms, Coventry, West Midlands (Fabulous 208)

1968

1 January 1968 – Corn Exchange, Bristol (Fabulous 208)

5-6 January 1968 – Purple Fez Club, Plymouth, Devon (Fabulous 208) Not in Barber’s book

Image may be subject to copyright

6 January 1968 – Newtongrange Insitute, Newtongrange, Scotland with Pang Projection (South Midlothian Advertiser)

7 January 1968 – Warmingham Country Club, Warmingham, Cheshire (Fabulous 208) Not in Barber’s book

20 January 1968 – Middle Earth, Covent Garden, London (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

26 January 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

26 January 1968 – Middle Earth, Covent Garden, London with Fairport Convention, Pegasus and The Flute Girl (Melody Maker)

27 January 1968 – Majestic, Wellington, Somerset (Fabulous 208) Not in Barber’s book

28 January 1968 – Fresco’s Club, Birmingham (Fabulous 208)

29 January 1968 – Broadway Club, Dudley Zoo, West Midlands with Jo Jo Cooke & The Racket (Express & Star) Not in Barber’s book

 

2 February 1968 – Westfield Tech College, West Ham, London (Fabulous 208)

3 February 1968 – Paddington Tech College, Paddington, London (Fabulous 208)

8 February 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Edwin Starr (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live) Barber’s book says they played Speakeasy on this day but unlikely

11 February 1968 – Nottingham Boat Club, Nottingham (Down at the Boat book)

17 February 1968 – Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, Lancashire (Steve Chapples research: www.lankybeat.com)

19 February 1968 – Speakeasy, W1, London (Fabulous 208/Mick Capewell’s Marmalade Skies) Barber’s book says they played Marquee this day but unlikely

23 February 1968 – Marquee, Wardour Street, Soho, London with Tim Rose and Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation (Tony Bacon’s book: London Live)

26 February 1968 – Broadway Club, Dudley Zoo, West Midlands with Jo Jo Cooke & The Racket (Express & Star) Barber’s book says this was on 23 February

 

8 March 1968 – Westfield College, Hampstead, London with Tim Rose and Aynsley Dunbar Retaliation (Melody Maker)

8 March 1968 – Mothers, Erdington, West Midlands (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

10 March 1968 – Bolero, Wednesbury, West Midlands (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

15 March 1968 – Industrial Club, Norwich, Norfolk (Eastern Evening News)

30 March 1968 – Ewell College, Ewell, Surrey with Herbie Goins & The Nightimers (Melody Maker) Not in Barber’s book

Image may be subject to copyright

5 April 1968 – Bolero, Wednesbury, West Midlands (Express & Star) Not in Barber’s book

12 April 1968 – Mothers, Erdington, West Midlands with Erskene T Sound Specials (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

12 April 1968 – Back Room Shanty, Erdington, West Midlands (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

Image may be subject to copyright

19 April 1968 – Impsella Club, Chateau Impney, Droitwich, Worcestershire (Birmingham Evening Mail) Not in Barber’s book

Image may be subject to copyright

5 May 1968 – South Bank, Grimsby (Grimsby Evening Telegraph) Not in Barber’s book

17 May 1968 – Bolero, Wednesbury, West Midlands (Express & Star)

25 May 1968 – Rhodes Centre, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts with The Raid (Steve Ingless book: The Day Before Yesterday) Not in Barber’s book

28 May 1968 – RAF Sleaford, Lincolnshire (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

29 May 1968 – Acorn Hotel, Erdington, West Midlands with Maddening Crowd (Birmingham Evening Mail) Not in Barber’s book

30 May 1968 – Quay Club, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear (Harry Barber’s book, The Band of Joy)

Robert Plant – lead vocals

John Hill – lead guitar

Mick Strode – bass/vocals

John Bonham – drums

According to Harry Barber’s book, this line-up did a last Scottish tour around early June and then Bonham left to join Tim Rose. A final line-up came together and may be responsible for the gig below (or it could be Plant and Bonham’s version)

Micky Cox – lead guitar/vocals

Paul Lockey – bass/vocals

Chris Brown – keyboards/vocals

Pete Robinson – drums

26 June 1968 – Steering Wheel, Weymouth, Dorset (Dorset Evening Echo)

Robert Plant joined his next group Obs-Tweedle. The photos  below are from the Wolverhampton newspaper, The Express & Star

Obs-Tweedle late June 1968. Image may be subject to copyright

 

Obs-Tweedle gig, 20 July 1968. Image may be subject to copyright

 

Obs-Tweedle gig, 22 July 1968. Image may be subject to copyright

Copyright © Nick Warburton.  All Rights Reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced or transmitted in any from or by any means, without prior permission from the author.

 

3 thoughts on “Robert Plant & The Band of Joy”

  1. There is a very collectable 45 on UK CBS 2585 from 1967 by Robert Plant. It’s actually a (Northern) Soul track, ‘I’ve Got A Secret’.

  2. I have a photograph of a poster on a wall at Frank Freeman’s that will confirm the Band of Joy were due to play 26 Dec 1967

  3. In 1967 US singer Felice Taylor gigged at the Elbow Room. I was in her backing band. There was two rooms ,in the other smaller room was Robert Plant performing. I had no idea who he was but was impressed enough to find out the name.
    Next time I came across him he was with Led Zep !

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